HISTORY: Bhangra is a lively form of
music and dance that originated in the Punjab region in Southeast Asia. As many Bhangra
lyrics reflect the long and often tumultuous history of the Punjab, knowledge of Punjabi
history offers important insights into the meaning of the music. While Bhangra began as a
part of harvest festival celebrations, it eventually became a part of such diverse
occasions as weddings and New Year celebrations. Moreover, during the last thirty years,
Bhangra has enjoyed a surge in popularity worldwide, both in traditional form and as a
fusion with genres such as hip -hop, house, and reggae. As Bhangra continues to move into
mainstream culture, an understanding of its history and tradition helps to appreciate it.
The Bhangra: Although Bhangra has possibly existed since as long ago as 300 BC, over the
past forty years it has experienced new highs in popularity and innovation. The term
"Bhangra" has gradually evolved and now refers to many different sub-classes of
dance and music for many occasions.The Origin of Bhangra While Bhangra historians
speculate the dance may have originated in the time of the wars with Alexander no one is
sure it existed until about five hundred years ago. Around the 14th or 15th Century,
Punjabi wheat farmers danced and sang songs about village life to help pass the time while
working in the fields. With time, these became part of harvest celebrations at Bhaisakhi
(April 13) festivals, as the sight of their crops growing invigorated the farmers. From
here the dance quickly moved through all divisions of class and education, eventually
becoming a part of weddings, New Year parties, and other important occasions.
The Many Sub-Dances of Bhangra: Bhangra has developed as a combination of dances from
different parts of the Punjab region. The term "Bhangra" now refers to several
kinds of dances and arts, including Jhumar, Luddi, Giddha, Julli, Daankara, Dhamal, Saami,
Kikli, and Gatka.Jhumar, originally from Sandalbar, Punjab, comprises an important part of
Punjab folk heritage. It is a graceful dance, based on a specific Jhumar rhythm. Dancers
circle around a drum player while singing a soft chorus. A person performing the Luddi
dance places one hand behind his head and the other in front of his face, while swaying
his head and arms. He typically wears a plain loose shirt and sways in a snake-like
manner. Like a Jhumar dancer, the Luddi dancer moves around a dhol player.Women have a
different but equally exuberant dance called Giddha. The dancers enact verses called
bolis, representing a wide variety of subjects - everything from arguments with a
sister-in-law to political affairs. The rhythm of the dance depends not only the drums,
but also on the handclaps of the dancers. Julli is a dance associated with Muslim holy men
called pirs and is generally performed in their hermitages. Typically the dancers dress
all in black, and perform Julli in a sitting posture, but it is sometimes also done around
the grave of a preceptor. Julli is unique in that one person, alone, can perform the dance
if he so desires. Daankara is a dance of celebration, typically performed at weddings. Two
men, each holding colorful staves, dance around each other in a circle while tapping their
sticks together in rhythm with the drums.Dancers also form a circle while performing
Dhamal. They also hold their arms high, shake their shoulders and heads, and yell and
scream. Dhamal is a true folk-dance, representing the heart of Bhangra. Women of the
Sandalbar region traditionally are known for the Saami. The dancers dress in brightly
colored kurtas and full flowing skirts called lehengas.Like Daankara, Kikli features pairs
of dancers, this time women. The dancers cross their arms, hold each other`s hands, and
whirl around singing folk songs. Occasionally four
girls join hands to perform this dance.Gatka is a Sikh martial art in which people use
swords, sticks, or daggers. Historians believe that the sixth Sikh guru started the art of
gatka after the martyrdom of fifth guru Guru Arjan Dev. Wherever there is a large Khalsa
Sikh population, there will be Gatka participants, often including small children and
adults. These participants usually perform Gatka on special Punjabi holidays.In addition
to these different dances, a Bhangra performance typically contains many energetic stunts.
The most popular stunt is called the moor, or peacock, in which a dancer sits on someone`s
shoulders, while another person hangs from his torso by his legs. Two-person towers,
pyramids, and various spinning stunts are also popular.
Bhangra Costumes: Traditionally, men wear a lungi while doing Bhangra. A lungi is a
colorful piece of cloth wrapped around the waist. Men also wear a kurta, which is a long
Punjabi-style shirt. In addition, men wear Bhugaris - also known as turbins - to cover
their heads.Women wear the traditional Punjabi dress, salvar kameez. A salvar kameez is
composed of a long colorful shirt and baggy, vibrant pants. Women also wear duppattas,
colorful pieces of cloth wrapped around the neck. Many Bhangra songs make references to
the duppatta.
The Many Sub-Dances of Bhangra: Bhangra Instruments: Many different Punjabi instruments
contribute to the sound of Bhangra. Although the most important instrument is the dhol
drum, Bhangra also features a variety of string and other drum instruments. The primary
and most important instrument that defines Bhangra is the dhol. The dhol is a large,
high-bass drum, played by beating it with two sticks. The width of a dhol skin is about
fifteen inches in general, and the dhol player holds his instrument with a strap around
his neck.The string instruments include the tumbi, sarangi, sapera, supp, and chimta. The
dhad, dafli, dholki, and damru are the other drums. The tumbi, famously mastered by Amar
Singh Chamkila, a famous Punjabi singer, is a high-tone, single-string instrument.
Although it has only one string, mastering the tumbi takes many years. The sarangi is a
multi-stringed instrument, somewhat similar to the violin. The sapera produces a
beautiful, high-pitched stringy beat, while the supp and chimta add extra, light sound to
Bhangra music. Finally, the dhad, dafli, dholki, and damru are instruments that produce
more drum beats, but with much less bass than the dhol drum.
Bhangra Lyrics: Bhangra lyrics, always sung in the Punjabi language, generally cover
social issues such as love, relationships, alcohol, dancing, and marriage. Additionally,
there are countless Bhangra songs devoted to Punjabi pride themes and Punjabi heroes. The
lyrics are tributes to the rich cultural traditions of the Punjabis. In particular, many
Bhangra tracks have been written about Udham Singh and Bhagat Singh. Less serious topics
include beautiful adies with their colorful duppattas, and dancing and drinking in the
fields of the Punjab. Bhangra singers do not sing in the same tone of voice as their
Southeast Asian counterparts. Rather, they employ a high, energetic tone of voice. Singing
fiercely, and with great pride, they typically add nonsensical, random noises to their
singing. Likewise, often people dancing to Bhangra will yell phrases such as "Hey hey
hey,"Balle balle," or"Hey aripa" to the music.
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