The lost innocence of Punjab

I thought I should explain the reason as to why I chose to call this blog 'mera rangla punjab'.

Most people are aware of the plight of Punjab. From the infertile lands, the rise of farmer suicide, the high rate of female infanticide and the influx of drugs and alcohol, to name but a few.  And let's not forget the shambolic political agenda with all its bribery. I guess that's something that's applicable to most countries of the world as politics is generally a dirty 'game' full of deceit and trickery but I feel, it's a game that our people haven't quite mastered. The severity of the issues just seems to be spiraling out of control, that it almost seems as if there is no solution.

Contrary to this disorderly web of corruption, is the Punjabi music scene with all its songs that boast about the men of this land; 6 foot in height and muscular in physique. The women, tall and slender with their long black hair which resembles a snake. The lyrics portray a colourful, vibrant landscape in which everyone is jubliant and always up for a celebration even if there is no occassion. Unfortunately, such portrayal of Punjab and its people are not true to life anymore, except the latter point; Punjabi folk are still always up for a party. Any excuse to drink and be merry. 

Many songs come to mind, however songs like Javaani with the vocals of Kaka Bhaniawala, Desh Punjab Di with Nirmal Sidhu, and Rangla Punjab by Sarbjit Cheema are ones that stick out in my mind for their colourful visionary depiction of the landscape and the latter two for their lyrics. When I hear the last two songs mentioned, they inject within me so much energy and I feel a great sense of pride in being Punjabi. For me, the latter two songs are a true reflection of the past spirit of Punjab and its people. 

Today the landscape is not at all like what we see being portrayed in the Punjabi music videos such as the ones above, which show fields upon fields of luscious green crops, 'gabhrus' happily dancing to bhangra and the young punjabi 'mutiyaar' in her ghagra and salvaar kameez. This isn't something I've seen on any of my visits to the Punjab. In fact, on my recent visit 5 years ago, I remember my sister and I shopping in chandigarh wearing phulkari chunni suits with our heads covered and being laughed at by the local girls and boys who were wearing western clothes thinking they were trendy. My mum was shocked to see them whispering and pointing at us making comments like 'why are they wearing those suits? Hardly anyone was wearing a salvaar kameez. So much for punjabi mutiyaar. And the 'gabhrus' described in the song with their 'kundiya muccha and pochmiyaa pagga' also nowhere in sight. 

The songs below are ones which are a true reflection of the current state of Punjab. While I know there are others, for me these are the ones that stand out and the ones that I personally like:

• Satinder Sartaj (Paani)
• Manmohan Waris (Dhia, Rukh te Paani)
• Saint Soldier (Farmer Suicide)

The first addresses the issue of the dried up rivers to the village boys leaving their village for the cosmopolitan lifestyle in the city without seeing the harvest of his crops. The second talks about  preserving nature and preserving punjabi culture addressing issues such as the water shortage in Punjab and the abortion of the female fetus. The last song is one that is chilling and rightly so because it shows how our farmers back home are struggling to harvest crops from lands which are not fertile and with no help from the government, they see suicide as their only option. 

With all this in mind then, why the name 'rangla punjab'?

Because such a time did exist where the plains of Punjab beamed with golden fields of wheat and everyone from the peasants, the farmers, the saints and the warriors were all full of resilience and always in high spirits (chardi kala). The bearded gabhru tall and robust in his chitta chaadra shook the dust on this land with his rhythmic dance of bhangra, the punjabi mutiyaar in her ghagra and saggi phull did once grace this land with her walk that resembled a deer and the sound of the shehnai filled the air in the house of the bride.



Sadly, these times have been lost in the pages of history. They are but nothing fond memories to our parents and grandparents and remind them of their childhood. And for the rest of us, all we have are the paintings which depict the lost innocence of Punjab. And so that's why the title of this blog is 'mera rangla punjab' because it is in honour of our great and glorious heritage. It is a celebration of our colourful and beautiful past. Having said that, such songs as the ones mentioned (rangla punjab, desh punjab di) exist for this very reason also; as a celebration of Punjabi culture.

I'll leave you with two songs that for me perfectly represent the idea of the 'punjabi gabhru' and the 'punjabi mutiyaar'. They will also give you a true sense of gidda and bhangra-raw and undiluted. The gidda video called 'gidda pao kuriyo' was a gidda series on video of traditional gidda. I grew up watching this video with my mum and sisters and I have very fond memories of it because we all used to dance to it and copy the moves. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I did.

Gidda Pao Kuriyo (Part 1 of 14)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMLvz_5fRrY&feature=related

Surjit Bindrakhia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBxmDn1Ea-s&feature=related