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Bhangra

Bhangra began as a folk genre from the Punjabi region of northern India and has evolved into one of the most significant types of popular world music on the global scene. Tradition- ally, bhangra was a celebratory dance performed by men and most commonly associated with harvest festivals. Today, folk bhangra is more often found at wedding and New Year celebrations. The musical accompaniment is dominated by percussion instruments, with the central instrument being a double-headed barrel drum, known as dhol. The dhol is held by a strap around the drummer’s neck and played with two sticks. Several other percussion instruments are typically present, along with such melodic instruments as the tumbi, a single-stringed plucked lute that is often found in Bhangra pop styles as well.

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