'O Balle Balle, Shaava, Shaava' - How did our good old Bhangra jig itself, out from the ghettos of Southall to become a musical genre the world taps it feet to? AsianFx's in-house web journalist, Sudakshina Mukherjee, investigates in the first of this 5-part Bhangra Special!

We'll start of with a bit about Bhangra, we can't helping being a tad desi when it comes to strutting our stuff!



FACT # 1

While we hardly need an excuse or reason to start doing gidda when we hear our favourite Bhangra numbers, have you ever thought why we get Bhangra mania especially when it’s Vaisakhi (the Panjabi Spring Festival and Religious day for Sikhs)?

Well, history has something to do it, my dear mundeyos and kudiyans! It's with Bhangra that we celebrate the time when the blossoming months of Spring arrive.

While Christians celebrate the Autumn Harvest, much of North India, especially Panjab and Bengal, celebrate Vaisakhi (or Paila Baisakh, as us Bengalis call it), because we believe the Earth has had a rebirth, with winter withering away the old crops, flora and fauna and bringing in a fresh start all over again.

Now, that's something definitely worth celebrating and so that's what we do!


FACT # 2

Bhangra is one (if not the only) of the fastest growing musical genres in the world, as we will see in the second part of this Bhangra Special, Bhangra was born in the beautiful valleys and fields of Panjab, where the dholki, the dhol and sarangi being the main sort of musical instruments used to create melodies that are still treasured and respected today.



Indeed, what's great about Bhangra is that its contemporary, modern, 'pop' forms still use and fuse traditional tunes with the modern bass and electronically-synthesized beats. Bhangra is one of the most successful and popular genres of Indian music, because it has figuratively captured the essence of what can now be called Fusion Culture - i.e, the fusion of the East and the West.

The Rishi Rich Project, Bally Sagoo, Panjabi MC, Jazzy B, B21, to name a few, are some pioneering examples.


FACT # 3

The popular types of Bhangra are:-

• Bhangra Folk: Surjit Binderakhia, Kuldip Manak, Gurdas Mann, Harbhajan Mann, etc.
  
  
• Bollywood Remixes: Bally Sagoo, The Rishi Rich Project, Partners in Rhyme etc.
  
  
• Raggamuffin: Apache Indian, Hard Kaur, the Bhangramuffin Brothers from Goodness Gracious Me (Joking- but it’s something one could easily think of when one talks about the Raggamuffin-Rassmallaiiii, anyone?)
  
  
• Acid Bhangra: This is basically a khichdi of Bhangra and clubbing mixed together to form a delectable musical delight. The Limelight and Shankey's Soap clubs in the UK are believed to have pioneered this innovative sub-genre.
  
  
• Fusion Bhangra: Rap, Reggae and Jungle are other popular forms where Bhangra and Black artists come together to create fusion music to represent and indeed strengthen racial and cultural bonds. Bhangra songs featuring the Cheshire Cat (like Mera Laung Gawacha remixed by Bally Sagoo and Ranoo, sung by Abrar-ul-Haq) are my personal favourites!
  
  

FACT # 4

For those of you who are not quite sure of your giddas and lachaks, here's a short 'Bhangra-Made-Easy' guide for you:-

• The Lachak: Basically bending your hips- one side at a time- keeping one hand on the hip you're bending and the other either on the other hip or in the air (diagonally).
  
  
• The Gidda: Most people confuse this actually being Bhangra itself, but it is a type of dance done with traditional Bhangra sung by women for women to express their feelings and dilemmas. It's mainly about the lyrics, or boliyan, but its consists of clapping in time with the music and with the words.
  
  
• The so-called 'Light Bulb' movement: This is where you are doing the Lachak, but your while your arm is stretched out diagonally, your hand is in motion, as if placing a light bulb! Simple, innit?!
  
  



• Bhangra-Old Skool Style: One of the main, traditional, dance routines of Bhangra-in pure Panjaban style- is when you gather with your fellow dancers, standing sideways, in a circle and leap in and out of the circle, in time with the music. Aaho!

FACT # 5

Here are some tit-bits to boost your BQ- your Bhangra Quotient yaar!

• The word 'Bhangra' is said to actually originate from 'Bhaungra' which means 'activity on land'!
  
  
• It is also believed to come from the intoxicating drink, Bhung, which is Shiva's (the Hindu God of Change and Destruction) favourite drink. Although now, most Hindu's swig it during Holi and dance to their own tunes!
  
  
• Bhangra usually starts with three beats and it is believed that the Shiva, who is also known as Nataraj-the Lord of Dance- started dancing using three beats with His damroo, a small two-sided drum.
  
  
• The lyrics of Bhangra, be it traditional or contemporary, usually describe a situation or an activity and express feelings about the situation or activity. So the listener can picture what's being said very clearly.
  
  
  For example,
  
  ' Hey jamalo, Tootak Tootak Tootak Tootiyan, Hey jamalo
  Hoye aaja tootan wale khooh te, othe galaan kariye mooh te
  Meaning: 'Come on to the well of village, there we will talk on face to face'
  
  
• Lastly, many wish to gain on Bhangra's global popularity and success to put a stop to prejudices like racism and discrimination. I'll leave you with a verse from the title track of 'Apna Sangeet' for you to get a feel of what I mean:-
  
  apna sangeet vajay apna sangeet
  aao pao bhangre te naaley gao geet
  apna sangeet vajay apna sangeet.