In my previous post, I discussed the musical instruments that have been used in bhangra for years. These instruments add to the musical art by setting the beat or tone. They also add a nice accompaniment to the boliyan (lyrics) of the singers. There are more instruments used, but these ones that you’ll learn about today aren’t necessarily music producing. These are props that the dancers themselves use to add to the flair and style of bhangra on stage. In the dance routines, you will often see three props incorporated in the set, and they are: khunda, saap, and kato/kaato.

A khunda is essentially a stick, approximately 5 feet long, that is hooked at one of the ends. It looks similar to a cane. In fact, that is what people would traditionally use it as. Punjabi farmers would roam their fields with this walking stick, and it became incorporated into bhangra from the fields. Furthermore, it has been said to be a symbol of pride and brought respect to their farms. Nowadays, dance teams have been caught under fire for stepping away from the use of traditional khunda. Sometimes, you may see performances where the dancers just use long sticks made from pipes or cheap wood. With the instrument itself, dancers have multiple different maneuvers that they perform with the stick. General movements with the khunda include swaying from side to side, holding it vertically out on the dancer’s side, or having it lay against their shoulder.

Khunda:

In Use:

The saap is perhaps my favorite instrument of the three because it is a lot of fun to use in a set. It is a wooden instrument with multiple individual pieces of wood that are held together with bolts and screws. It is arranged together so the dancer can open and close the two ends. This leads to a clapping noise being produced from the prop. As the dancers open and close the saap, they attempt to match the claps with the beat of the music. It adds to the intensity of high-energy segments of dances. Historically, the instrument was actually used to scare away crows in the fields. It has also been considered in being a symbol for a thunderous mood as rain approaches the fields of Punjab. The loud noise produced by the saap is most closely attributed to this idea of thunder.

Saap:

In Use:

The last prop popularly used is the kato/kaato, another wooden instrument. It is composed of a wooden block that sits upon a wooden stick that is approximately 30 inches tall. The block on top has a flap in the front as well as an extended piece in the back. These extra pieces are attached to a string so that when they are pulled, the front flap snaps up and the tail swings out. The instrument is meant to mimic the actions of a squirrel. Kato/kaato literally means squirrel in Punjabi, but in a broader sense, it and the instrument stand for an expression of happiness of joy. When looking at it, the front flap is the mouth of the squirrel which shut when the rope is pulled. The back flap is the tail of the squirrel and extends outwards when pulled.

Kato/Kaato:

In Use (with additional, personal elements added):

 

I always enjoy dancing with these props because they add a unique flair to the dance. Whenever any audience sees us use these instruments, they always get very excited which most beautifully represents the purpose of bhangra spreading joy.

 

 

When you talk to people about bhangra, there can be two ways the conversation may take place. One, you may talk about the dance itself and the art it presents on stage with people moving around in perfectly choreographed ways. Or, you could also be discussing the music. Bhangra is not simply considered a dance, but it also includes the musical style that accompanies the dance. The music as i have mentioned before takes many different shapes and forms. It can be very solemn and moving; it can be powerful and prideful. There are numerous emotions made from bhangra music. It all comes down to the execution of the style. The music also holds historical significance, and as many other components of bhangra, it has transformed over the years as well.

Originally, people would dance to the beat of a drum known as the dhol. This is perhaps the most famous musical instrument, and it is truly the one instrument that the dancers will follow along with. The dhol is shaped different from what you may consider a normal drum. It is more of an elongated barrel that can be struck on both ends. One end is composed of a thicker material that is stretched across the side, and it will produce a lower frequency sound. The other end has a thinner material stretched which helps produce a higher frequency sound. The drummer will wear it around their shoulders or neck, and they will use two special wooden sticks to play. One stick is a thicker, heavier stick that is struck on the thicker side to create the bass sound. The other is thinner, lighter, and flexible. It is to be used on the lighter side. The music is very loud and “hard-hitting”, so the drummer will often play during the powerful sections of choreography. These styles include dhammal and jhummar which are the energetic and grand movements. Nowadays, when teams perform on stage, they may choose to have a dhol drummer accompany them and drum along the beat of the pre-recorded music.

Dhol player on stage:

Another folk instrument that is used is called tumbi. This is a string instrument that is made of a wooden stick that stands upon a hollow gourd shell. Along the wood and to the gourd is a singular string that is plucked repetitively. It will provide a rhythmic accompaniment to the beat set by the dhol and the lyrics sung by the vocalist. The last instrument I will mention is called the chimta. This is made of two long pieces of metal that have brass rings attached along the two sides. Put together, it will look like tongs, and these are struck together to clash the rings that produce music. It is very commonly heard in Punjabi folk music as well as Sikh religious music. Along with the dhol player, you may also see a person on the side of the stage dancing with the chimta as well. This dancer will often mimic the leg movements of the rest of the dancers while the hands play the instrument.

Chimta:

Of course accompanying all of these instruments and more is the lyrics themselves. In Punjabi, we refer to them as boliyan, and they hold great significance in the words. The meaning will set the tone for how the dance will be performed. The coordination of the lyrics, music, and dance will often tell the audience a story with powerful emotions.

There is much more that adds to the dance, and that includes the instruments/props used by dancers themselves which is what I will share with you next time!

 

 

If you watch bhangra performances anywhere and everywhere, chances are you will be mesmerized by the colors that are moving around stage. These colors move in such synchrony and coordination, its like you’re watching a master artist paint with multiple paints. On stage, this happens with the dancers and their attire. The dancers are dressed in traditional clothing called vardiyaan. This style has been passed down for generations, and while it has been modified and updated to “match the trends”, it still appeals to traditional values.

Men and women wear different pieces of clothing with some similarities, but the two styles play with each other especially when the two are together, next to each other on stage. The men’s main clothing consists of the following pieces; chadra, kurta, jugi, and pagh. A chadra is a long piece of cloth that is tied around the waist and covers the bottom half of male dancers. It is tied strategically so that the legs of the dancer are not too constricted to showcase the big energetic moves, while still properly covering the whole bottom. This cloth is worn all over India as a very comfortable, mobile style. Due to heavy modernization, the chadra will often be worn in agricultural regions or just intimate family moments at home. The kurta is a long shirt that will stretch to the knees. This a very popular, traditional piece of clothing that is worn at many special occasions. Again, this clothing stretches across India, but many regions will have their own signature styles. Over top of the kurta is a jugi which is a vest with no buttons. The pagh is the headpiece, also known as the turban. This reflects the heavy emphasis of Sikh ties to the dance in covering one’s head; however, the pagh worn normally are tied differently from the pagh for dancing. On the pagh you may notice another accessory known as the torla. This is folded like a fan and tied into the pagh as well.

The women’s main clothing pieces consist of the following; salwar, kurta/kameez, jugi, and dupatta. As you can see, there are several pieces that are similar such as the kurta and jugi. The fitting is slightly different for the kurta which is also referred to as a kameez for women. The jugi also fits differently, and they may have strings attached to them to be tied together. The differences comes from the bottom half covering and head covering as well. A salwar is trouser pants that are loose fitting and may give a baggy appearance. This adds to the effects of the moves as the dancer is able to move more freely, and it exaggerates the movements by “flailing” around. The dupatta, also called a chunni, is a scarf that is elegantly draped over a women’s head. To ensure that it stays in place, it is pinned to the kurta and jugi. The combination of the salwar kameez is also very popular to traditionally wear in different settings in India and Pakistan. Many women may wear just the salwar while lounging, and they may wear more elegant styles of both the salwar and kameez to formal events.

There are also many accessories that compliment the attire. Some elements include jewelry by the names of jhumke (earring) and kainthe/taveet (necklaces). These are very elegant and small additions that bring more attention to the dancers face and their expressions. Furthermore, there is also an accessory called rumaalan which are small handkerchiefs that are tied to the dancer’s fingers. This helps in showcasing hand motions, especially those that are quite complex, much more evidently. I discussed all of the different pieces that go into a bhangra dancers attire, but keep in mind that all of these work together and create the unison of the person and the whole team on stage as well. When I put everything on, I feel a greater sense of pride because I am able to represent something that is greater than just me. I am prideful in my culture, and this is just one way bhangra exudes its traditional emphasis.