A music video directed by Vishnu Vilasini Vijayan, named ‘Mavelipattu’ (song of Maveli), released on YouTube channel by Mangosteen club, has been gaining popularity with its theme of Dalit rights and struggles in Kerala. The video is a modern-day retelling of the legend of Mahabali and how the asura king was sent to Pathala (underworld) by Vamana (an avatar of Vishnu). The legend of Onam says it's a celebration of Mahabali, (‘Maveli'), who is allowed by Vamana to leave the underworld and visit his people in Kerala once a year.
The video, released on September 6, begins with a wealthy landowner trying to grab the land of Dalits by using fake documents. It features actor Manikandan Achari in the lead role, who plays an activist helping marginalised communities. The story compares him to Mahabali and how his people take up his mission and remember him always. Using the backdrop of Onam, the music video narrates the story of the Dalit land struggle in Kerala and the community's undying resistance against oppression. The video says during the rainy months of Karkidakam (month in Malayalam calendar), all the seeds hidden in the soil will sprout.
The lead character in the music video, who is killed by the rich land grabbers, comes back as Maveli. It says that Maveli was not light-skinned as commonly portrayed, but a dark-skinned asura king, indicating he was the king of marginalised communities. The lyrics for the song have been penned by Ajay Jishnu Sudheyan and Ansif Abu and has been sung by SR Hariprasad and Ajay Jishnu.
Maveli has been popularly portrayed as a king who was pushed down by Savarnas. During Onam celebrations, Maveli is portrayed as a king adorned with jewels, colourful clothes and crown. But several writers have pointed out that Vamana appears before Maveli in a Brahmin avatar, and while Maveli himself is said to be an asura ruler, the legend does not portray him as being light-skinned and wearing a rich attire.
Watch the video: