Veteran singer Moidukka is no more

Veteran Hindustani singer P.P. Moidu, popularly called Moidukka, died here in the early hours of Tuesday night. He was 78.

Moidukka, who has large number of disciples learning Hindustani classical music from him, breathed his last at Pappinissery. He had been living in his native village of Pappinissery and encouraging young singers to learn Hindustani music.

Music lovers here said that Moidukka was one of the musicians who had helped build a Hindustani musical tradition in the district. Having learnt Hindustani music from musicians including M.M. Abdulla, Valapattanam M. Mamu Haji and Kasaragod Kumar Ustad, he was one of the founders of the Aikya Kerala Kalanilayam. He had also been among those who founded Safdar Hashmi Kala Sangham at Pappinissery.

“It was Moidukka who had popularised the songs of Talat Mahmood and Manna De in the region as he used to sing the Hindustani classical songs of the singers at various functions in the region,” recalled Abdul Razak from Kuruva near here, who was one of his disciples.

Moidukka was also an expert in using music instruments including harmonium, violin and tabla, he added.

Though he had been ailing for some time, he was in full of vigour when he was imparting music to his disciples, remembered Arif Palot, another disciple from Anayidukku here.

He was buried at the khabarstan of the local mosque at Pappinissery in the morning.

He was survived by wife and five children.