Punjabi Folk - AN Overview | History

PUNJABI FOLK - HISTORY & Interesting Facts

In Punjab & Pakistan, like many other countries around the world with rich folkloric traditions, folktales, music, and dance are often inextricably intertwined. Each region has its own native form of traditional dance, often performed in conjunction with—at times inseparable from—folk music, whose origins can be traced back for many centuries.

Punjabi folksongs are varied and colorful. Laughter, happiness, pain, sorrow, all form ingredients of these songs. They are simple, charming, and full of the sincerity of emotion, and the purity of feeling. The entire Punjabi culture, so to speak, is reflected in them.

The Punjab is inhabited by people of different sects, religions and cults, which have their own modes of prayer and worship. But since folk poetry belongs to a whole social group, only those songs become popular which are acceptable to the entire community. Religion reflected in the folksongs is religion not of a sect but of the whole community.

Folk dances are performed for many reasons: to celebrate harvest and seasonal festivals, the birth of a child, a wedding; as part of spiritual or religious ritual, and to share community knowledge. The dances are often designed for group participation, with simple steps or movements and a loose structure. Depending on the community and the purpose of the dance, men and women perform some dances exclusively, while in some performances men and women dance together.

In Punjab & Pakistan, like many other countries around the world with rich folkloric traditions, folktales, music, and dance are often inextricably intertwined. Each region has its own native form of traditional dance, often performed in conjunction with—at times inseparable from—folk music, whose origins can be traced back for many centuries. 

Punjabi music is the music belonging to Punjab. Though the basic roots and basic instruments of the Punjabi folk music is the same as those of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and other parts of north western India Punjabi music retains a certain beat and rhythm which is unique to it. The music is also influenced by the neighboring country of Pakistan. Traditional Punjabi songs were forgotten for some years when pop style music arrived suddenly but now the pop fever is over and the artists and peopel are returning back to their traditional music.

The history of Punjab has clear evidence of great music of Punjab. Punjab has produced many enormous, folk Punjabi artists that rocked the whole world not just India and Pakistan. Geographically, Punjab is attracting humans since search of human being started for better place of living. As history tells, large number of invaders was greedy for Punjab, Northern-Western Planes of Indian continent, they came and brought new tunes of music and thus Punjab became a region in the world which has a diverse style of music.

With the arrival of Central Asian and European people, folk Punjab music had been merged with this Central Asian and European music. And Now Punjabi music turned into a brand new universal music. Punjabi people are exceeding fond of music that can be seen by just a single visit to Punjab. Punjabi music touched so heights from folk music to world music. Today, Everyone those who loves music easily recognise the Punjabi beats.