Oppana - Bringing a smile on the bride's face.

As one of the various art forms of Kerala in South India, the Oppana is famous as a social entertainment dance. It is predominantly an art form of the Muslim community residing in the northern districts of Kerala, like Kannur, Kozhikode and Malappuram and performed by women on the wedding day to entertain the bride.

During the course of the Oppana, the bride sits on a chair and her friends and relatives, dressed in bright finery, clap and dance around her. Light Mopla (mappila) songs that humor the bride and which have themes of nuptial bliss are sung.

Musical instruments like the harmonium, tambourine, ilathalom and tabla are used during the performance.

The word Oppana comes from the Arabic word afna. Oppana Chayal and Oppana Murukkam are the two forms. Men play Oppanna only on certain occasions.