Indian Farmers Seek Fame And Fortune Through Bhangra Beat

[dalsingh101]

Indian farmers seek fame and fortune through Bhangra beat

As Balbir Jagga drives a tractor around his farm in northwestern India, he dreams that the fields he tills will propel him to international music stardom.

Jagga, like thousands of other amateur singers in Punjab state, sees Bhangra music as a route out of rural life - and he is saving all his income, and even selling off a small plot of land, to make his debut music video and album.

"For years, I have been a mundane farmer, buying seeds, waiting for the rains, harvesting crops, season after season," said Jagga at his farm in Pathankot, 150 miles from Punjab's state capital Chandigarh.

"But in the evenings, I am a super Bhangra music star, recording songs for my album and planning a video shoot," he added with a smile.

Jagga, 30, is one of many Punjabi villagers trying to repeat the success of Jasbir Jassi, Mika Singh and other big names as Bhangra dance music has become a major international music trend over the last 15 years.

He has penned more than a dozen songs in Gurumuki script used to write the Punjabi language and now he hopes his music video will be the next step to stardom.

Jagga admits that he is taking a big gamble investing all his savings in the video, which will cost more than 10,000 dollars.

"You may laugh at my venture but for the people of Punjab, music is the biggest high and I am addicted to it," he said.

Bhangra originally began with Sikh farmers like Jagga singing folk songs to celebrate the arrival of the harvest season, before developing into popular music.

It spread across India via Bollywood, where actors like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan have often danced to its energetic beat, and has gained popularity in many other countries where Indians have emigrated.

Today it often symbolises the extrovert, party-loving side of south Asian culture and attracts an international audience with dance competitions and radio stations in Britain, the United States and Canada.

"Bhangra is an integral part of Punjab's everyday life," one of Jagga's heroes, Jasbir Jassi, told AFP. "We are crazy for our music and we have made the world go crazy for it too."

In Punjab itself, at least 45 channels play non-stop Bhangra music - often with videos from amateur singers hoping to make it big.

The singers' telephone numbers are flashed on the bottom of the screen to allow viewers - or perhaps even professional agents - to book them for weddings and other festivities.

"I have decided to get out of my Punjabi attire, wear a three-piece suit and shoot the music video in my village," said Jagga. "My songs portray my love for Punjab."

Industry experts and owners of recording studios estimate that more than 10,000 Punjabi music albums are produced every year.

"It is a mad race among farmers, students and even housewives to establish themselves as a singer. Everybody here wants to be signing autographs for fans," said Ramandeep Singh, manager at Josh, a 24-hour music channel in Chandigarh.

Singh says many artists currently ruling the Bhangra scene in India such as Satinder Sartaj were once farmers.

"Some clicked and became stars, but most have been forgotten and faded away," he said.

Singh is now producing an album which will feature 12 farmers singing about the struggle and distress of amateur performers who cannot break into the glamour world they crave.

Deepak Bali, owner of Plasma Records production company, admitted that the music industry has given a false hope to many Punjabis.

"All the hype and over-exposure surrounding the billion dollar market has the potential to kill the craze for Bhangra," he said. "The quality talent has gone missing. Every village seems to boast three singers and four lyricists."

But the dream lives on for many, including Sukhdev Kaur, a housewife and a mother of two who is due to release her album "Adventure Meri Life" (My Life Is An Adventure) next year.

She sold her gold jewellery to produce the album, on which she sings love duets with her neighbour's son.

"My husband is a farmer, he refused to help me so I decided to sell the gold," she said. "We are farmers but that does not mean we cannot be Bhangra stars."

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/indian-farmers-seek-fame-and-fortune-through-bhangra-beat-2121667.html

Edited November 2, 2010 by dalsingh101

[kdsingh80]

I seriously think now that punjabi's need some brain checking.The craze to join Film,TV ,Music industry is so high among them that they are doing anything and as usual when everybody cannot be succesful then suicide will become option for them.

BTW I am saying this after seeing experiance of very vlose relative who gave up his job and started and went to join producing TV serials ,as usual he was not successful so he is one of the biggest joke in our social circle.It not only that he suffered his family also sufffered with him.

[tonyhp32]

The way of the world at the moment. Everyone wants instant success and these farmers are no different to the tens of thousands of teenagers in the UK who try out for X factor or programmes like that.

[dalsingh101]

The way of the world at the moment. Everyone wants instant success and these farmers are no different to the tens of thousands of teenagers in the UK who try out for X factor or programmes like that.

I know what you mean. All kids these days seem to want to be producer or rapper or something.

Western society is really pressing the ego button and making hordes aspire to stardom, whether they have talent or not.

[kdsingh80]

The way of the world at the moment. Everyone wants instant success and these farmers are no different to the tens of thousands of teenagers in the UK who try out for X factor or programmes like that.

Pardon me But are you comparing Punjab's farmers with teenagers of UK? Villagers all over India known have pride,they have more practical approach and keep traditional values alive.If an average Punjab's farmer is like teenager of UK then only god can save our quom.

[dalsingh101]

Tony is on this defensive tip where he seems to think that the jaat he strongly identifies with can do no (or very little) wrong. That is dangerous because it can lead to a person just standing by and offering apologetics as their community falls deeper and deeper into a quagmire.

In all fairness, the wider Sikh community does this as much as Panjabi farmers.

But then we do have ask the question of whether condemning negative practices/trends really works to slow down or prevent their proliferation in a community? Or is it just 'an exercise in futility'?

Edited November 1, 2010 by dalsingh101

[kdsingh80]

Tony is on this defensive tip where he seems to think that the jaat he strongly identifies with can do no (or very little) wrong. That is dangerous because it can lead to a person just standing by and offering apologetics as their community falls deeper and deeper into a quagmire.

In all fairness, the wider Sikh community does this as much as Panjabi farmers.

But then we do have ask the question of whether condemning negative practices/trends really works to slow down or prevent their proliferation in a community? Or is it just 'an exercise in futility'?

Dalsingh

The backbone of any religion either lives in rural area's ,small towns or in lower income colinies of cities.These people are more sturdy and ready to face any kind of situation.On the upper middle class or rich people mostly get carried away from westernisation..Many of these people either become carrier oriented or just become non practicing.already the news from rural maas is not very good now if they doing childish things then?

[Mithar]

Pardon me But are you comparing Punjab's farmers with teenagers of UK? Villagers all over India known have pride,they have more practical approach and keep traditional values alive.If an average Punjab's farmer is like teenager of UK then only god can save our quom.

I think what Tony means is that young people in Punjab like young people all over the world want to get rich quick and they see show biz as a means to get there, and in this regard they are similar to the kids in the west who go on these reality shows like American/UK idol to get their so called talent noticed.

I have a cousin for example. He currently goes to a college in Punjab. Now this guy actually thinks and believes that he will be a big time super star either as an actor or a singer. Even his parents encourage his unrealistic dreams instead of telling him to think of something more realistic. I think it is the parents fault for not showing their kids what the real world is about.

[dalsingh101]

I think it is the parents fault for not showing their kids what the real world is about.

Maya or illusion has become so strong that it rides over people like a steamroller, parent and child alike. Mass media is a big part of this and is used to spread the egocentric ideology to all parts of the globe. That isn't to say it is all bad as it can also be used as a vehicle to share less egocentric messages (like we attempt to do here sometimes.....).

Mithar it is a really scary thought that the very heartland of Sikhi is being transformed so easily by fotak haumai based practices. Why isn't Sikhi acting as some form of immunisation to this stuff? It appears like our own lot jump into any new buckwaas without careful deliberation more than others.

The quom has been afflicted with haumai to unprecedented levels it seems? Is the wider Sikh community really much different to any other western community these days? Sure we have pockets of spirituality here and there, but this doesn't seem to have permeated deeply into the marrow of the wider quom who are as susceptible to jump on the next fad as anyone else.

Also am I on my way to becoming a grumpy old bastard bemoaning the new generation like is common in most societies....it's hard to tell....lol

[kdsingh80]

I think what Tony means is that young people in Punjab like young people all over the world want to get rich quick and they see show biz as a means to get there, and in this regard they are similar to the kids in the west who go on these reality shows like American/UK idol to get their so called talent noticed.

Young people get carried away is different issue,but taking loan or women selling their jewelarry is something that is not good.Soon you will find thugs from all over India will loot the rural masses of Punjab by selling fake dreams.

Here in India you have to be very very careful

[dalsingh101]

Rural Sikhs make me laugh, when it comes to each other, they often can't be outdone in their slyness and viciousness. When it comes to outsiders they fall for crap that most idiots would see through and then wallow in being a victim.

Edited November 1, 2010 by dalsingh101

[Mekhane'ch Jannat]

The thing is in the past a Farmer used to use home grown and stored 'seeds' but now there are 'seeds' from overseas, especially the West, that are being used by the farmers. The new seeds cause very high massive crop yields and the crops look wonderful but the quality of the crops is very low. And many farmers get destroyed because the farming practices that must be followed when planting the new seeds cause the nutrients in the soil to be dispersed and the land is destroyed. Because these new 'seeds' require pesticides and other chemicals for them to grow. So the farmer loses all what his elders have made for him through their hard work. But if the Farmers had more Aqal and Vishvaas in their own seeds then the 'western seeds' would not have been bought by them. It is only through Agiaan that these farmers have bought these seeds and now their fields will lie fallow, after making a few rounds of super-duper crops that look good but with no substance.

But also some of these Farmers prior descendents left Punjab for the West. Now the descendents want to farm using the old fashioned seeds but the thing is they dont have any land because they sold it to move to the 'West'.

[dalsingh101]

Was talking to some 'zamindaar' fellows in the Gurdwara last night and this topic came up (well the use of chemical fertilizers etc.). One fellow was going on about how you can't grow crops without these. Another brother then said words to the effect of:

"That's cobblers, how did people used to grow food before then?"

Now we have cancer problems related to pollution we need to sort this out.

Let's face it, the government couldn't give two hoots about Sikhs/Panjab.

It is our urge to demonstrate wealth and status that lies behind all the new school Kartootaan we see in our quom. That is what needs to be discussed and addressed.

Edited November 1, 2010 by dalsingh101

[Mekhane'ch Jannat]

What about the effect of 'chemical fertilisers' from the west on the seeds of desire?

Hint Hint

I think my story was too good.

[dalsingh101]

What about the effect of 'chemical fertilisers' from the west on the seeds of desire?

Hint Hint

I think my story was too good.

Well it appears as if the people aren't even using the fertilizers properly. It probably wouldn't be much of an issue with moderate use.

But like all things apnay do, they have to do it to excess......

There is a strong case for apnay actually being a bit cautious and saying no to 'modern' things now and then. There will always be people who will sell you crap, that is not likely to change, what could change however is how we deal with such people, whether they are selling fertiliser, seeds, passage to 'lands of opportunity' or a bhangra album deal.......

Edited November 2, 2010 by dalsingh101