Rangla Punjab a colorful treat and sweet taste of Punjabi culture in Chicago

Chicago IL: The Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago (PCS) presented their flagship annual event “Rangla Punjab 2016” to celebrate Vaisakhi festival on Saturday April 23, 2016, at Meadows Club Banquet Hall in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. More than 200 participants rendered 30 spectacular variety acts in a talent show attended by more than 1000. 

Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago (PCS) has been organizing this traditional Punjabi cultural program titled "Rangla Punjab" for more than two decades. This is the single largest annual Punjabi cultural variety event in Chicago area that show cases the Punjabi performing arts, develops and promotes the local community talent. 

The program divided in four segments included dazzling performances of Bhangra and Giddha dances, delightful Punjabi songs, and melodious music, by local and guest artists from Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan. 

Artists of all ages, teenage boys and girls, college students, and adults dressed in a variety of Punjabi colorful costumes and performed their best on stage. Young children were trained by PCS volunteer instructors who were practicing since January of this year for this event. 

The Giddha dance moves by the ladies from “Milwaukee Giddha” Team, “Shaunkanna Chicago Diyan” and "Chicago Giddha," and "Nachdiyaan Mutiyaraan" were nostalgic reminders of rural Punjab and won the hearts of the audience with their fast beat music, stellar acts and colorful costumes. 

There were many other excellent Bhangra, Giddha, and dance items presented by the local community children and adult artists. It was really a festival of Punjabi culture and a delightful treat. 

PCS Vice President Surinder Singh Sangha welcomed the audience. The program opened with singing of a prayer “shabad” by a group of young children from Palatine Gurdwara Gurmat School.  

The variety program divided in four segments, which were emceed by Jaslin Kaur Nanua & Harmanjit Kaur Dhillon; Mona Bhalla; Guru Dhaliwal & Surinder Singh Sangha; Raskirth Singh & Rajinder Singh Mago.. 

Rajinder Singh Mago assisted by Raibrinder Singh Ghotra, Bikram S Chohan, Gagandeep Singh Multani, Pardeep Singh Deol, Parvinder Singh Nanua and Sundeep Singh managed the back stage coordination. 

A variety of Punjabi songs delighted the audience. Kanchan ji a versatile singer rendered a melodious song "Aej Jindari Sari Sari;" Mona Bhalla& daughters moved the audience with their energy, passion and the song "Kudi Bindaas;” Mahijit Singh Virdi, a veteran singer and TV artist sang "Dil chori sada ho gaya" Mandeep Singh Saini sang "Tankhah;" Vijay Rajput sang "Punjabi Boliyaan." Siobhan Kaur Henegan along with her siblings sang a melodious song "Challa" with live music. 

It was a very fast moving four hour long program of 30 items with participants ranging from five to fifty in age. The set up in the lobby with vendors and exhibit booths, Sikh warriors of world wars posters display, resembled a "Mela." Several vendors including Pleasant Travels, Care for Soul, Real Estate Tax Appeals (Cook County), Tiara, Sai Roop Ranjan Boutique, The Sadayappan Lab, Mahavir Jewelers, had setup shop to sell novelty merchandise seemed to be doing a brisk business. 

P.C.S. also recognized its Board of Governors and Board of Advisors.

P.C.S. Board of Directors for 2016, are Harkewal Singh Lally (Hon. Chairman), Gurmit Singh Dhillon (President), Surinder Singh Sangha (Vice President), Bikram Singh Chohan (Executive Secretary), Parvinder Singh Nanua (Finance Secretary), Surinder Singh Palia (Sports Director), Manjeet Singh Bhalla & Kulbir Singh Bagri (Inter-Community Directors), Gagandeep Singh Multani and Raibrinder Singh Ghotra  (Youth Directors). 

Ronny Kular conducted the awards and recognition ceremonies in cooperation with Sunny Kular. All the sponsors, item coordinators, participants and their families were thanked for their support. Outgoing PCS president Vick Singh was awarded a plaque for his excellent services during his term. Vick Singh thanked his team for their full support in 2015. Outgoing PCS Hon. Chairman Amritpal Singh Sangha was also honored with a plaque. 

The program was sponsored by Dr. Bhupinder S. Saini, Dr. Narinder S. Grewal, Dr. Amarjit Singh, Suga Builders, Bhupinder Singh Dhaliwal, Harkewal Singh Lally, Bikram Singh Sidhu,  Nick Balwinder Singh, Happy Multani, Avtar Singh (Bhaura Transport of Indianapolis), PCS Michigan, Pleasant Travel, Amritpal S. Sangha,  Hardial S. Deol, Dr. Gurdial S. Basran, Dr. Hargurmukhpal Singh, Dr. Sarbjit Singh Bhandal, Dr. Amarjit Singh, Ronny Kular, Surinder Singh Sangha, Vic Singh, Parvinder Singh Nanua, Balwinder Singh Girn, Dr. Sanjeet Singh Parmar, Sunny Kular, Rajinder Singh Mago, Thakar Singh Basati, Amrik Pal Singh, Vinny Anand, Dr. Kamaljit Singh Girn, Sukhmel Singh Atwal, Nick Gakhal, Onkar Singh Sangha, Kulbir Singh Bagri, Gurmit Singh Dhillon, Pardeep Singh Deol, Manjeet Singh Bhalla, Dr. Balwant Singh Hansra, Dr. Harjinder Singh Khaira, Lakhvir Singh Sahota, Parminder Singh Ghotra, Parminder Singh Walia, Gurdeep Singh Nandra, Baiju Mehta CPA, Gulzar Singh Multani, Happy Heer, Santokh Singh DC, Lakhbir Singh Sandhu, Manpal Singh Grewal, Kanchan Lall, RK Carpets, Amar Carpets, Jaspal Singh Kler, Jagjit Singh Dhindsa, Mat Singh Dhillon, Maj. (Retd.) Gurcharan Singh Jhaj, GLO Massage, Vimlan Tax. 

The program was organized by Gurmit Singh Dhillon, Surinder Singh Sangha, Bikram Singh Chohan,  Parvinder Singh Nanua, Manjeet Singh Bhalla, Gagandeep Singh Multani, Rai brinder Singh Ghotra, Kulbir Singh Bagri, Vick Singh, Pardeep Singh Deol, Ronny Kular, Sunny Kular, Balwinder Singh Girn, Mohinderjit Singh Saini, Baljit Singh Sidhu, Parminder Singh Ghotra, Thakar Singh Basati, Sukhmel Singh Atwal, Amarjit Kaur Atwal, Bhinder Singh Pamma, Onkar Singh Sangha, and Rajinder Singh Mago.  

The young community children performers were trained by many P.C.S. volunteers and item coordinators who worked hard for the last four months. 

The coordinators include, Amardev Singh Badesha, Gurkamal S. Grewal, Sandeep Singh, Sukhwinder Kaur and Amrit Kaur Thind, Dr. Supreet Kauur Dhaliwal, Guru Dhaliwal, Amrit Singh Girn, Gursimran Singh Dhillon, Manpreet K Bhalla and Simran K Bhalla, Sabreet Dhatt, Justin Dhaliwal, Raskirth Singh, Harleen Saini, Amrita Randhawa, Navaljit K. Virk and Biant K. Virk, Dr. Kamaljeet Girn, Lucky Saini, Jaslin Kaur Nanua, Amanjeet Kaur Dhillon, Pardeep S. Deol and Jaskaran S. Saini, Sukhvir Kaur Dhillon, Rajpreet Kaur Dhaliwal, Hanna Singh , Simran Walia, Gagandeep S. Multani, Raibrinder S. Ghotra and volunteer Jeevanjot Singh Saini.

An exclusive dinner to VIP ticket holders, and complimentary meal to participants was provided. 

The upcoming P.C.S. organized events are:

 "Punjabi Youth Graduation & Scholarship Night" dinner and party on June 12, 2016 at Viceroy of India Banquets in Lombard, IL where all the High School and College "Class of 2016" graduates who register will be honored and scholarship awarded to the selected candidates. All the Punjabi students graduating in 2016 are requested to register with PCS to participate in the party and scholarship contest. The "Rangla Punjab 2016" participants will also be honored. 

 "P.C.S. Sports Festival" is slated in August and PCS Night including Bhangra Competition in November. PCS participation in Thanksgiving Day Parade is on November 24, 2016. 

The Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago is an all-volunteer not-for-profit community service organization devoted to promoting Punjabi culture, language, performing arts, education, good citizenship, healthy life style, and sports in the metropolitan Chicago area and beyond.