← Introduction To Pungra · Lesson 3 of 6 · 8 minutes
What is Bhangra, and why would performers masquerade as fitness instructors?
Key idea: bhangra is not one “thing”. It is better understood as a verb than a noun, and it means joyous dancing.
How is it pronounced?
In Punjabi it is written ਭੰਗੜਾ (ਭੰਗੜਾ).
- Closer to Punjabi: “pHun-ga-ra”, with a breathy “bh”, a short “u” as in “cup”, a nasal “ng” and a soft flick of the tongue for the “r”.
- Anglicised: “BANG-grah”.
Noun or verb?
A noun is a thing you have, watch or point at. A verb is something you do. “Bhangra dancing” repeats itself, like “chai tea” or “naan bread”.
Seven versions so far
- v1.0 Origins: spiritual dance, widely thought to be named after bhang (cannabis).
- v2.0, 1400s to 1500s: farmers dance at harvest and Vaisakhi.
- v3.0, 1947: Partition carries it into East Punjab, and it spreads through college shows.
- v4.0, 1950s and 60s: it moves to the stage, with competitions and new moves.
- v5.0, 1970s and 80s: UK bands blend it with Western instruments.
- v6.0, 1990s on: it fuses with hip hop, house and reggae and goes international.
- v7.0, today: fitness classes and social media.
Each generation changed it to suit its time and place, which is why the word means different things to different people.
Why do many people think it is a noun?
- Anglicisation: made to fit English language and ways of thinking.
- Colonialisation: one culture’s framing laid over another’s.
- Nominalisation: an action turned into the name of a thing.
Bhangra is not Bollywood
Bhangra is Punjabi folk dancing and music, rooted in the culture of Punjab. Bollywood is the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai. Treating them as the same is offensive.
Why do performers present as fitness instructors?
Most are not doing it deliberately. It happens through ignorance, and these things pull them that way:
- Fitness sells: many viewers and customers want fitness.
- Fitness is fashionable.
- The fitness industry is booming, with more gyms opening in India and elsewhere.
- Rising obesity and type 2 diabetes make fitness more relevant than ever.
- Pride in being Indian or Punjabi: content that validates people feels good.