Bhangra-the
king of dances
Bhangra is a lively form of dance
and folk music that originates from Punjab, India. It developed from a folk
dance conducted by Sikhs in Northern India to celebrate the harvest festival
(also called VAISAKHI). During this
time the wheat crop is harvested in the region. It was an expression of joy at
the result of the hard work put in by the people (farmers) tending to their
wheat crop. It has now eventually become a part of diverse events such as
marriages, family functions, parties etc. The dance cuts across all divisions
of caste, class, education etc. It is mainly performed by men.
The dance is based on a
wooden drum (dhol) and folk singing.
Many other musical instruments like Sarangi,
Dafli, Tumbi, Chimta, etc may also be used. The singing usually contains
couplets in the Punjabi language (bolis).
Bhangra singers sing in a high, energetic tone. Singing fiercely and with great
pride, they typically add nonsensical, random noises to their singing. Many
phrases like “balle-balle”, “hoi-hoi”, “hadippa” etc are frequently used to
keep up the tempo. The base of lyrics is provided by love, relationship, money,
marriages, etc. Many Bhangra songs are devoted to Punjabi pride themes and
Punjabi heroes. The lyrics are a tribute to the Punjabi culture.
The men wear a cloth wrapped
around their waist (laacha) with a
long shirt (kurta). A turban (pagri), to which a fan shaped attachment
(turla) is attached, is a mandatory
part of the dress. A waistcoat (jugi)
may also be worn. The dancers also have small scarves (rumals) attached to their fingers. The entire costume is made up of
bright vivid colours.
The dance is performed with
a lot of zest, enthusiasm and energy. It
is a highly adaptable dance that can engage the creativity of a person and take
it to an altogether different level. Several dancers execute various kicks,
leaps, and bends of the body during performance. A number of
accompaniments/props are used during the dance. It abundantly reflects the
vigour, vitality and exuberance of the punjabis.
No wonder that the dance is
widely respected and is known as king of
dances......
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