The people of Punjab are called Punjabi and they are very proud of their culture, land, music and dance. Wheat is the main crop grown here along with rice, cotton and sugar cane. Bhangra is traditionally performed during the harvest season and is associated with the festival of ‘Baisakhi’ which is the harvest festival. Bhangra is perhaps the most virile form of Indian folk dance and it reflects the vigour, vitality and the hilarity permeated among the folk by the promise of a bumper crop.
The Bhangra season starts with the wheat sowing and every full moon night the villagers get together and young men dance for hours in the open fields. The dance usually starts with a slow speed but then gradually the tempo of the dance increases to dizzy heights. When the crops ripen and are ready to be harvested, the farmers rejoice and celebrate and celebrate with Bhangra which is known as the ‘King of folk dance’ in India.
Over the years, Bhangra has enjoyed a surge in popularity worldwide, both in traditional form and as a fusion with genres such hip-hop, house and reggae. It has evolved into a fashionable style of music and dance and is enjoyed by people not only in South Asia but also in many parts of the world.
Bhangra Costumes
Traditionally men wear a lungi, which is a colourful piece of cloth wrapped around the waist with kurtas which is a long Punjabi style shirt. They also wear turbans to cover their head. Women wear the traditional Punjabi dress known as salwar kameez which is a long colourful shirt with baggy trousers. They also wear dupattas that are long pieces of material draped around their shoulders.
Musical instruments
Many different Punjabi musical instruments contribute to the sound of Bhangra. Although the most important instrument is the ‘Dhol’ which is a large percussion instrument, Bhangra also uses a variety of string instruments along with smaller drums.