Mutiyar (ਮੁਟਿਆਰ) is Punjabi for a young woman who has grown up and come of age, in the full bloom of her youth. She is the heroine of folk songs and giddha verses, admired for her beauty, confidence and quick answers.
How it's used
- 1ਪਿੰਡ ਦੀ ਮੁਟਿਆਰ ਨੇ ਗਿੱਧੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਬ ਨੂੰ ਪਿੱਛੇ ਛੱਡ ਦਿੱਤਾThe village mutiyar outshone everyone in the giddha. giddha: the women's folk dance
- 2ਸਾਡੀ ਧੀ ਹੁਣ ਮੁਟਿਆਰ ਹੋ ਗਈ ਹੈOur daughter has now grown into a young woman, a mutiyar. family usage
- 3ਗਾਣੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਗੱਭਰੂ ਮੁਟਿਆਰ ਨੂੰ ਆਵਾਜ਼ ਮਾਰਦਾ ਹੈIn the song, the gabru calls out to the mutiyar. the classic song pairing
Show 1 more example
- 4ਮੁਟਿਆਰ ਨੇ ਹੱਸ ਕੇ ਮੁੜਵਾਂ ਜਵਾਬ ਦਿੱਤਾThe mutiyar laughed and gave a sharp answer back. her wit is part of the word
ਮੁਟਿਆਰ ਉਸ ਨੌਜਵਾਨ ਕੁੜੀ ਨੂੰ ਕਹਿੰਦੇ ਹਨ, ਜੋ ਸਿਆਣੀ ਹੋ ਗਈ ਹੋਵੇ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਨੀ ਦੀ ਭਰਪੂਰ ਉਮਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੋਵੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਲੋਕ ਗੀਤਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਗਿੱਧੇ ਦੀਆਂ ਬੋਲੀਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਮੁਟਿਆਰ ਹੀ ਗਾਣੇ ਦੀ ਨਾਇਕਾ ਹੁੰਦੀ ਹੈ ਉਹ ਸੋਹਣੀ ਭੀ ਹੁੰਦੀ ਹੈ, ਸਿਆਣੀ ਭੀ, ਅਤੇ ਗੱਭਰੂ ਨੂੰ ਮੁੜ ਮੁੜ ਜਵਾਬ ਦੇਣ ਵਾਲੀ ਭੀ ਇਹ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਹਮੇਸ਼ਾ ਤਾਰੀਫ਼ ਅਤੇ ਪਿਆਰ ਨਾਲ ਵਰਤਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ
What does mutiyar mean in Punjabi?
Mutiyar (ਮੁਟਿਆਰ), pronounced moo-tee-YAAR, is a Punjabi noun for a young woman who has grown up: a girl who has come of age, in the full bloom of her youth. In folk songs, giddha verses and modern Punjabi pop she is the heroine of the piece, admired for her beauty, her confidence and her quick answers, and set opposite the gabru who sings to her.
How is mutiyar used in songs and folk culture?
The mutiyar is one of the oldest figures in Punjabi song. In the folk world she walks through the fields, swings her long braid with its paranda, laughs with her friends at the fair and trades verses with anyone who sings to her. Writers describing Punjabi music videos call her the attractive young woman of the song, set in contrast to her gabru admirer, and that pairing still drives new releases today: recent hit songs are titled simply Mutiyaar, and pageants and cultural shows across the diaspora crown a Punjabi Mutiyaar as a celebration of traditional dress and bearing.
In giddha, the women's dance of Punjab, boliyan verses praise the mutiyar's walk, her suit, her jewellery and her wit. The word is never an insult and never merely about looks: a mutiyar is grown, self-possessed and quick with an answer, which is why grandmothers use it proudly for a granddaughter who has shot up and come into her own.
Is mutiyar the same as kuri?
No. Kuri is the plain everyday word for a girl, of any age from small child to young woman. Mutiyar is narrower: it means a young woman who has grown up and come of age, and it always carries warmth and admiration. A five year old is a kuri, never a mutiyar. English glosses that render mutiyar as spinster miss the point entirely: the word praises youth and presence, not marital status.
What is the masculine counterpart of mutiyar?
Gabru. The two words form Punjabi song's favourite pair: the gabru, a young man in his prime, and the mutiyar, the young woman he sings to. Whole albums of folk and pop are built on their exchange of boasts, teasing and longing, so learning one word almost always brings the other with it.
Related words
Sources (2)
Jugti is free and independent. Reader support keeps the Kosh growing.
Support