Bhangra is a lively form of
folk music and dance that originates from Punjab. People traditionally performed Bhangra when celebrating the harvest. During Bhangra, people sing Punjabi Boliyaan lyrics, at least one person plays the the
dhol drum, and other people may play the flute, dholak drum, or other musical instruments. 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. Many people believe that Bhangra originated in the 1400s, however, it may be even older. Primarily men performed Bhangra, while the ladies performed their own fierce, yet elegent, dance called
Giddha. The men wore the
turbin, lungi (long cloth wrapped around the waist), and
kurta (traditional Indian shirt), while the women, when performing Giddha, wore the salvar kameez (a long colorful shirt accompanied with a baggy style bottom piece) accompanied by their bright colored duppattas (cloth wrapped around the neck).
Nowadays, because of Punjabi influence worldwide, people perform Bhangra in all parts of the world at occasions such as weddings, receptions, and parties. Bhangra has evolved from a dance and music only performed in the Punjab region, to a popular style of music and dance that people perform throughout South Asia and many parts of the world.
Bhangra: Jazzy B, Panjabi MC, Gurdas Maan, Miss Pooja,
Surjit Bindrakhia, DJ Vix, Daler Mehndi, Sukhshinder Shinda, Lehmber Hussainpuri, Sahotas, Babbu Maan, Bally Sagoo, Amrita Virk, Hans Raj Hans, Gubi Sandhu, Aman Hayer, Kulwinder Dhillon, Hunterz, Indy Sagu, B21, RDB Aka Rhythm Dhol Bass, K.S. Makhan, Bhinda Jatt, Sukhdev Sukha, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan,
Inderjit Nikku, Jasbir Jassi, Heera Group, Sardool Sikander, Kuldip Manak, Harbhajan Shera, Apna Sangeet,
Gursewak Mann, Amar Singh
Chamkila, Jassi Sidhu, A.S. Kang, Amar Arshi, Parminder Sandhu, Yamla Jatt, and
Sukhbir.