In the literal sense, jugni means female firefly, which is derived from jugnu, meaning firefly. Metaphorically though jugni means much more. Jugni has often been used by singers and writers to share stories, traveling through time and space, to address societal grievances, political messages. She is spiritual and revolutionary. She is able transcend time and transform herself in every generation. But where did she originate from? According to Aashish Kochhar one possibility is:

No…in 1908, when the British were celebrating the golden jubilee of the British Raj, Bishna and Manda, being illiterate couldn’t pronounce ‘Jubilee’, and called it ‘Jugni’ instead. Or so the story goes. That’s how ‘Jugni’ found its way into the world of Punjabi folk music.

The modern version of jugni though is associated with Alam Lohar, the Pakistani Punjabi singer. Born in 1928 in Gujrat to a family of Blacksmiths (Lohar), he started reciting/singing Sufiana Kalaam, a collection of Punjabi stories and poetry from a young age. His son Arif Lohar continued in his footsteps. Below are both versions of Jugni by Alam and Arif Lohar, both spiritual and popular, and both connecting with different generations.

“Ae way Allah waliyan di Jugni Ji

Ae way nabi pak di Jugni Ji

Ae way Maula Ali wali Jugni Ji

Ae way mere peer di Jugni Ji

Ae way saaray saba di Jugni Ji”

(Jugni is the spirit of God

Jugni is the spirit of the Holy Prophet

Jugni is the spirit of Ali and his followers

Jugni is the spirit of my saints

She is the spirit of all His words)

In 2004 the Indian Punjabi singer, Rabbi Shergil released began to blend the Punjabi folk tradition with acoustic rock, offering a new unique style.

In 2008, jugni was reinvented for Hindi film Oye Lucky Lucky Oye. This is one the first modern films to popularise/depict jugni. Others include: Tanu Weds Manu (2011), Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster (2011), Cocktail (2012), Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster Returns (2013), Queen (2013), Kaatru Veliyidai, (2017).

In 2011 Jugni, a Pakistani Punjabi-language film, was released. The film revolves around the main character of Jugni, and brought folk singer Arif Lohar back on the silver screen after eleven years.

In 2013 the Nooran Sisters performed a powerful rendition at the Nakodar Mela. Sultana Nooran (b. 1992) and Jyoti Nooran (b. 1994) are from Jalandhar and born to family of Sufi musicians. They gained wider popularity through contributions to Bollywood music, craving out a niche space for their strong and distinct style.

One of the latest incarnations is by global Punjabi singer Dailjit Dosanjh featuring Tanzanian artist, Diamond Platnumz, who has a big following in East Africa. The 2022 collaboration is interesting and strategic given the South Asian connections with East Africa. The music/lyrics present a very seamless fusion of Punjabi and Swahili.

There are many other versions, and these are just some of the different incarnations of Jugni in Punjabi popular culture. Read further:

• Aashish Kochar, ‘Jugni: A Punjabi Folk Narrative Lives On’, Peepul Tree Stories, 30 September 2020
• Hasnain Kazmi, Syed Shabihul. “Jugni, dhola and mahiya: Comparing three genres of punjabi folklore.” Pakistan Perspectives 25, no. 2 (2020).
• AMIR, MARIA. “Chapter Twelve Generation Jugni: Mapping The Influence Of Folklore.” A Cartographic Journey of Race, Gender and Power: Global Identity 149 (2021).
• Parmar, Prabhjot, and Amandeep Kaur. “2 Kisan Protests in Punjab 1907–2021.” Agrarian Reform and Farmer Resistance in Punjab: Mobilization and Resilience (2022).