Mohinder Kaur Bhamra

Last updated

Mohinder Kaur Bhamra
BornUganda
Occupation(s)Vocalist
Instrument(s) Harmonium, dholki

Mohinder Kaur Bhamra (born 1940s) is a British singer of Punjabi folk music, ghazals and Sikh hymns. Some of her songs have highlighted issues that concern British Indian women.

Contents

She encouraged British Indian women to join in traditional dance and party celebrations at a time when they were typically excluded. Her early popular party pieces include Giddha pao haan deo, maar maar ke tali (Dance ladies dance. Clap your hands), Ni aae na Vilayat kurye (Don't come to England girl) and Raatan chad de ve (Stop working the nightshift my dear).

Early life and education

Mohinder Kaur Bhamra was born in the 1940s in Uganda when it was a British colony. She moved to British India at around age five or six. [1] She attended a state school in Ludhiana and took up evening classes in Sikh theology and classical music at the Guru Angad Dev Punjab College. [1] Her early childhood recollections include being asked by her teachers to sing India's national anthem, Jana Gana Mana , for Jawaharlal Nehru and Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit when they visited her school. [1]

In her early teens she moved to Kenya and completed her Indian music studies by post. [1] She began singing in Gurdwaras in Kisumu and then, after her marriage, in Nairobi. [1] [2] There, in 1959, she gave birth to her first son, Kuljit. [3] She learnt to play the harmonium and adapted the music to popular songs. [1]

Early life in England

In 1961, Bhamra moved to England with her son and joined her husband who had already been studying civil engineering in London. [3] [4]

In England, following the birth of her second son, Satpaul, and after regularly attending gurdwaras in Shepherd's Bush and Stepney Green where she sang, played the dholki and read prayers, people began to invite her to sing at celebrations, and by 1966 she was performing at weddings. [1] Before finally settling in Southall, London, in 1968, she had lived at Finsbury Park, Muswell Hill and Palmers Green. [1] Bhamra held several brief jobs including six months at a crochet knit company, time at a mailing office and spent one Christmas period sticking labels onto packets of sausages at a sausage factory. [1] [3]

In her early career she would sing at Sikh wedding ceremonies in the mornings followed in the afternoon with performing at the reception party. [1] [5] Her son, Kuljit, who played the tabla, accompanied her, later followed by his two younger brothers. [1] [6] In 1978 her family group joined A.S. Kang. [5]

1980s onwards

By 1981, Kang's performance of Gidhian Di Raniye (Dancing queen) and Bhamra's of Giddha pao haan deo, maar maar ke tali (Dance ladies dance. Clap your hands) became successful party pieces. [5] Over the subsequent decade, as one of only a few female singers in a mostly male dominated bhangra industry, Bhamra encouraged British Indian women to join in traditional dance and party celebrations at a time when they were typically excluded. [5] [7] In Kuljit's account published in 2018, she was singing at one party when she noticed the segregated women peeping through gaps in the doors, following which she stopped the music and instructed the men to take their seats and allow the women in to dance; it proved an instant hit with the women. [5] He recounted that by the late 1980s, it became acceptable for both men and women to be on the dance floor together. [5]

She became known for Punjabi folk music, ghazals and Sikh hymns, and songs based on migration, working in the UK and the bonding between Indian women in the UK. [1] [8] In 1981 she recorded her album Kuri Southall Di (The girl from Southall). [5] Another early popular song was Ni aae na Vilayat kurye (Don't come to England girl). [7] [9] It was a cautionary tale aimed at young girls in India who might assume that coming to England to marry might free them from purdah; it warned of the lie by the man who would bring them to England, and of being sent to work in factories by their close relatives, having to conform to the cold and to shift work and housework. [7] M. S. Khaira from the Midlands wrote the lyrics having seen the plight of such women in West Midlands factories. [7] The effect of the song was that it connected Punjabi women in Britain with their unknown girlfriends in India through music and provided a place for the relationships of wife, husband, children, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. [7] In an interview with her niece Tej Purewal 'The sound of memory' (2012), Bhamra recalled that in the 1970s that song particularly resonated with her audiences and she would be frequently requested to sing it. [1] [8] In Raatan chad de ve (Stop working the nightshift my dear), a wife pleads with her husband to give up his night shifts and resolve her lonely nights. [1] In response, he highlights that they need the income to live on. [1] The lyrics were again written by Khaira, and Bhamra recalled that it touched the sentiments of her audiences who remembered their hard times. [1] She has since been seen as unique in reflecting issues relating to Indian women in Britain. [10]

Related Research Articles

Bhangra is a type of non-traditional music of Punjab originating in Britain, specifically Southall and Birmingham. It is a type of upbeat popular music associated with the Punjabi diaspora in Britain. The style has its origins in the folk music of Punjab as well as western pop music of the 1970s and 1980s. Prior to this musical fusion, Bhangra existed only as a dance form in the native Punjab. This Punjabi music was unique in that it was not traditional nor did it seek any authenticity. While the traditional folk music of Punjab has a set of melodies that are used by various singers, Bhangra was a form of strict "band culture" in that new melodies were composed for each song. Therefore, the musicians were as important as the singers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southall</span> Area of London Borough of Ealing, England

Southall is a large suburban town in West London, England, part of the London Borough of Ealing and is one of its seven major towns.

<i>Bend It Like Beckham</i> 2002 film by Gurinder Chadha

Bend It Like Beckham is a 2002 sports comedy-drama film directed by Gurinder Chadha from a screenplay by Chadha, Paul Mayeda Berges, and Guljit Bindra. The film stars Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Anupam Kher, Juliet Stevenson, Shaznay Lewis and Archie Panjabi. In Bend It Like Beckham, Jesminder Bhamra (Nagra) and Jules Paxton (Knightley) chase careers in professional football despite their parents' wishes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music of Punjab</span> Overview of music traditions in Punjab

Music of Punjab reflects the traditions of the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, associated with Punjabi language. Punjab is currently divided into two parts: East Punjab, in India, and West Punjab, the most populous province of Pakistan. The Punjab has diverse styles of music, ranging from folk and Sufi to classical, notably the Patiala gharana. Contemporary Punjabi music has tended to include more modern hip-hop and R&B sounds. While this style of music is obviously most popular in Punjab, it has seen popularity across the subcontinent and areas with large Punjabi diaspora populations, such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Shahin Badar is an English singer-songwriter who is best known in Europe and North America for her vocals on The Prodigy's single "Smack My Bitch Up" (1997). It earned her a Double Platinum award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surinder Kaur</span> Musical artist

Surinder Kaur was an Indian singer and songwriter. While she mainly sang Punjabi folk songs, where she is credited for pioneering and popularising the genre, Kaur also recorded songs as a playback singer for Hindi films between 1948 and 1952. For her contributions to Punjabi music, she earned the sobriquet Nightingale of Punjab, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1984, and the Padma Shri in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punjabi culture</span> Arts, cuisine, dress, etc. of Punjab

Punjabi culture grew out of the settlements along the five rivers which served as an important route to the Near East as early as the ancient Indus Valley civilization, dating back to 3000 BCE. Agriculture has been the major economic feature of the Punjab and has therefore formed the foundation of Punjabi culture, with one's social status being determined by landownership. The Punjab emerged as an important agricultural region, especially following the Green Revolution during the mid-1960's to the mid-1970's, has been described as the "breadbasket of both India and Pakistan". Besides being known for agriculture and trade, the Punjab is also a region that over the centuries has experienced many foreign invasions and consequently has a long-standing history of warfare, as the Punjab is situated on the principal route of invasions through the northwestern frontier of the Indian subcontinent, which promoted to adopt a lifestyle that entailed engaging in warfare to protect the land. Warrior culture typically elevates the value of the community's honour (izzat), which is highly esteemed by Punjabis.

Punjabi dances are an array of folk and religious dances of the Punjabi people indigenous to the Punjab region, straddling the border of India and Pakistan. The style of Punjabi dances ranges from very high energy to slow and reserved, and there are specific styles for men and women.

Paramjit Singh Sidhu, professionally known as Pami Bai, is an Indian singer, songwriter and Bhangra dancer from Patiala.

The Punjabi diaspora refers to the descendants of ethnic Punjabis who emigrated out of the Punjab region in the northern part of the South Asia to the rest of the world. Punjabis are one of the largest ethnic groups in both the Pakistani and Indian diasporas. The Punjabi diaspora numbers around the world has been given between 2.5 and 10 million, mainly concentrated in Britain, Canada, United States, Western Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chirag Pehchan</span>

Chirag Pehchan was a 1980s Bhangra band in the UK, formed by Amarjit Sidhu and Mangal Singh by merging the two Punjabi bhangra groups Chirag and Pehchan, best remembered for the 1987 classic album Rail Gaddi, composed by Kuljit Bhamra. Their song Rail Gaddi was sung by Mangal Singh and became a popular party piece at the end of Indian weddings, synonymous with Do The Conga, where wedding guests form lines, pretending to be a train, dancing around the wedding hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kuljit Bhamra</span> British musician

Kuljit Bhamra MBE Hon DMus is a British composer, record producer and musician whose main instrument is the tabla. He is best known as one of the record producers who pioneered the British Bhangra sound and for his many collaborations with musicians from different genres and continents. His MBE was awarded in the Queen's Birthday Honour's List 2009 with the citation For services to Bhangra and British Asian Music. In July 2010 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Exeter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Multitone Records</span>

Multitone Records, originally Savera Investments, was a British record label founded by Pran Gohil in 1978. Pran was formerly Regional Head of Polygram, Asia Pacific based in the Netherlands and also Executive Chairman of Spartan Records, London. Multitone Records specialized in bhangra style music. The style itself was commercialized by Multitone Records, which is considered to be the pioneer of British Bhangra and the label grew to become the "largest Asian record label in the world" during its lifetime under Managing Director Jitesh Gohil. In 1992, the company entered into a joint venture with BMG in order to spread its label throughout Europe and internationally. Multitone's artists formed the "who's who" of the British bhangra scene including The Safri Boyz, DCS, XLNC, Sasha, Amar, Apna Sangeet, Alaap, Chirag Pehchan and many more. A number of Multitone's records entered the UK and International charts including "People of the world" by Sasha, "Take me higher" by Bindushri and "Tu hai mera sanam" by Amar. Multitone's music also entered the market on the Indian subcontinent with hits like "Patel rap" by Bali, and hits of Abba in Hindi by Salma and Sabina Agha.The company began distribution in the United States on 27 June 1994 through M.S. Distributing Co. Paul Bernard was appointed as the US representative of the company. The US debut featured albums by Pammi and XLNC

Punjabi folk music has a wide range of traditional musical instruments used in folk music and dances like Bhangra, Giddha etc. Some of the instruments are rare in use and to find even. Here are some best known traditional instruments of the Punjab region used in various cultural activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhangra (dance)</span> Several types of dance originating from the Punjab

Bhangra is a type of traditional folk dance of Punjab area of the Indian subcontinent. It is done in the season of harvesting. According to Manuel (2001), bhangra is especially associated with the vernal Vaisakhi festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Folk music of Punjab</span>

Punjabi folk music is the traditional music on the traditional musical instruments of the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. There is a great repertoire of music from the time of birth through the different stages of joy and sorrow till death. The folk music invokes the traditions as well as the hardworking nature, bravery and many more things that the people of Punjab get from its gateway-to-India geographical location. Due to the large area with many sub-regions, the folk music has minor lingual differences but invokes the same feelings. The sub-regions, Malwa, Doaba, Majha, Pothohar, and hills areas, have numerous folk songs. Punjabi dance OP Bhangra music which is a genre of Punjabi modern music invented in Britain by the Punjabi diaspora.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Punjabis</span> People of Punjabi origin living in the UK

British Punjabis are citizens or residents of the United Kingdom whose heritage originates wholly or partly in the Punjab, a region in the Indian subcontinent, which is divided between India and Pakistan. Numbering 700,000 in 2006, Punjabis represent the largest ethnicity among British Asians. They are a major sub-group of the British-Indian and British Pakistani communities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punjabi Malaysians</span>

Punjabi Malaysians are people of full or partial Punjabi descent who were born in or immigrated to Malaysia. Originating from the Punjab region of present-day India and Pakistan, Punjabi immigration to Malaysia began in the 19th century from what was then British India to British Malaya. The Punjabi Malaysian community today numbers over 100,000 – the majority of whom are Sikhs, although there are also sizeable Muslim, Hindu and Christian minorities. They form the largest Punjabi diaspora group in Southeast Asia, while within Malaysia, Punjabis are the fourth largest ethnicity of Indian or South Asian descent after the Tamils, Malayalis and Telugus.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Purewal, Navtej; Bhamra, Mohinder Kaur (2012). "The sound of memory: interview with singer, Mohinder Kaur Bhamra" . Feminist Review. 100 (100): 142–153. doi:10.1057/fr.2011.59. ISSN   0141-7789. JSTOR   41495199. S2CID   144244377.
  2. ↑ Bhogal, Gurminder Kaur (3 April 2017). "Listening to female voices in Sikh kirtan" . Sikh Formations. 13 (1–2): 48–77. doi:10.1080/17448727.2016.1147183. ISSN   1744-8727. S2CID   151385910.
  3. 1 2 3 Bhachu, Parminder (2021). Movers and Makers: Uncertainty, Resilience and Migrant Creativity in Worlds of Flux. Routledge. pp. 70–80. ISBN   978-1-000-18175-3.
  4. ↑ Donnell, Alison (2002). Companion to Contemporary Black British Culture. Abingdon: Routledge. p. 30. ISBN   0-415-16989-5.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bhamra, Kuljit; Sinthuphan, Jirayudh (2018). "8. At home in Southall: a Bhangra story". In Daboo, Jerri (ed.). Mapping Migration: Culture and Identity in the Indian Diasporas of Southeast Asia and the UK. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. pp. 154–182. ISBN   978-1-5275-1775-2.
  6. ↑ Daboo, Jerri (2018). Staging British South Asian Culture: Bollywood and Bhangra in British Theatre. Routledge. p. 77. ISBN   978-1-138-67714-2.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Gopinath, Gayatri (2005). Impossible Desires: Queer Diasporas and South Asian Public Cultures. Duke University Press. pp. 49–52. ISBN   978-0-8223-8653-7.
  8. 1 2 Gedalof, Irene; Puwar, Nirmal (2012). "Recalling 'the scent of memory': celebrating 100 issues of "feminist review"" . Feminist Review. 100 (100): 1–5. doi: 10.1057/fr.2011.67 . ISSN   0141-7789. JSTOR   41495190. S2CID   147674630.
  9. ↑ "Mohinder K Bhamra". Keda Records. Archived from the original on 6 November 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  10. ↑ Singh, Gurharpal; Tatla, Darshan Singh (2006). "9. Punjabi, bhangra and youth identities". Sikhs in Britain: The Making of a Community. London: Zed Books. pp. 203–204. ISBN   978-1-84277-717-6.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.