All-woman folk orchestra out to revive Lok Sangeet traditions
Neha Saini
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, August 26
“How many of youngsters in Punjab today know the difference between a petha, that is a dish, and a petha that is a form of folk song? Very few may know that there are over three categories of folk festive songs, with several genres that are sung specifically in a traditional Punjabi wedding.”
Folk artiste Baljeet Kaur, who broke a few glass ceilings by becoming the first female dholi in the region, knows the answer to her question and we do too. The young artiste has now taken up the cause of reviving the Lok Sangeet traditions. Baljeet has formed an all-women folk orchestra that performs typically rich folk songs, including Kavishri and Vaar.
“Kavishri is the foremost genre of folk singing that originated in the villages when elders used to sit around and sing couplets as entertainment. It developed into a competitive folk art form and we perform it in weddings as well,” says Baljeet. Her folk orchestra group, comprising five of her students, performs at various competitive music festivals, NRI weddings and private ceremonies.
“It is our way of re-introducing people to their art. Earlier, the ‘gaun’ or musical evenings in Punjabi weddings were held for seven to 11 days during which women would come and sing folk songs and enjoy the wedding festivities. Now, we have customised the tradition to a ‘sangeet or cocktail nite’ where only the DJ makes a noise. We perform suhaag, ghoriyan, boliyan, sithiniyan, tappe, chandd and, chola – a song for every wedding festivity. All these forms of folk songs that people seem to have forgotten and it’s quite sad,” she adds.
Baljeet performs folk tunes only with her group using folk instruments like dhol, algoze, tumbi and dhadd that no longer find place among the digital synchronisers. “We feel greatly appreciated when we get loudest cheers from our audience while we perform,” she shares.
Juggling between her passion for folk music and her job as a music and cultural activities in-charge at Sri Guru Harkrishan Sen Sec School, Sultanwind, Baljeet also finds time to teach music to her band members and students free of cost. “These girls belong to poor families and are pursuing studies as well. Through the orchestra, they help me to promote folk music and also get to earn whatever they can for their families.”
