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A section of Punjabi music is distorting the otherwise rich culture

A rich rustic culture spawned a music the world loves. Veer Arjun Singh laments the underlying riff of drugs, violence and misogyny

Hans Raj Hans performing at Jahan-e-Khusrau in Delhi
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Hans Raj Hans performing at Jahan-e-Khusrau in Delhi

Veer Arjun Singh
Punjabi-ness is hardly an ideology, nor even a way of life. But an internet search leads to breathless evidence of why it’s “awesome to be Punjabi”, how Punjabis are the “most fun people” and why “everyone should have a Punjabi friend”. Moving in the “right” circles gets you invited to lavish Punjabi weddings where you can feast on butter chicken and dance the bhangra to the beats of the dholwala while consuming a copious number of Patiala pegs from sharab di gaddi even after the bar shuts. If you care to hop in for a gedi (drive), the customised SUVs