Dhamak Punjabana Di

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Melbourne’s Punjabi ladies celebrate their rich heritage

The bold and the beautiful came out to celebrate, Punjabi style, at the recently held Ronak Trinjnaa Di event. Capturing the romanticised image of Punjab through brilliant and colourful folklore this was the fifth annual event of its kind and as successful, if not more, as the first one.
The sell out, women’s only, event was held at Springvale Town Hall and it drew a packed house despite coinciding with Melbourne-wide celebrations of the inaugural International Yoga Day on 21 June. Decidedly more happening and gregarious, the stage was set on fire with some amazing performances by women of all ages.

Trinjan is a Punjabi word for a place in a village where women would meet to spin cotton on charkhas, enjoy conversations, share a meal, and discuss family issues. A modern version nurturing a similar space for women is the aim behind Ronak Trinjnaa Di. The event is held in association with Punjabi Folk Arts Melbourne and fuelled by months of effort on the part of the organising team and participants.
This year’s event saw the usual mix of bhangra, giddha, bolis and contemporary dances and plays presented, albeit in an improved format.

The ambience was created with a combination of traditional backdrops, flowers and bling. Women and children came dressed in traditional attire as vibrant and rich as their Punjabi culture.
Highlights included the presence of Manpneet Grewal, the beautiful Punjabi actress from Melbourne who credits Ronak Trinjnaa Di as her launching pad into the world of entertainment. Manpneet’s debut performance in the recently released Punjabi blockbuster Gadaar, opposite Harbhajan Mann, attracted rave reviews from critics and fans. The audience took turns to pose with the elegant young actress as she happily agreed to selfies and photo opportunities in between performances.

Another great addition was a fashion show where models sashayed modestly whilst sporting colourful Punjabi attire.
The audience also rallied around to offer thunderous applause to a group of elderly ladies who volunteered to take part in an impromptu competition and danced to contemporary Punjabi music. Their willingness to participate, and their enthusiastic performance, endorsed the view that Punjabi women, no matter what their age, can certainly shake a leg or two and are certainly not shrinking violets!

A jumping castle kept the kids busy and boisterous, but added further to the noise of an already loud event. Towards the end it can get to be too much of a good thing for some as the length of this event can be a drawback, however some others visibly enjoyed the afternoon away from their routine chores and responsibilities. This is definitely the event to be prescribed for anyone who wishes to experience some wholesome, ‘Punju flavour’ and fun.