MUMBAI: Indian Punjabi weddings are famous across the world for their rich customs, fun-filled ceremonies, emotion-filled festivity, colour and frolic, which are woven into the community's socio-cultural fabric. These albums capture the essence of that very festivity, of songs handed down from one generation to the next, songs without which the ceremonies and the wedding itself would be incomplete.

Wedding songs draw literature from the Folk traditions of Punjab and these albums feature songs for each custom right from the Suhag's, which are sung when the bride's household starts preparing for her wedding to customs such as Shagan, Mehndi, Sangeet, Vatna, Ghodi, Baar-rukai, Sehra, Paani Vaarna, Doli and others.

The albums, which are - Kala Doriya, Kala Sha Kala, Mehndi Bhare Hath Sangeet Ki Raat, Suhag Geet, Vyah Di Rasmein & Wadhaiya - all beautifully highlight the opulence of a Punjabi wedding and it customs. There is a 7th DVD which is a Wedding Sangeet Karaoke that offers a chance to sing along to the most popular Punjabi wedding tracks.

ALBUM INFO

1. Kala Doriya

Wedding is a time when all relatives and friends of the groom and the bride come together and add glitter to the occasion. They sing songs to tease the bride, the groom and the relatives in the families on both sides. Such light, fun-filled songs sung with purely playful spirit, bring both families closer and make the wedding a remembrance for life.

This album is a collection of eight such carefully picked numbers which will inevitably make the wedding preparations much more exciting and truly memorable

Tracks

1 Tappe – Radhika Chopra & Balbir Chand

2 O Tera Bhra Si – Madan Bala Sindhu

3 Lal Mitti Khani Ae – Radhika Chopra

4 Dyor De Vyah Vich – Radhika Chopra

5 Madhorama Paencha Ve – Madan Bala Sindhu

6 Kala Doreya – Radhika Chopra

7 Jeeja Kalrha Kyun Aaya – Chorus

8 Patta Khada Paan Da – Balbir Chand

2. Kala Sha Kala

A collection of Punjabi folk melodies sung by Runa Laila in her own inimitable style! All the compositions rendered in her voice portray her ability to adapt her singing to any genre of music. This one is a fine treat for all Punjabi music enthusiasts wanting to hear Runa's charismatic voice in a new avatar.

Tracks

1 Chidiyan Da Chamba – Traditional

2 Mehndi Taan Sajdi

3 Lao Mehndiyan

4 Aaya Ladiye

5 Nashe Diye Bund Botale

6 Kurti Meri Chheet Di

7 Chitta Kukkad Banere Te

8 Kala Sha Kala

3. Mehndi Bhare Hath Sangeet Ki Raat

As friends and relatives of the bride and the groom gather in their respective houses days before the wedding, they sing songs every evening to celebrate with full zest. These songs weave in the details of customs and mocking jokes about the groom, his family and relatives. The night before the wedding henna is applied to the bride and the groom, both. The dark colour of the mehndi signifies the deep bond between the girl and her future husband and vice-versa.

No Punjabi wedding is complete without these customs thrown in. This pack brings together the finest music to suit both occasions of Mehndi and Sangeet.

Tracks

CD 1

1 Veera La Shagana Di Mehndi – Chorus

2 Lao Mehndiyan – Runa Laila

3 Boliyan – Wari Warsi – Balbir Chand

4 Mehndi Ni Mehndi – Harshdeep Kaur

5 Aao Saiyo Gholo Mehndi – Sunanda Sharma

6 Mehndi Taan Sajdi – Runa Laila

7 Chhand – Balbir Chand

8 Sithniyan – Chorus

CD 2 

1 Bajre Di Rakhi – Radhika Chopra

2 Ambarsare Diyan Warhiyan – Chorus

3 O Tera Bhra Si – Madan Bala Sindhu

4 Charkha Channan Da – Chorus

5 Kurti Meri Chheet Di – Runa Laila

6 Dyor De Vyah Vich – Radhika Chopra

7 Bajre Da Sitta – Chorus

8 Kala Sha Kala – Runa Laila

9 Kut Kut Bajra – Radhika Chopra

10 Sikandarpure Deya Rahiya – Sunanda Sharma & Jassi

11 Sadke Sadke Jandiye – Radhika Chopra & Balbir Chand

 

4. Suhag Geet

Giving an expression to feelings of separation and longing is never easy. Music is one medium through which the mixture of emotions at a wedding are most easily expressed.

This collection is for the bride who faces the turmoil of such emotions as she crosses the threshold of her parents' home to begin a new journey, a new life. Suhag-s are soft-lilting Punjabi melodies sung in the bride's household as the wedding preparations begin.

1 Chidiyan Da Chamba – Traditional – Runa Laila

2 Mera Aj Muklava Tor De – Sunanda Sharma

3 Nikki Sui Vatva Dhaga – Chorus

4 Channan De Ole Ole – Sunanda Sharma

5 Maavan Te Dheeyan – Mannu Kohli

6 Chidiyan Da Chamba – Sunanda Sharma

7 Van Van Peela Pakhiyan – Chorus

8 Hariye Ni Ras Bhariye – Sunanda Sharma

9 Madhaniyan – Sunanda Sharma

10 Kuey Te Paani Parhendiye – Chorus

11 Aaya Ladiye – Runa Laila

12 Lang Aaja –Shafqat Amanat Ali

 

5. Vyah Di Rasmein

The CD is a collection of songs on customs and traditions of a Punjabi wedding sung in the bride's and the groom's households. This unique album has a song for every little custom, from shagan to chakki chungna, chura to vatna, ghodi to vidaai, baar rukai to paani vaarna and many others. These customs are integral aspects of a Punjabi wedding and are a way to carry forward the tradition without which any Punjabi wedding is incomplete.

Tracks

1 Jago – Chorus

2 Wadhai Ni Wadhai – Chorus

3 Matthe Te Chamkanwaal – Radhika Chopra

4 Mangani – Do Banjare / Amba Heth – Sunanda Sharma

5 Nikki Nikki Bondi – Harshdeep Kaur

6 Jaag Ni Rukman – Sunanda Sharma

7 Sat Suhagana – Chorus

8 Wah Wah Ni Gharholi – Harshdeep Kaur

9 Aavo Saiyo Ni Ral Gaavo – Chorus

10 Meri Lado Nu Pa Deo Maiyan – Chorus

11 Rata Rata Rangla Churha – Sunanda Sharma

12 Aj Di Dihadi Doli – Harshdeep Kaur

13 Jeeja Kalrha Kyun Aaya – Chorus

14 Paani Vaar Banne Diye Maaye – Balbir Chand

6. Wadhaiyan

Amidst the glamour and glitter, the rustic feel of the wedding is restored by the presence of the charming female chorus who knows and sing traditional songs for each custom and occasion. They are as indispensable as any other element of a Punjabi wedding and extreme fun to have around.

Here, we bring to you hand-picked numbers that the chorus has sung beautifully to mark the celebration of essentially a Punjabi wedding.

Tracks

1 Bajre Da Sitta – Chorus

2 Wadhai Ni Wadhai – Chorus

3 Rasiya Nimbu – Chorus

4 Kuey Te Paani Parhendiye – Chorus

5 Jago – Chorus

6 Bhabho Kendi Ae – Chorus

7 Sithniyan – Chorus

8 Charkha Channan Da – Chorus

9 Jeeja Kalrha Kyun Aaya – Chorus

10 Sui Ve Sui – Chorus

11 Van Van Peela Pakhiyan – Chorus

 

7. Wedding Sangeet Karaoke

The DVD brings together popular Punjabi folk melodies that were traditionally sung on weddings by the bride and groom's family and friends and now form an essential part of every sangeet ceremony. These songs are a way to connect people as they come together to celebrate. Here is a chance when you can not only have your collection but also sing-along on tracks handed down from generation to generation as well as restore the ambience of a traditional Punjabi wedding.

Tracks

1 Bajre Da Sitta

2 Lal Mitti Khani Ae

3 Ambarsare Diyan Warhiyan

4 Sadke Sadke Jandiye

5 Sui Ve Sui

6 Bhabhi Kendi Ae

7 Sikandarpure Deya Rahiya

8 Kut Kut Bajra

9 Kala Sha Kala

10 Bajre Di Rakhi

11 Jutti Meri Jaandi Ae

12 Charkha Channan Da

13 Kurti Meri Chheet Di

14 Rasiya Nimbu

15 Dyor De Vyah Vich

16 Chitta Kukkad Banere De

17 Kala Doreya

18 Nashe Diye Bund Botale

19 Tappe

20 Mehndi Ni Mehndi

21 Chidiyan Da Chamba

22 Jeeve Banra

ARTISTE INFO

Runa Laila

Runa Laila, the iconic singing sensation from Bangladesh, made her first public debut as a singer at the age of six and cut her first album for a Pakistani film called "Jugnu" at a tender age of twelve.

She became an over-night hit when she made a sensational entry into the Hindi film industry with Ek Se Badkar Ek in 1974. Music lovers all over India were swinging to the rhythmic beat of Dama Dam Mast Qalander. Another big hit song of hers is Mera Babu Chhail Chhabeela Main to Nachoongi, which also got her accolades all over the world.

In Kala Sha Kala, she presents some of the popular Punjabi wedding songs such as Kala Sha Kala, Aaya Ladiye, Nashe Diye Band Botale, Kala Doriya, Mehndi Taan Sajdi and Lao Mehndiyan, among others immortalising them in her voice.

Shafqat Amanat Ali

Shafqat Amanat Ali is the son of the legendary Pakistani singer Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, making him a part of the 9 generation old Patiala Gharana. He was inspired towards music by his father, his uncle Ustad Fateh Ali Khan sahib as well as Roshanara Begum, to name a few.

He has lent his voice to various popular Bollywood numbers such as Mitwa, for Karan Johar's Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, Yeh Hausla from the movie Dor and Tum Mile for Mukesh Bhatt's recent film Tum Mile among others.

Shafqat Amanat Ali recently launched his second solo album Kyun Dooriyan released across the world simultaneously. The track Lang Aaja in Suhag Geet is a beautiful rendition in his soulful voice.

Sunanda Sharma

Coming from a musical family, Sunanda started training under the guidance of her father Pandit Sudarshan Sharma when she was hardly five. She reached a turning point when Smt. Girija Devi took Sunanda under her wings after spotting her at the Hariballabh Sangeet Sammelan, Jullandhar  This was the beginning of a training in the Gurushishya parampara which saw Sunanda living, serving and learning music from her guru in Benaras and Kolkata for 9 years.

Here, Sunanda presents the most soulful section of the wedding repertoire blended beautifully with her classical style. Her rendition of suhag's such as Madhaniyan and Chidiyan Da Chamba has a heart rending quality, while her Mehndi and Tappe haunt the listener. A perfect marriage of folk and classical styles!!

Radhika Chopra

It is not very often that one comes across a voice like Radhika's – a voice with soul and emotion. With her meticulous selection and flawless rendition, she instantly establishes rapport with the listeners. Radhika is blessed with an extraordinary mellifluous voice, which has been honed to perfection with years of training. She has learnt Thumri and Dadra from the most eminent guru, Padmashree Smt. Shanti Hiranand, a disciple of Begum Akhtar.

Radhika presents the most vivacious and cheerful section of the Punjabi Wedding – Sangeet. Her renditions of Lal Mitti Khani Ae, Bajre Di Rakhi and Kut Kut Bajra set the mood for the evening.

Harshdeep Kaur

Harshdeep is a trained classical singer equally well versed with both the Hindustani tradition as well as Western Classical music. A proficient pianist, Harshdeep is a voice best known for Sufi and Folk style of singing, for which she was also adjudged the winner of the widely acclaimed Reality show â€?Junoon' on NDTV Imagine  Having worked with A R Rahman for his music in â€?Rang De Basanti' at such a young age has broadened her musical ambitions.

In these albums, Harshdeep has performed some of the most soulful songs from various customs of the Punjabi wedding including the heart rending Doli, a poignant Mehndi song and other occasions.

Madan Bala Sindhu

Madan Bala Sindhu, known as the singer with �the silver bells in her voice', was a child prodigy, who went on to become one of the most respected names in Folk music.

She received her training from distinguished gurus such as Jailal Vasant, Master M L Sonik, Satish Bhatia, Ustad Younus Malik, Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan and the legendary Begum Akhtar.

Madan Bala Sindhu went on to become the golden voice of Delhi Art Theatre with her memorable performances in productions such as Chan Badlan Da, Heer Ranjha, Ghalib Kaun Hai and Jane-e-Ghazal among others. She has also featured in movies such as The Life of Shiv Batalvi and Mira Nair's blockbuster hit Monsoon Wedding. Her vast repertoire of Folk and Wedding music has been presented in various albums over the last 3 decades. In this series, she has rendered select star numbers in the Sangeet section, which are characteristic of her style – a perfect blend of folk music and theatre.

Balbir Chand

Balbir Chand is a gifted sufi singer from Punjab whose singing is inspired by rich folklore of Punjab. A disciple of the legendary Puran Shah Koti Ji, his versatility lies in singing boliyan, tappe and soulful melodies with great ?©lan.

An M.Phil in Punjabi from Jammu University of Jammu, Balbir chose to be a professional composer and singer. He has composed songs for various singers in Punjab and continues to follow his passion of singing and writing meaningful Punjabi geet.

His rendition of Boliyan and Chhand is fun to hear and keep the listeners engaged.