Music has the power to rouse the spirit and take us to the world of joy and happiness. It’s a world wide language which can be understood by anybody and is ever delighting. Kerala, with its elaborate range of rich traditional, vocal and instrumental music, has enhanced the cultural heritage of India. The music of God’s Own Country owes its origin to the ancient, illustrious traditional heritage of the land and the unique culture of the people.

The rule of Swati Tirunal, the ruler of Travancore, is noted as "the Augustan Age of Kerala Music". Kerala shares the common musical culture of South India from the earliest times. The South Indian Karnatic Music originated and flourished during his reign. . Due to common features, the South Indian music is generally known as 'Karnatic music'. Karnatic music has a plethora of ragas and thalams that are combined together to form the music for the soul.

The different forms of Kerala Music are:-

Music of Kerala is known as Sopanam. It is believed that Sangeetam (Music) may have acquired its name from the 'Sopanam' which means flight of stairs that lead to the worship place. Sopanam Sangeetam, consists of step-by-step version of raga-based songs known as ASHTAPATHI. The devotees used to sit on these stairs and sing devotional songs in the praise of the Lord. That is how this form of music derived its name. Musicians normally stand on the left side of the sopanam (steps) and sing devotional songs with the accompaniment of musical instruments like EDAKKA (a typical Kerala percussion instrument), and CHENGILA. The traditional Kathakali music is the perfect instance of the uniqueness of Sopana sangeetam.

Kerala has a rich tradition of folk songs. Keralites are fond of folk music too. It narrates unrecorded tales of the land and people. These songs came from the emotions and the insight of the folk. Most of the folk songs are sung in the local language. Almost all the events in a life find a place in kerala folk songs.

With the passing of time these NAADANPATTUKAL declined. But now it got immense popularity and to avoid its decline again, many of these songs are recorded now. One of the famous naadan pattu singers is MARIAMMA CHETATHI, a sweeper in a college. One of the professors in that college finds out the old stocks of naadan pattukal with her and arranged many programmes for her to popularize this old art form. Thus with the efforts of many of the people now naadan pattukal became famous.

It’s a music sung while performing KATHAKALI. It is sung by two singers and they play CHENGILA and ILATHAALAM (cymbal) former one is a meal gong used for percussion. The orchestra consists of MADHALAM and CHENDA. Here the style of singing is categorized as SOPANAM.

It’s an unavoidable part of temple festivals of Kerala. As the name indicates it is a musical combination of five instruments. They are drums like Edakka, Shudha Madhalam and Timila, Elathaalam, a cymbol and Kombu, a trumpet. The sweetness of these PANCHA (five) VADYAM (music of instruments) enchants the listeners. TRICHUR POORAM is the main festival where PANCHAVADYAM performs.

To every occasion there corresponds a song. We can sing songs to make the atmosphere lively. It may include any type of songs film songs, folk songs, devotional songs which match to the situation.

Songs that are sung to make the children sleep called LULLABIES (THAARATTU PATTUKAL). One of the famous lullabies is “OMANATHINKAL KIDAVO…”, by swathi thirunal.

There are songs that are sung during harvesting, to reduce the burden of work. They are harvest songs, boat songs etc. KUTTANADAN PUNCHAYILE …. is a famous boat song. The songs which praise the courage and bravery of ANKAVHEKAVAR the warriors who engaged in a duel called VADAKKANPPATU

There are songs accompanying Christian art forms like the 'MARGAM KALI' and the 'CHAVITTU NADAKAM'. They have a distinct language and style of their own. Another Christian song is PAANA, which sings the life of Jesus in a particular tone. Usually it is singing on Maundy Thursday.

The song to praise Devi, rendered while drawing the diety’s figure on the ground is  KALAMEZHUTHU PAATTU. These eulogies are also sung along with performances like Mudiyettu, Kolam Tullal, Patayani, Theeyattu, Pulluvan Pattu.

Songs sung by the Muslims of North kerala are called MAAPILA PATTU. They are written and rendered in a peculiar tone and a mix of Arabic and Malayalam language.