Punjabi Artists

Punjab's artists have filled India with the sound of the dhol and Punjabi songs, and its Sufi singers and painters are honoured far beyond the state.

Music

Surinder Kaur, called the nightingale of Punjab, sang its folk songs for decades. Kuldeep Manak, Gurdas Maan and Hans Raj Hans made Punjabi songs popular across India and abroad, and the Wadali Brothers of Guru ki Wadali near Amritsar are famous for Sufi music. Gurbani kirtan is sung at the Golden Temple day and night.

Dance

Bhangra, danced by men to the dhol at harvest time, and Giddha, danced by women with clapping and teasing songs, are performed at Baisakhi and weddings.

Painting and crafts

The painter Sobha Singh, known for his portraits of the Sikh Gurus, was born in Sri Hargobindpur in Gurdaspur district. Phulkari, the bright flower embroidery of Punjab's women, has a geographical indication (GI) tag.

Sources

• Punjab Tourism: Government of Punjab
• Sangeet Natak Akademi: India's national academy of music, dance and drama (Ministry of Culture)
• Indian Culture: the Ministry of Culture's portal on India's arts, crafts and heritage
• Padma Awards: the official list of Padma award winners (Government of India)