Bhangra is a traditional form of dance and music which originates from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan. It was initially used as a celebratory folk dance which heralded the coming of spring, or Vaisakhi, as it is known.

Following the partition of India different regions of the country began to mix and interact sharing their different forms of Bhangra. The end result was a hybrid being created which incorporated the many different styles of the unique act. Bhangra became popularized chiefly due to the Sikh community who helped to integrate the music and dance into the Bollywood film industry.

In its purest form Bhangra is a mix of a singing accompanied by music and the beat of a single drum known as a dhol. The lyrics are always sung in the language of Punjabi and usually relate to social or cultural issues. These can be anything from marriage and love to money and dancing, or even getting drunk. Current Bhangra artists take their inspiration from all kinds of sources, often dealing with hot topics of the time. Bhangra seeks to offer a message along with its music.

Bhangra dances differ from region to region and still retain their own unique identities. The term Bhangra has come to incorporate a whole host of these dance forms including Jhumar, Luddi, Giddha, Julli, Daankara, Dhamal, Saami, Kikli, and Gatka. The dancers sing the chorus of the song whilst dancing around the drum, or dhol, which sets the unique beat of the dance.

Nowadays Bhangra influences can be seen in many Bollywood films and it’s even found its way into forms of popular non-Asian culture such is its unique appeal.

Punjabi Language and Culture of Millions of Citizens in India, Pakistan & Around the World

 
Punjabi is the native language of Punjab-India, the prominent language of Sikhs, the most common language in Pakistan and the spoken language of millions around the World.

Punjab once a mighty region is now split between two nations, Pakistan and India. After the death of Maharaja of Punjab, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, poor governance led to annexation. The region came under British Rule when the East India Company annexed Punjab on March 29, 1849, and was made the province of British India, with Lahore as its capital. The province was divided between India and Pakistan when  independence was gained in 1947. The Indian Punjab was divided again in 1966 into three areas comprising Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, by the then Indian Government.

The 1966 reorganization created a smaller Punjab state populated mostly by Sikhs and predominantly Hindu Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

The current Prime Minister of India is Manmohan Singh. A Punjabi born on the Pakistan side of Punjab prior to partition. A Sikh by faith, Singh was sworn in on May 22, 2004 as India’s first non-Hindu Prime Minister. He was educated at Oxford, Cambridge and Punjab University. He remains one of the most highly respected and well regarded politicians that India has had for a while.

The history of the Punjab, since Independence is a saga of suffering and sacrifice, It was a tragic and traumatic experience for the Punjabis. The partition with its riots and massacres destroyed thousands of lives. The massive exodus from the newly formed state of Pakistan created problems of uncontrollable dimensions. Hindu and Sikh Punjabis settled in the western districts were uprooted and trekked eastward in blood and tatters; Muslim Punjabis settled in the eastern districts fled eastward in fear for their lives. India and Pakistan have seen five decades of hostility, occasionally erupting into war, and yet, when Punjabis meet, whether they are Muslims of West Punjab, or Hindus or Sikhs of East Punjab, they eagerly ask each other to recite the latest in Punjabi poetry, or to sing well-loved songs old or new. The consciousness of “one blood” has never dimmed.

Punjab has been an unusally fluid region, not just geographically but socially and culturally. The boundries of present day Indian Punjab for example, have been redrawn several times over the last few centuries, currently occupying less than 15% of the total geographical area of pre-partition colonial Punjab. A large number of Punjabis, both Sikh’s, Hindu’s and Muslims live outside the state. A good number of those migrated from accross the border to the Indian side at the time of Partition were resettled in Delhi and other towns of North India.

Punjab-the land of five rivers. In the Vedic Era, Punjab was called “Sapat Sindu”. This means the land of the seven rivers- the Sindu, Jehlum, Ravi, Chenab, Beas, Satluj, and Yamuna. The Mughals persionised its name by calling it “Punj-Aab” or the land of the five rivers-excludingSindhu and Yamuna.  Punj means five and aab means water, so Punjab means -the land of five rivers. These rivers that run through Punjab, originate from the various lakes in the Himalayas.

The rich fertile land of Punjab lured many invaders to come galloping on horse backs, loot, plunder and go back. The punjabis developed into strong and sturdy people who coined an appropriate phrase for themselves-”Eat, Drink and be Merry”  the rest Ahmed Shah Abdali will carry!

What is Bhangra?

Bhangra is fusion of music and dance which originates from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan. In its earliest form it was a celebratory folk dance which welcomed the coming of spring, or Vaisakhi, as it is known.

Now Bhangra has evolved and in the past 30 years it has become integrated into popular Asian culture after being mixed with hip hop, house and reggae styles of music. Bhangra has come a long way from its humble beginnings in India but now it is recognised and enjoyed the world over.

The influence of Bhangra can be seen clearly in the world of Bollywood with Bhangra artists being used to supply the soundtracks to some of the biggest movies from this industry. There’s a lively Bhangra music scene alive and kicking in the U.K. with some of the biggest DJ’s and singers performing across the country every year. Some universities and organisation have even started holding Bhangra dance competitions such is the popularity of the genre.

However Bhangra is more than just a musical genre. Asian people see it as an expression of their culture and identity and a way of showcasing all that is unique about them. Bhangra has even begun to find its way into R&B music as mainstream artists pick up on the potential of Bhangra to add an alternative spin to a record. Bhangra influences can be heard in Missy Elliott’s track “Get Your Freak On” and from music by the rapper Jay Z and The Fugees.

Bhangra has adapted and changed with the times but at its core remains a sense of cultural identity and tradition.

Welcome to FreeBhangraDownloads.co.uk

The Punjabi community is so spread out around the World. With the help of this site I hope to one day make it a smaller place, no matter how far apart we are. Being Punjabi is not just “nachlo, taplo, peelo, aish karlo, bhangra palo” and thats the be all and end all of it. Our sabayachaar has deeper meanings and roots than this.  If you are Punjabi and still on a crusade to prove that one religion is better than another or that some Punjabi’s are better than (add any other culture here) you are very mistaken. We are all Gods children and we are all equal in the eyes of God.