Artline

It was a funeral with a difference. There were no tears and sobs. Instead, the magnificent rhythm of five dhols, and the sound of bhangra...

It was a funeral with a difference. There were no tears and sobs. Instead, the magnificent rhythm of five dhols, and the sound of bhangra filled the air to bid farewell to Ustad Bhanna Ram Sunni, keeping with the last wishes of the dead man. The legendary ustad had told his favourite disciples that on his death, he would want his life8217;s passion, the dhol to be played at his funeral procession.

Paramjeet Singh Sidhu, nee Pammi Bai, one of his students, living in Patiala, was one of the bhangra dancers, who danced at his ustad8217;s funeral.

Bhanna Ram was born in Shekhopura-Pakistan in 1910 in a baazigar8217; community. He trained under Janab Mohammad Ali, in Pakistan, from whom he learnt not only to play the dhol but also the double flute-algoza and the iktaara. What made him an exceptional artist was that he could also sing beautifully as well.

Migrating to India after partition in 1947, in 1952 he set up his first dance troupe comprising of lead dancers, Manohar Deepak, the late Gurbachan Deepak, Avtaar Deepak, along with baazigars Mali Ram, Jallu Ram and Mangal Singh Sunami. He was invited for his first performance by the great art patron of Punjab, the then Maharaja of Patiala, the late Bhupinder Singh. It was the same team which performed in the first cultural performance at the Republic Day celebrations in 1955, and was also part of the cultural delegations taken by Pandit Nehru to China.

Bhanna Ram was also the first Punjabi dholi to star in films like Naya Daur, Jagte Raho, Mirza Sahiban, and Punjabi films like Khaedan de Din Chaar and Jagga Daku.

A magnetic performer, Bhanna Ram8217;s style has gone with him to his grave. Not even his star pupils can match the virtuosity and the dramatic infusions of his performances. As a dancer and singer he added perfect drama to each of his performances. As a dholi his beat was faultless, his bolis8217; were elegant and melodious, and his presentation touched with stylised pauses, touched with the appropriate dramatic statuesque postures.

One of his offsprings, Bahadur Sunam is continuing the family tradition. After Bhanna Ram he reached his peak in 1968, there was a gradual decline in demand. And towards the end of his life, he lived in a small bare house in the town of Sunam. Surrounded by memories, from the days of popularity, 8220;he was not unhappy and frustrated. Content with his brilliant career, he was happy to meet his students, who flocked to his side constantly8221;, says Pammi Bai one of his students who supported his through the years when he was unable to earn a living.

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Bhanna is no more. With him passes away a style and age which will never be seen again. What is depressing is that the state which he adopted as his own, never recognized him in his lifetime. No awards, no pension was given to this great culture bearer. It is time for the government to sit up and institute some kind of documentation of the folk forms which are simply languishing, with no records left for museums or archives for posterity.