Musicians in protest: A brief summary of musician involvement in the Indian farmers’ protests

ABSTRACT

Punjabi singers produced music in support of the farmers and took on-the-ground initiatives to join the protests alongside protesters at the Delhi border and in local protests. This paper analyzes Punjabi Sikh uses of music throughout history and compares them to the music that emerged in the Farmers' Protests. This paper uses Serge Denisoff's criteria for protest music to cross-examine Punjabi protest music produced in various time periods. The Farmers' protest music and musician involvement in the protests is then scrutinized to understand its significance to the protests and to understand the relationship between Punjabi singers and their audiences.

KEYWORDS:

• Protest music
• farmers' protests
• agitation
• Punjabi
• Sikh
• activism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfzoQf0S9MQ

2 This likely refers to Humayan being exiled from Delhi, which was around 1597 Bikrami, 1540 AD.

3 Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

4 This term translates to ‘Take care of your turban, Oh Jatt.’ The turban is a symbol of one’s self-dignity and respect, so it encourages farmers to fight for one’s rights and self-dignity. Mohammad Rafi’s rendition of this song can be found at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BNEnppQbJY

5 The Dharam Yudh Morcha was a non-secessionist Sikh Movement demanding the implementation of the Anandpur Sahib Resolution, which asked for the greater state rights and greater recognition of the Sikh faith and people in India. It eventually led to Operation Bluestar and the Sikh insurgency (Jetly 2008, 64).

6 Listen to the song at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMnbqjcAXkM