‘Mappila Pattu’ exponent V M Kutty passes away
Kozhikode (Ker) (PTI): Considered the uncrowned prince of Kerala Muslim folk songs, named "mappila pattu", V M Kutty, died of a heart ailment at a private hospital here on Wednesday, family sources said.
He was 86.
Hailing from Pulikkal near Kondotty in Malappuram district, Kutty has made immense contributions in popularising Mappila Pattu, which has been a cultural identity of the Muslim community of the state especially in Malabar (north Kerala).
'Mappila Pattu' is a folklore Muslim song genre, sung in a colloquial dialect of Malayalam laced with Arabic.
It was out of his sheer passion for the folk songs that he synced the "Ishels" (tunes), believed to be sung by Arab sailors who reached Kozhikode for trade centuries ago, into Arab-Malayalam lyrics and gave a unique slang that made the art form creating a tremendous impact among the music lovers.
Beginning his career as a teacher in a local school, Kutty became an exponent of Mappila songs through research into the centuries-old Arab-origin music stream.
The presentation of 'mapplila pattu' on radio at the age of 20 years marked the beginning of his art life.
He was also the person who had first presented the mapplia pattu on stage and formed a music troupe for its performance in the southern state.
Over the years, he also popularised the ancient folk songs which were since then confined to few Muslim pockets.
Kutty also wrote extensively about mappila pattu and introduced many new singers into the music stream.
He has written over 1,000 songs and has penned several books.
"Mappila pattinte lokam," "Bhathigeethangal", "Kuruthikunju" and "Basheer Mala" were among his noted works.
A recipient of the Sangeetha Nadaka Academy award, Kutty has been the honorary secretary of the Institute of Mappila Studies for a long time.
Condoling his death, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Kutty was a genius who played a key role in popularising the Mappila Pattu and took the music genre to new heights.
"Kutty, who had composed and sung over a thousand songs, made his presence in the film industry too. Thus, he was able to popularise the music genre across Kerala and build a fan base," he said in the message.
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UP: Govt hospital staff booked for sexually assaulting woman in pretext of ultrasound test
Gorakhpur (PTI): A hospital employee was booked for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in the pretext of an ultrasound test here in the district women's hospital, police said on Saturday.
According to the complaint, the woman, a resident of the Gulriha area, visited the district women's hospital on Thursday morning for an ultrasound test.
She was directed to a room, where Abhimanyu Gupta was conducting ultrasounds. When her turn came, the accused allegedly stared at her and told her to remove all her clothes, claiming it was necessary for the test and that a massage would also be required, she said.
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The woman alleged that once she complied, the accused began making obscene advances and tried to force himself on her. When she screamed, he allegedly gagged her, abused her and threatened to kill her before pushing her out of the room.
She said her complaints within the hospital went unheard, forcing her to approach the police.
Taking cognisance of the complaint, the hospital administration constituted a three-member inquiry committee, officials said.
Senior consultant (paediatrics) Dr Jay Kumar said, "The woman has levelled serious allegations against a staff member. Senior officials have been informed, and a departmental inquiry is underway. Strict action will be taken if the charges are proved."
Kotwali Station House Officer Chatrapal Singh said a case has been registered, and efforts are on to nab the accused.
