12 May - Laughter Therapy - When Sisters Trick Brothers Into Eating Healthy with Harmeet Toor and Ranjodh Singh
Host:-
Ranjodh Singh
unjabi chutkule, sibling tricks and bujhartan — Laughter Therapy is your free daily morning laugh on Radio Haanji.
In This Article
- Why Laughter Is the Best Morning Ritual
- Kids Who See the World Differently
- The Butter Trick: A Sister's Love in Disguise
- What Is Bujhartan — and Can a Riddle Actually Make You Think and Laugh?
- A Birthday Shoutout That Became a Community Moment
- Key Takeaways
- Frequently Asked Questions
When was the last time you laughed so hard during your morning routine that you nearly choked on your chai? On the morning of 12 May 2026, the hosts of Radio Haanji's Laughter Therapy managed exactly that — turning a regular Tuesday into a shared moment of pure, unfiltered joy. This is the kind of Punjabi podcast that doesn't just fill airtime. It fills the heart.
What makes Laughter Therapy one of the most-loved segments on Radio Haanji 1674 AM isn't the jokes alone — it's the people telling them. Young voices, sibling bonds, clever riddles, and a birthday chorus for a one-year-old. Together, they built something rare on live radio: a genuine sense of community. Whether you tune in from Melbourne, Sydney, or Singapore, this episode was a reminder that laughter, shared across a frequency, is still the shortest distance between two people.
Why Laughter Is the Best Morning Ritual
Science has long argued what Punjabi families have always known: laughter heals. Research in the field of psychoneuroimmunology consistently links shared humour with reduced cortisol levels and improved immune response (Mayo Clinic). Morning laughter, in particular, sets the emotional tone for the entire day — much like a warm-up before a run, except infinitely more enjoyable.
Laughter Therapy on Radio Haanji is built on this principle. Every morning, the show brings together callers of all ages — from schoolchildren delivering their first chutkule to grandparents with decades of bolian stored in their memory — and creates a space where no one feels left out. It is participatory, inclusive, and deeply Punjabi in its soul.
The 12 May episode was a masterclass in this format. No single joke carried the whole show — instead, it was the accumulation of moments, each building warmly on the last, that made it so memorable.
Kids Who See the World Differently
Children have always been the secret weapon of Laughter Therapy. Their observations of adult life are simultaneously baffling, accurate, and hilarious. This episode opened with two young callers who proved that point beautifully.
Young Yuvraj shared the tale of a man who spent all night chasing a mosquito around his bedroom with a shoe. The punchline? He never caught the mosquito — but he made sure it didn't sleep a wink either. It's a joke that works on two levels: the absurdity of the chase, and the deeply relatable stubbornness of someone who refuses to lose to a bug.
Jessica brought a touch of "grown-up" wit to the morning with a joke about why a company only hires married men. The reasoning — they're used to being told off, they work without complaint, and they have no reason to rush home — landed to knowing laughter from the hosts. It's sharp social observation dressed up as a chutkula, and it works every time.
The Butter Trick: A Sister's Love in Disguise
The most touching segment of the episode didn't come from a punchline. It came from Mannat, who called in to share her "secret weapon" for keeping her younger brother Fateh healthy.
Her method: coat amla (Indian gooseberry) and avocado in butter and present them as treats. Fateh, a budding cricketer, has no idea he's been eating superfoods. The deception, in Mannat's words, was simple — "I just want him to be a healthy cricketer."
The segment had the studio laughing, but it also had something richer underneath. This is what sibling love looks like in practice — not always expressed through grand gestures, but through small, clever acts of care disguised as mischief. It's a story that any listener with a younger sibling will recognise immediately, and it's the kind of moment that makes Laughter Therapy far more than just a comedy segment.
ਬੁਝਾਰਤਾਂ — Can a Riddle Make You Laugh AND Think?
ਬੁਝਾਰਤਾਂ (Bujhartan) are traditional Punjabi riddles — a form of wordplay that has been passed down through generations. They sit at the intersection of culture, language, and wit, and they reward a sharp mind just as much as they do a good sense of humour.
This episode's bujhartan segment delivered two gems:
ਅੱਖਰ 'B' ਨੂੰ ਗਰਮੀ ਕਿਉਂ ਨਹੀਂ ਲੱਗਦੀ? (Why does the letter 'B' never feel the heat?) ਜਵਾਬ: ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਇਹ ਹਮੇਸ਼ਾ AC ਦੇ ਅੰਦਰ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ। (Answer: Because it always stays inside the AC.)
This riddle by Ashis Kaur is a clever alphabetical play — the letter 'B' sits inside the letters 'A' and 'C' when you write "AC". It's a bilingual brain-teaser that delighted both the hosts and the audience, and it's the kind of joke that makes you groan and grin at the same time.
The second riddle came from Japhleen, who wove a joke around the great diaspora dream: moving to Canada and sending back "notes" for the family to collect — a playful double meaning that lands differently depending on whether you're the one in Canada or the one waiting for the remittance.
Traditional ਬੁਝਾਰਤਾਂ like these are an irreplaceable part of Punjabi oral culture. Programmes like Laughter Therapy keep them alive across generations and geographies — from Melbourne to Chandigarh to Singapore. Explore more episodes of Laughter Therapy to hear how the tradition continues every morning.
A Birthday That Became a Community Moment
The episode closed with something quietly beautiful. The hosts and callers joined together in a birthday chorus for Parnavat Singh Sohi, celebrating his very first birthday. A small life, a big milestone, and a radio station that made it feel like a neighbourhood celebration.
In the age of curated social media, where every milestone is staged for a feed, there is something genuinely moving about a live radio station pausing to sing Happy Birthday to a one-year-old. It costs nothing. It means everything. And it is entirely in keeping with the spirit of Radio Haanji — a station that has always understood that community is built from exactly these kinds of small, sincere moments.
Key Takeaways
- Laughter Therapy on Radio Haanji is a free daily morning Punjabi podcast that brings together callers of all ages for chutkule, bolian, and bujhartan.
- Children's humour on the show reflects sharp, unfiltered observations of everyday adult life — and consistently lands some of the episode's best moments.
- Sibling stories like Mannat and Fateh's butter-trick segment show that the show carries emotional depth alongside its comedy.
- ਬੁਝਾਰਤਾਂ (Bujhartan) are a celebrated feature of the show — traditional Punjabi riddles that keep oral culture alive for the diaspora in Australia and Singapore.
- Community rituals like birthday shoutouts make Radio Haanji more than a broadcast — they make it a shared neighbourhood experience for Punjabi listeners worldwide.
- The show is available free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and the Radio Haanji app — making it accessible to the entire Punjabi diaspora across Australia, Singapore, and beyond.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Laughter Therapy on Radio Haanji?
Laughter Therapy is a daily morning comedy segment on Radio Haanji 1674 AM, Melbourne's leading Punjabi radio station. The show features chutkule (jokes), bolian (Punjabi folk verses), bujhartan (traditional riddles), and listener call-ins. It airs every morning and is available free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and the Radio Haanji app.
What are ਬੁਝਾਰਤਾਂ (Bujhartan) in Punjabi culture?
Bujhartan are traditional Punjabi riddles — a form of oral wordplay passed down through generations. They combine clever language, cultural references, and wit to challenge the listener's thinking. On Laughter Therapy, bujhartan segments keep this tradition alive for the Punjabi diaspora in Australia, Singapore, and worldwide, making them accessible to younger generations.
Can I listen to Laughter Therapy if I'm not in Melbourne?
Yes. Laughter Therapy is available globally as a free Punjabi podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. You can also stream it through the Radio Haanji app on iOS and Android. The show has a significant listener base in Singapore and across Australia, making it one of the most widely accessed Punjabi podcasts in the Southern Hemisphere.
Why does Radio Haanji include children's voices in Laughter Therapy?
Radio Haanji includes children's voices in Laughter Therapy because their unfiltered humour reflects a uniquely honest perspective on everyday life. Young callers like Yuvraj and Jessica bring spontaneity and cultural freshness to the segment. Their participation also makes the show a truly intergenerational experience, welcoming listeners from schoolchildren to grandparents.
Where can I find all Laughter Therapy episodes?
All Laughter Therapy episodes are available on the Radio Haanji podcast page. You can browse and listen to every episode at haanji.com.au/podcast/laughter-therapy, or stream directly on Spotify and Apple Podcasts by searching "Radio Haanji Laughter Therapy."
Is Radio Haanji available in Singapore?
Yes. Radio Haanji 1674 AM has a significant listener base in Singapore, which accounts for nearly 23% of all podcast downloads. Laughter Therapy, along with all other Radio Haanji shows, is accessible free via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and the Radio Haanji app — making it available to the Punjabi and Indian community across Singapore and Southeast Asia.
What other shows does Radio Haanji offer besides Laughter Therapy?
Radio Haanji offers a wide range of Punjabi and Indian content. Highlights include The Deep Talk — a deep-dive show exploring science, space, species and exploration — and Kitaab Kahani, an audio stories show that brings Punjabi literature to life. All shows are free and available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and the Radio Haanji app.
Laughter, it turns out, doesn't need a punchline to land. Sometimes it just needs a sister's butter trick, a child's mosquito logic, or a radio station pausing to sing Happy Birthday to someone's youngest. If this episode of Laughter Therapytaught us anything, it's that the best medicine is still free — and it airs every morning on Radio Haanji.
If this episode put a smile on your face, share it with someone who needs one today. And if you haven't already, subscribe to Laughter Therapy so you never miss your daily dose of Punjabi joy.
Listen to Laughter Therapy — free every morning on Radio Haanji 1674 AM.
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References and Further Reading
- Mayo Clinic — Research on the health benefits of laughter and its effect on stress hormones — https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456
- All Laughter Therapy Episodes — Browse every episode of the show — https://haanji.com.au/podcast/laughter-therapy
- The Deep Talk — Radio Haanji — Science, space, species and exploration — https://haanji.com.au/podcast/the-deep-talk
- Kitaab Kahani — Audio Stories — Punjabi literature and storytelling — https://haanji.com.au/podcast/kitaab-kahani
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