The Indian Culture
Music and Dance
A 'dhol'
India consists of over 20 states and each one has its own mother tongue, culture and traditions. Therefore there are a variety of types of music in the Indian culture, including folk, ghazals, bhangra, bollywood film songs, remixes, etc
I have chosen to write about “Bhangra” music, a form of music and dance originated in the Punjab region of India. I chose this genre because I find it being the most exciting type. On the contrary, most teenagers of my age would find the ghazals and folk music sort of slow and boring, compared to the fast fusion of modern music! Music like Bhangra lightens me up anytime. I first heard this type of music on the radio, when I was about 5 years old. Bhangra music and dance first began when ‘Punjabi’ farmers in villages conducted a folk dance to celebrate the coming of ‘Vaisakhi’ (a Punjabi festival). The dance started of as just one move, and it evolved later on. It became popular during the late 1960’s and 1970’s, when Punjabis migrated to the UK, bringing with them the Bhangra music. Several of them were singers who set the stage for Bhangra music and dance to become a trend. In fact, the 1980’s was commonly known as the golden age (the age of Bhangra music) - Bhangra artists were selling over 30,000 albums every week in the UK. Moreover, the success of these Punjabi artists inspired many other artists and gained tremendous support from fans.
You don’t have to be an Indian, a boy or a girl to dance and listen to this type of music. For instance, Bhangra dance was originally known as a dance for men, with strong and intense moves. But today, millions of women from diverse backgrounds are increasingly turning to Bhangra. However, the Punjabis love for dancing and listening to Bhangra is more than any other ethnic group, age or race.
People tend to listen to Bhangra on the radio, on CD’s or even live in a concert.
The ‘dhol’ is the traditional Punjabi instrument used when dancing or singing to Bhangra. It is similar to the ‘tabla’ (a drum-like instrument but played with palms of the hand), except that the dhol is worn over the head and played using sticks.
I have chosen to write about “Bhangra” music, a form of music and dance originated in the Punjab region of India. I chose this genre because I find it being the most exciting type. On the contrary, most teenagers of my age would find the ghazals and folk music sort of slow and boring, compared to the fast fusion of modern music! Music like Bhangra lightens me up anytime. I first heard this type of music on the radio, when I was about 5 years old. Bhangra music and dance first began when ‘Punjabi’ farmers in villages conducted a folk dance to celebrate the coming of ‘Vaisakhi’ (a Punjabi festival). The dance started of as just one move, and it evolved later on. It became popular during the late 1960’s and 1970’s, when Punjabis migrated to the UK, bringing with them the Bhangra music. Several of them were singers who set the stage for Bhangra music and dance to become a trend. In fact, the 1980’s was commonly known as the golden age (the age of Bhangra music) - Bhangra artists were selling over 30,000 albums every week in the UK. Moreover, the success of these Punjabi artists inspired many other artists and gained tremendous support from fans.
You don’t have to be an Indian, a boy or a girl to dance and listen to this type of music. For instance, Bhangra dance was originally known as a dance for men, with strong and intense moves. But today, millions of women from diverse backgrounds are increasingly turning to Bhangra. However, the Punjabis love for dancing and listening to Bhangra is more than any other ethnic group, age or race.
People tend to listen to Bhangra on the radio, on CD’s or even live in a concert.
The ‘dhol’ is the traditional Punjabi instrument used when dancing or singing to Bhangra. It is similar to the ‘tabla’ (a drum-like instrument but played with palms of the hand), except that the dhol is worn over the head and played using sticks.
Sukhshinder Shinda
Various bhangra artists play the dhol and sing and dance bhangra, such as: Hard Kaur, Harbhajan Mann and Sukhshinder Shinda. Sukhshinder Shinda is a bhangra singer who has sold over 200 albums.
