From Gippy Grewal to R Nait: as Punjab sees the worst floods in decades, songs are healing hearts

The government has evacuated people from low-lying and flood-affected areas, and set up hundreds of relief camps to provide shelter and essential facilities to those affected.

On September 3, popular actor-singer-producer-director Gippy Grewal released Aalahna, a poignant single track that captures the emotional toll of the flood. “Lakhan supne soorjan jidde paani vich beh gaye (Countless dreams as bright as the sun have drowned in water),” he sings, reminding listeners that it isn’t just fields but futures that are lost.

The song also highlights the resilience of Punjabis to fight back.

A day before, R Nait dropped We are not Fukrey, spotlighting how Punjab’s rugged tractors are wading through chest-high waters to deliver aid. With lines like “tambu taan laye bann te hun assi ghar nahi jaana… saade tractor tankan varge kyun tuhade toh zare nahi jande… (We put up tents but we won’t go home… why don’t our tractors spill a drop for you)”, the song celebrates community resolve and selfless service.

Meanwhile, Sanam Bajaj’s Fariyad Punjab Di is streaming on YouTube, giving voice to sorrow and yearning across flooded towns.

Another resonant track by Ritaz, Rabba baddal morh lai apne, nahi taan sab kuch veh jana hai (Oh God, turn back the clouds, otherwise everything will be washed away) has been going viral on social platforms.

The song released this month features a haunting line, “paani ne hai agg lagai (the water has ignited a fire)”, which connects flood fury with environmental strife, pointing to unchecked sand mining and rampant urban sprawl.

Similarly, singer Virasat Sandhu’s Chardi Kalan, released in September, celebrates Punjab’s indomitable spirit.

Past flood, farmers’ protests

Some echoes from the past are also finding new life.

Sufi singer Kanwar Grewal’s 2023 flood song, Galti Maaf, is being shared afresh on social media reels, its emotional undertones deeply resonating during these turbulent times, as he described the devastation floods caused in 2023 in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.

Grewal sings Takk laya zor paniyan da…hun main darr gaya tere toh…Galti maaf kudarte ni..harah russ na mere toh..main Punjab bolda haan..udd gayi raunak chehre taun… (I have seen the power of water… now I fear You, O Nature, forgive my mistake, don’t stay angry with me… I am Punjab speaking… the glow has vanished from our faces).

This isn’t new territory for Punjab’s musical trailblazers.

During the 2020-21 agitation opposing the now-repealed farm laws, singers crafted stirring protest songs that became instant anthems. Even the 19th-century Italian anthem of resistance, Bella Ciao, got a Punjabi version, Vapas Jao, during the anti-farm laws agitation, with the sounds of farmers protesting. A Delhi-based teacher created the song.

While Punjabi music often grabs attention for celebrating violence, weapons, alcohol, or objectifying women, these theme-based songs strike a chord by capturing the pulse of the masses and keeping artists connected with their fans. The flood-themed music continues that legacy — transforming loss and fear into soundtracks of solidarity.

It’s not just songs; Punjabi singers-actors are working on the ground in flood-affected areas and sending flood relief if they can’t reach the areas personally. Singers-actors like Diljit Dosanjh and Ammy Virk, among others, have also assured rehabilitation once the water recedes.

“These songs don’t offer dry statistics or official bulletins, but they bring something arguably more vital: connection. Each verse reminds us that when battered villages stand alone in water, their spirit is lifted —not just by aid, but by a shared cultural heartbeat that says: you’re not alone,” said Samita Kaur, environment activist, told The Indian Express.

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