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A.Z.Moidunny may not have mastered the A to Z of Carnatic music but his effort has certainly made many eyebrows arch and many connoisseurs take notice.   Son of late Abdullah and Sainaba of Kadavalloor near Thrissur, he has brought out a Carnatic music album with the verse in Malayalam despite strident opposition from the members of his family and community.

It took him 3½ years to render the kritis in Malayalam from the original Sanskrit or Telugu and he was helped in this endeavour by noted singer Mannur Rajakumaran Unni.  And the cassette of his Carnatic recital in Malayalam was released by none other than music director Dakshinamoorthy at a function held in his pooja room.

“The release of the cassette in the house of Dakshinamoorthy in Kalpathy was one of the cherished moments in my life,” says Moidunny, who is on deputation from Economics and Statistics Department to the Irrigation Department at Palakkad.  “I was influenced by Carnatic music while studying at the Sree Krishna College, Guruvayoor.  The revered atmosphere at Guruvayoor only added interest to my endeavour.” 

While continuing his studies, he enrolled to learn Carnatic music under Krishnankutty Bhagavathar of Guruvayoor in 1983.  Even though he joined for M.Sc at St.Thomas College, Thrissur, he traveled to Guruvayoor everyday to be with the Bhagavathar till 1997.

Moidunny had to face stiff opposition from his family members especially during the initial 3 years of his learning.  “I tried to convince them saying that I believe it is my destiny which is leading me in this direction,” he says.

After the cassettes were released, there was demand to sing at concerts.  However, as most of the concerts are held in temples, there was a problem for the organizers to invite him.

He has a great desire in him: to sing at the concert in Chembai music festival at least from outside the temple precincts.

Courtesy: A.Sathish, The New Indian Express, November 15, 2004

Contributed by: Administrator

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