Nirma dancing to Noor Jehan

Here we see the principal proponent of modern day murja in Pakistan, the beautiful Nirma, twirling to a song originally sung by the legendary Pakistani singer Noor Jehan. This version, however, is actually sung by Noor Jenan’s daughter Zile Huma.

Nirma has provided new impetus to the evolution of the mujra in Pakistan, and has initiated a new era in dance innovation that has breathed new life into the ancient mujra dance. In this particular example, we can see slow, graceful moves that were erstwhile (in the classical era) compared to the tendrils of a vine. We can make out just a hint of the ancient Lucknawi influence in what is invariably a modern West Punjabi mujra strain.

Want to learn?

Many mujra enthusiasts are yearning to perform a successfully executed mujra dance. This most evasive of dance skills is actually an amalgam of Kathak, South Indian and Kashmiri dances. While you may not initially appear to be as graceful or enthralling as the legendary Rekha, there are still ways to get the mujra right.

The easy way to perform a mujra:

• Dress up in a fancy shalwar kameez, a churidar pajama, or a Punjabi lacha.
• Make arrangements either for olden tabla influenced music with a high dose of sitar strains, or a Punjabi bhangra style sound track if you plan on performing one of those newer mujras.
• Get in shape. Mujra requires energetic and flexible dance moves, which can only be possile if you’ve got a toned, flexible body.
• Another good pointer is to watch and learn the moves of the Kathak dance, as they can be effectively modified to suit a mujra.

The Mujra dance has benefited immensely from the patronage of ancient Indian royalty. One such benefactor was the Maharajah of Patiala. Maharajah Bhupinder Singh was one of the most legendary princely rulers of India, with a girth to match his magnanimity.

The Maharajah was based in Patiala, head to a large and extravagant kingdom of the Punjab. His rule stretched from Delhi to Lahore, and beyond. Fond of earthly pursuits, he maintained a harem of thousands of exotic, beautiful women. A princely sum of hundreds of rupees was allocated to the management of the Maharajah’s harem. Many of these women were trained in the hedonistic art forms, including the classical predecessors of the modern day mujra.

The mujra reached a glorious apex during the reign of the Maharajah Bhupinder Singh.

Here is a mujra from the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. This outdoor mujra, produced and distributed across Pakistan, is indicative of the Pashtun strain of the mujra dance. This is marked by difference dance movies and a conspicuous diversion from the West Punjabi type of Mujra.

Even more pronounced is the departure from the subtle dance moves of the Awadh region, or Lucknow. Far from being steeped in artistic and intellectual tradition, this type of mujra is more improvisational in form.

This is a roadside mujra from the Indian state of Punjab. In this particular example, we see a public stage set up in an open location, with a woman performing a mujra dance. Such mujras are becoming increasingly common in India, and are often organised in folk “melas” or fairs.

Many also have a theatrical component.

Punjabi mujras have their own unique style. The mujras from the land of the five rivers are markedly different from those of the Indian states east of the Jamuna river. While the mujras of Lucknow had a very artistic appeal to them, those of the Punjab were markedly crude in their form and execution.

In this example, we see a woman from West Punjab performing a Mujra to a song from Nasibo Lal. Note her spontaneous, almost improvised moves and not so subtle choreography. Punjabi Mujras, like many Punjabi dances, are quite vigorous and demanding.

One of Bollywood’s most famous actresses, Rekha performs a mujra in this video from the movie Do Anjaane. “Whether somebody walks with me or not, whether I get a companion or not, I have to go somewhere far, where I get my love”.

Rekha gave a whole new dimension to the centuries old mujra dance. She introduced the mujra into Bollywood, making it a common source of entertainment for the people of the Indian Subcontinent.

Heera mandi mujras are another peculiar type of Mujra. these are performedin the famed notorious Heera Mandi, or diamond market. this is the ancient red light district in the Pakistani city of Lahore. The city of Lahore is an ancient metropolis, reputed to be over 3000 years old.

Heera mandi was established in medeival times by Heera Singh, a compatriot of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The diamond market saw a flourishing of the arts, including classical and exotic dancing. Consequently, mujras saw great development and evolution.

to this day, the patrons of mujra can be seen visiting Heera mandi for both artistic and hedonistic pursuits.

What is a Pakistani mujra? Well, it is basically a derivative of the general Indian mujra dance but performed and choroegraphed in Lahore, by Pakistani artists. Pakistani mujras generally tend to have a greater erotic appeal than their Indian counterparts. Performed usually by stage dancers and also professional courtesans, Pakistani mujras generally command a wider audience worldwide.

Pakistani mujra performers are usually known by their first names or nicknames. Since mujra dancing is sill considered taboo in the subcontinent due tot its association with the red light district of Lahore, lady performers generally maintain an air of anonymity.

People in Lahore are claiming that Fasih ur Rahman is a mujra dancer. Although specialising in the Kathak dance form, his regular television appearances and popular appeal are slowly earning him the mujra label.

Fasih ur Rahman is an interesting character. Dressing as a drag queen or transvestite, he is an expert Kathak performer. His popularity is increasing by the day and he has become a culural icon of Pakistan.