Rhyme & reason of Punjabi music in Paramjit S Judge’s ‘Culture and Popular Music in Punjab’

Punjabi music has gained immense popularity not just in India but globally in the last decade or so. When Canadian premier Justin Trudeau walks in to attend the live show of singer Diljit Dosanjh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi invites him for a special meeting, it’s a clear recognition of the impactful resonance of Punjabi music. Dosanjh, AP Dhillon, Karan Aujla, Mankirat, and singer-actors like Gippy Grewal, Ammy Virk and Amarinder Gill — the list of the global Punjabi stars keeps growing long and strong.

Yet, at the same time, Punjabi singers have been accused of promoting violence, gun culture and gangsterism. Many have been questioned by Punjab Police and even the National Investigation Agency on the influence of gangsters in their work or about their association. Several songs have been banned for promoting violence, which is not limited to lyrics and videos. Singers like Sidhu Moosewala and Chamkila were murdered. Gunshots have been fired targeting several singers and threats are a regular occurrence.

In ‘Culture and Popular Music in Punjab’, sociologist Paramjit Singh Judge tries to make sense of the complicated, and often times irreverential, makeup of Punjabi music. What explains its popularity and mass appeal? Is it about the rhythmic beats, the lyrics, or is there more to it? Is it about the subjects that are often taken up in the songs — alienation, victimisation, or glorification of outlaws? Is there a history to the core themes of violence, heroism and martyrdom?

The former Professor of Sociology at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Judge has more than 20 books to his credit on sociological studies, diaspora, culture and social movements, but this is his first on music. He writes in the Preface: “I never thought that I would write a book on the theme of music and culture, for this has remained alien to my area of interest as a sociologist.” He then goes on to explain what propelled him to dig deeper: “Gurdas Maan, the famous singer, said in an interview in Canada that though Punjabi was his mother, Hindi was his massi (maternal aunt). He offended many in the Punjabi diaspora, his shows were cancelled and he had to return home.”

For Judge, this was a trigger to begin researching on Punjabi songs and the subtle interplay with Punjabi culture.

Divided into 10 chapters, the book first introduces the multiple layers of culture so that the reader can get to the complex relationship between music and culture. Judge writes: “Many scholars, politicians and journalists often make one particular comment (when talking about Punjab’s culture). It is that Punjab does not have culture but agriculture. I still wonder who came up with the idea of making culture and agriculture coterminous in the case of Punjab.” He wonders if this is correct or misplaced.

The book traces the tradition of music and singing in Punjab from ancient times, with the influence of Dhadis, Kaveeshars and Mirasis. The author develops upon Harinder Kaur Sohal’s analysis of music and Punjabi singing tradition, which involves the role of five gharanas — Patiala, Sham Chaurasi, Talwandi, Kapurthala and Kasur. In subsequent chapters, Judge elaborates on the intricate web of love, violence and devotion in Punjabi music, the portrayal of women through lyrics and videos, the primacy to masculinity, the new tradition of singing exemplified by Sidhu Moosewala, and how standing up to the Jat hegemony on their own terms remains the central theme of Dalit popular music.

The book details the epic influence of folktales and folk songs, be it Heer-Ranjha, Mirza-Sahiba, Sohni-Mahiwal or social bandits or outlaws like Dulla Bhatti, Jeona Morrh and others. The tradition of yogis and akakharas added its own layers to the Punjabi music. One of the most interesting aspects is the dissection of the three motifs — yogi, saint and lover in the Punjabi songs of past and present. The motifs used in pairs of Saint-Warrior (Sant Sipahi), Lover-Warrior and Saint-Lover describe why Punjabi songs put a high premium on heroism, martyrdom and sacrifice.

On violence, the author writes how horses, bows and arrows have been replaced by guns, bombs, cars and jeeps in the songs.

The finer point, Judge concludes, is that popular Punjabi music is turning into a bridge between three Punjabis — two living across borders and the third spread all over the world.

As the stupendous pan-India success of Diljit’s, Dhillon’s and Aujla’s recent music concerts shows, the bridge is wide enough to accommodate and embrace diversity of all hues.