20 May - Laughter Therapy - Pappu, ਬੁਝਾਰਤਾਂ and Punjabi Comedy with Ranjodh Singh - Radio Haanji
Host:-
Ranjodh Singh
Jokes, riddles and Punjabi ਬੋਲੀਆਂ on Radio Haanji's Laughter Therapy - 20 May 2026. Host Ranjodh Singh with kids, Pappu jokes and a 4-year-old poet. Listen free.
Some days you just need to laugh. Not a polite smile, not a chuckle at your phone screen - a proper, side-splitting, tea-spitting laugh. That is exactly what host Ranjodh Singh delivered on Radio Haanji 1674 AM's Laughter Therapy on 20 May 2026, joined by a lineup of young callers who had zero intention of going easy on anyone.
From Pappu one-liners and sharp Punjabi ਬੁਝਾਰਤਾਂ (riddles) to a four-year-old reciting poetry about respecting cultural roots, this episode of Radio Haanji's most-loved comedy show covered the full spectrum. If you missed the live broadcast, here is everything that happened - and why this episode is one you need to go back and hear.
Radio Haanji 1674 AM is Melbourne's home of Punjabi and Hindi community radio, connecting the Indian diaspora across Australia with news, entertainment, music and thoughtful conversation. Laughter Therapy is the show that reminds the community that no matter how stressful the week has been, there is always room for a good laugh. You can listen to all past episodes at the Laughter Therapy podcast archive.
UEFA Champions League Final is Almost Here - Arza Kicks Things Off
The first caller of the episode, Arza, got straight to business with a sports update before landing a joke that had the studio in stitches. Arza reminded listeners that the UEFA Champions League Final - Europe's biggest football tournament - is scheduled for Sunday 31 May, kicking off at 2:00 AM Australian Eastern Standard Time.
Then came the joke. A classic Melbourne-based setup featuring everyone's favourite fictional husband, Pappu:
ਇੱਕ ਵਾਰ ਪੱਪੂ ਦੀ ਸੱਸ ਨੇ ਇੰਡੀਆ ਤੋਂ ਫੋਨ ਕਰਕੇ ਪੁੱਛਿਆ, "ਉੱਥੇ ਮੈਲਬੌਰਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਠੰਢ ਕਿੰਨੀ ਕੁ ਪੈਂਦੀ ਹੈ? ਸਾਡੀ ਕੁੜੀ ਨੂੰ ਠੰਢ ਤਾਂ ਨਹੀਂ ਜ਼ਿਆਦਾ ਲੱਗਦੀ?"
ਪੱਪੂ ਨੇ ਜਵਾਬ ਦਿੱਤਾ: "ਮੰਮੀ ਜੀ, ਮੈਲਬੌਰਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਠੰਢ ਜਿੰਨੀ ਮਰਜ਼ੀ ਪੈ ਜਾਵੇ, ਉਹਨੂੰ ਠੰਢ ਮੇਰੇ ਨਾਲ ਲੜ ਕੇ ਹੀ ਪੈਂਦੀ ਹੈ!"
Anyone who has ever experienced a Melbourne winter - and a Punjabi household - will tell you this joke landed perfectly.
Teg Asees Kaur and the Cotton Riddle - ਬੁਝਾਰਤ Time
Next up was Teg Asees Kaur, who presented the audience with a beautiful traditional Punjabi ਬੁਝਾਰਤ:
ਉੱਚੇ ਟਿੱਬੇ ਮੇਰੀ ਮਾਸੀ ਵੱਸਦੀ,
ਜਦੋਂ ਮੈਂ ਜਾਵਾਂ ਖਿੜ-ਖਿੜ ਹੱਸਦੀ,
ਜਦੋਂ ਮੈਂ ਆਵਾਂ ਰੋ-ਰੋ ਮਰਦੀ।
Host Ranjodh Singh took a moment with this one. With a hint from Teg - that this thing is used in making clothes - the answer came: ਕਪਾਹ / ਰੂਈਂ (Cotton). The cotton plant blooms joyfully when visited but is stripped bare when harvested. A riddle as poetic as it is clever.
These traditional Punjabi riddles are a living part of the community's oral heritage, and Laughter Therapy is one of the few places in Australian Punjabi radio where children are actively sharing them on air.
Amber and the Nani Ji Song
Caller Amber brought the classic children's song that every Punjabi household knows:
ਨਾਨੀ ਤੇਰੀ ਮੋਰਨੀ ਕੋ ਮੋਰ ਲੇ ਗਏ,
ਬਾਕੀ ਜੋ ਬਚਾ ਥਾ ਕਾਲੇ ਚੋਰ ਲੇ ਗਏ...
Ranjodh Singh, never one to let a moment pass without a laugh, joked that the "ਕਾਲੇ ਚੋਰ" (dark thieves) must have taken Nani Ji herself. Amber laughed and quickly set the record straight. The exchange was warm, fast and genuinely funny - the kind of radio moment you simply cannot script.
Mannat, Amrinder Gill and a Joke About a Very Trusting Thief
Mannat came to the show with some exciting personal news: her mother recently had a photo taken with Punjabi singer Amrinder Gill and his sons, which she posted on social media. Mannat declared herself a big fan of Amrinder Gill's sons and said she wants the photo framed.
Then she delivered a joke that is simultaneously obvious and brilliant:
ਇੱਕ ਚੋਰ ਇੱਕ ਅਮੀਰ ਆਦਮੀ ਦੇ ਘਰ ਚੋਰੀ ਕਰਨ ਗਿਆ। ਤਿਜੋਰੀ ਦੇ ਉੱਤੇ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਸੀ: "450 ਨੰਬਰ ਹੈ, ਤੋੜਨ ਦੀ ਲੋੜ ਨਹੀਂ, ਬੱਸ ਲਾਲ ਬਟਨ ਦਬਾ ਦਿਓ।" ਚੋਰ ਨੇ ਉਵੇਂ ਹੀ ਕੀਤਾ - ਅਤੇ ਅਲਾਰਮ ਵੱਜ ਗਿਆ। ਪੁਲਿਸ ਆਈ ਅਤੇ ਚੋਰ ਨੂੰ ਫੜ ਕੇ ਲੈ ਗਈ। ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੋਇਆ ਚੋਰ ਕਹਿ ਰਿਹਾ ਸੀ - "ਅੱਜ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਮੈਂ ਕਿਸੇ ਲਿਖੇ ਹੋਏ 'ਤੇ ਯਕੀਨ ਨਹੀਂ ਕਰਨਾ!"
The thief trusted the instructions on a safe, pressed the red button, triggered the alarm, got arrested and decided the lesson was to never trust written words again. Punjabi comedy at its absolute finest.
Fateh, Pappu and the Science of Black Clouds
Young caller Fateh presented what may be the episode's most outrageously confident Pappu joke:
ਟੀਚਰ: "ਪੱਪੂ, ਕਾਲੇ ਬੱਦਲ ਕਿਉਂ ਹੁੰਦੇ ਨੇ?"
ਪੱਪੂ (ਥੋੜ੍ਹਾ ਸੋਚ ਕੇ): "ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਉਹ ਸਾਰਾ ਦਿਨ ਧੁੱਪ ਵਿੱਚ ਬਾਹਰ ਘੁੰਮਦੇ ਰਹਿੰਦੇ ਨੇ, ਇਸ ਲਈ ਕਾਲੇ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਨੇ!"
ਇਹ ਸੁਣ ਕੇ ਟੀਚਰ ਬੇਹੋਸ਼ ਹੋ ਗਈ।
The teacher asked why clouds turn dark. Pappu explained that clouds spend all day wandering outside in the sun, which is why they turn dark. The teacher fainted. There is genuinely nothing more to add.
If Fateh's brand of lateral logic appeals to you, the The Deep Talk show on Radio Haanji takes a far more serious look at science, space, species and exploration - though we make no promises the discussions are any less surprising.
Shreya's Garlic Noodles, Shreya's Leaf Joke
Shreya joined the show fresh from Mannat's birthday party, reporting a menu of garlic noodles, chips, nuggets and cake. With fuel like that in the system, she delivered this playful Punjabi joke:
ਪੱਤੀ ਕਹਿੰਦੀ ਪੱਤੇ ਨੂੰ: "ਮੈਂ ਰੋਟੀ ਪਕਾਊਂਗੀ।"
ਪੱਤਾ ਕਹਿੰਦਾ: "ਮੇਰੇ ਕਿਹੜਾ ਤਵੇ ਵਰਗਾ ਪੱਤਾ, ਰੋਟੀ ਪਕਾ!"
A simple back-and-forth about a wife telling her husband she will make roti - and the husband pointing out that a flat, tawa-like leaf is all hers to work with. Short, sharp and very Punjabi.
Arnav's Riddle - The ਦਾਨ That Makes You Both Rich and Poor
Arnav posed a riddle that cuts to the heart of Punjabi family life:
ਉਹ ਕਿਹੜਾ 'ਦਾਨ' ਹੈ, ਜਿਹੜਾ ਬੰਦੇ ਨੂੰ ਅਮੀਰ ਵੀ ਬਣਾਉਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਗਰੀਬ ਵੀ ਬਣਾਉਂਦਾ ਹੈ?
The answer: ਕੰਨਿਆਦਾਨ. The giving of a daughter in marriage - a moment that enriches the soul while lightening the wallet. Ranjodh Singh appreciated the wordplay, and the studio appreciated the honesty.
Tavneet and the Sharp Punjabi ਬੋਲੀ
Tavneet brought the energy of a bhangra floor to the microphone with this sharp, self-aware Punjabi ਬੋਲੀ:
ਬਾਰੀ ਬਰਸੀਂ ਖੱਟਣ ਗਿਆ ਸੀ, ਖੱਟ ਕੇ ਲਿਆਂਦਾ ਨਾਲਾ,
ਤੇਰੀ ਮੇਰੀ ਨਹੀਂ ਨਿਭਣੀ, ਮੈਂ ਗੋਰੀ ਤੂੰ ਕਾਲਾ...
A classic folk-style ਬੋਲੀ delivered with full comic confidence. The crowd-pleasing format of these short rhyming verses is deeply embedded in Punjabi culture, and it is exactly this kind of content that makes Laughter Therapy essential listening for the Punjabi diaspora in Australia.
The Most Special Moment: Sukhandeep Singh Dadwal's Poem About Roots
The emotional highlight of the episode came from Sukhandeep Singh Dadwal, just four years old, who recited a poem that carries a message far older than his years:
ਮੈਂ ਛੋਟਾ ਜਿਹਾ ਬੱਚਾ, ਮੇਰੇ ਕੁਝ ਸਵਾਲ ਨੇ,
ਬਾਰੀ ਮੰਗ ਕੇ, ਪਹਿਲਾ ਸਵਾਲ ਹਜ਼ੂਰ ਕੋਲ ਪਾਵਾਂਗਾ,
ਦੋ-ਚਾਰ ਲਾਈਨਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਵਾਲ ਮੁਕਾਵਾਂਗਾ।
ਪੋਤੇ-ਪੋਤਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕੀ ਸਿਖਾਉਂਦੇ ਹੋ?
ਉਂਗਲੀ ਲਾ ਕੇ ਗੁਰੂ ਘਰ ਲਿਆਉਂਦੇ ਹੋ?
ਦਾਦੀਓ ਤੇ ਤਾਈਓ ਕੋਲੋਂ ਪੁੱਛਣੇ ਸਵਾਲ ਨੇ,
ਪੋਤਿਆਂ ਦੇ ਸਿਰ ਉੱਤੋਂ ਕੱਟਿਓ ਨਾ ਵਾਲ ਨੀ...
A four-year-old asking grandmothers and aunts whether they are truly passing on the culture, guiding children to Gurdwara, and keeping the tradition of keeping hair intact. It was the kind of moment that reminds you why community radio matters - not just for entertainment, but for cultural continuity.
To hear more heartfelt stories and voices from the Australian Punjabi community, explore the Kitaab Kahani audio stories on Radio Haanji.
Why Laughter Therapy Matters for the Punjabi Community in Australia
There are hundreds of podcasts available online. There are exactly zero that sound like this. Laughter Therapy on Radio Haanji 1674 AM is not produced in a studio with a script and a sound engineer. It is live, unpredictable, multilingual and deeply rooted in the actual lives of Punjabi and Indian families in Melbourne and across Australia.
When a child calls in to share a riddle her grandmother taught her, that is not content - that is culture being transmitted in real time over FM radio and podcast. When Pappu lands a Melbourne winter joke, every listener who has stood at a tram stop in July knows exactly what is being described. This is community radio doing what it was always meant to do.
Radio Haanji broadcasts on 1674 AM across Melbourne and streams live at haanji.com.au, making it accessible to the entire Punjabi diaspora in Australia and beyond.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Laughter Therapy on Radio Haanji?
Laughter Therapy is a live comedy and entertainment show on Radio Haanji 1674 AM, hosted by Ranjodh Singh. The show features children and community members calling in to share Punjabi jokes, ਬੁਝਾਰਤਾਂ (riddles), ਬੋਲੀਆਂ, poems and funny stories. It broadcasts live and is available as a podcast at haanji.com.au.
Who is the host of Laughter Therapy on Radio Haanji?
The host of Laughter Therapy is Ranjodh Singh, a Radio Haanji presenter known for his quick wit, warm engagement with callers and his ability to make any joke land even better than the teller intended.
Where can I listen to Laughter Therapy podcast episodes?
All episodes of Laughter Therapy are available at the Radio Haanji Laughter Therapy podcast page. Episodes are free to listen and cover months of community comedy, riddles, songs and conversations.
What is Radio Haanji 1674 AM?
Radio Haanji 1674 AM is Melbourne's dedicated Punjabi and Hindi community radio station. It broadcasts in Punjabi and Hindi, covering news, music, entertainment, cultural programming and community affairs for the Indian diaspora in Australia. It streams live at haanji.com.au.
Is Radio Haanji available as a podcast in Australia?
Yes. Radio Haanji produces multiple podcast shows including Laughter Therapy, Kitaab Kahani (audio stories), The Deep Talk, The Yash and Vishal Show and several others. All episodes are available free at haanji.com.au and through major podcast platforms.
What language is the Laughter Therapy podcast in?
Laughter Therapy is primarily in Punjabi, with some Hindi content. It features traditional Punjabi jokes (ਚੁਟਕਲੇ), riddles (ਬੁਝਾਰਤਾਂ), folk verses (ਬੋਲੀਆਂ) and children's poetry, making it ideal for Punjabi-speaking families across Australia.
What other shows does Radio Haanji produce?
Radio Haanji produces a full range of programming including The Deep Talk (science, space and exploration), Kitaab Kahani (audio stories and literary content), Today Updates, Indian Updates, Health Talk, Nani Ji and The Yash and Vishal Show, among others.
Tune In, Call In, Laugh Out Loud
The 20 May 2026 episode of Laughter Therapy is a near-perfect example of what Radio Haanji does best. Young voices, old wisdom, sharp jokes, folk riddles and one four-year-old who managed to say something that will stay with every listener far longer than any punchline.
If this is your first time discovering the show, start here and then work your way through the full archive. And if you have a joke, a ਬੁਝਾਰਤ or a ਬੋਲੀ that your family has passed down for generations, Radio Haanji wants to hear it.
Listen to all Laughter Therapy episodes at haanji.com.au/podcast/laughter-therapy.
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Radio Haanji 1674 AM is Austalia's Punjabi community radio station.
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