Singing for a cause

Shveta Pathak on a group of Punjabi singers, whose songs come laden with messages

Malwa Hek is a group of like-minded people who have found a purpose in singing. Attending a performance by them offers more than entertainment. For, their performance either brings a social message or a folklore, which brings you close to your roots.

No wonder, after experiencing their art, one is engulfed with love for one’s motherland or one begins to feel strongly about issues like pollution, dowry, drug addiction and several such menaces that plague our society.

This is not just ‘another group of Punjabi singers’. For, here are people not dependent on technical gizmos for composing their music. Their instruments include dhadd, sarangi, algozi, tumbi, chimta, ghara, bagrru, dholki, gidhhe, kato, dhol and harmonium. And they attire themselves in chaadras, kurtas and a pagri. The group, which comes from Lehragaga village in Sangrur district, claims to be the only one of its kind in the state. It was formed around a year ago and since then it has enthralled audience in schools, institutions, marriage parties and various social events held in
different parts of the state.

Reveals Jagdish Papra: "All of us were like-minded and would often meet in connection with music. Soon we realised that we shared a passion and wanted our culture to flourish. Deterioration of values and problems like drug addiction, environment pollution and depleting water table troubled us all and, hence, we decided to make a collected effort to spread awareness."

The group includes Manpreet Gill, a music teacher; Rocky, a theatre artist; Pirthipal; Tara Singh; and Jagdish Papra.

"The response has been tremendous wherever we’ve performed so far," says Papra, adding that the audience at times initially shows a little hesitation. But good music ultimately bonds them with us."

What attracts the audience is not just the expertise with which the members of this group blend instrumental and vocal music, but the way they dress up, the style of narration and their gripping content. Their recent performance for Pakistani journalists was much appreciated.

The group blames television for the growing trend towards listening to loud music. "It is true that television has helped artists to widen their reach. But nurturing culture is a responsibility that TV has failed to handle, says Manpreet Gill.

Members of Malwa Hek have also formed another group to promote Malwai Gidhha. "What better way would there be to accomplish our aim than through music and dance that finds instant audience," remarks Papra.

HOME