Kids Corner

Music

Dhol-Drums in Punjab:
Jahan Geet Kaur Singh

VIKAS KAHOL

 

 

 

Playing dhol, the iconic drum of Punjab, used to be a male-dominated affair.

Not any more.

A 14-year-old girl from Chandigarh, Jahan Geet Kaur Singh, has broken the glass ceiling. She is one of the few, and definitely the youngest, female dhol player around.

"I think I am the youngest among a few women dhol players. I am proud of it," she said.

Jahan Geet - who is in the ninth standard at Chandigarh's St Anne's Convent School said that she had started learning how to play a dhol as a hobby but now it has become a passion.

"I feel elated when people smile and get mesmerised when I play rhythmic beats," she said. "My father Harcharan Singh and mother Parminder Kaur also encouraged me a lot," she added.

Dhol has immense significance in the culture of Punjab.

"The sound of dhol carried the message during the Mughal invasions. It was considered auspicious and was played to announce the birth of a child, celebrate a wedding or some other event in the family. The instrument is the pride of Punjabi folklore and culture," she said.

Jahan Geet said that she loved to play different dhol rhythms supporting Gidhha, Tappe, Heer and Jindua - forms of folk music and dance in Punjab. Having won several prizes for her performances, she now wants to perform fusion with many other artists playing folk instruments.

 

[Courtesy: India Today]

July 8, 2012

 

 

 

Conversation about this article

1: Harinder (Uttar Pradesh, India), July 08, 2012, 1:36 PM.

Balle, Balle!

2: Harinder Singh 1469  (New Delhi, India), July 08, 2012, 2:02 PM.

I thought this happened only in the UK and Canada. It's very encouraging and meets a need among our youth to discover that we have so many gifts in our virsa - heritage! She deserves to be encouraged. Thanks for sharing.

3: Avni  (Australia), May 30, 2014, 7:57 AM.

Does anyone know her contact details, please?

Comment on "Dhol-Drums in Punjab:
Jahan Geet Kaur Singh"









To help us distinguish between comments submitted by individuals and those automatically entered by software robots, please complete the following.

Please note: your email address will not be shown on the site, this is for contact and follow-up purposes only. All information will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Sikhchic reserves the right to edit or remove content at any time.