Traditional Bhand Paethar of Kashmir has no patrons

Wathoora is about 17 km south of  Srinagar and it is famous for Kashmiri Bhands (traditional performers). While Bhands are found in several other districts of Kashmir, Wathoora Bhands have a distinction. Not long ago, they were well known for their artistic embellishments as they had preserved their age-old folk theatre and Sufiyana music with great zeal.

Bhand Paethar – the folk theatre of Kashmir-- owes its origin to a well-established and well-organised tradition of drama that existed in Kashmir from early 10th century AD. There is a mention of Bhand Paethar in Nilmat Purana, the oldest historical chronicle.

Singing and dancing by Bhands have contributed a lot to the traditional Kashmiri music. In Kashmir, Bhands have remai­ned very popular.

The word Bhand comes from “bhaana” a satirical and  realistic drama. The Bhand Paethar is not a monologue but a social drama, incorporating mythological legends and contemporary social satire.

The plays of Bhands are called Paethar, a word derived from patra which means dramatic character. It is believed Bhands converted to Islam from Hinduism and they remain very secular in their outlook.

Bhand Paethar is held in open air with no clearly defined acting areas.

With the advent of technology and electronic media, the Bhand Paethar in Kashmir has almost lost its charm it once enjoyed. But still a few Bhand families in Wathoor have kept the tradition alive.   

Like all other folk forms of India, Bhand Paethar was deep rooted in the rural parts of the Valley where traditional Bhand families kept it alive despite the onslaught of various invaders and rulers. Slowly, the tradition is dying and its future looks bleak. Over the years, many aspects of Bhands have been lost and others have undergone dramatic changes.

When foreigners started invading Kashmir from 10th century onwards, the whole social fibre was disturbed and the Kashmiri became a slave in his own land where he had to face and live with alien cultures, religious and socio-political systems. The Bhands highlighted the atrocities being committed on Kashmiris by the invaders through absurd or humorous plays called Bhand Paethar.

Vulgar words

Ghulam Mohi-u-Din Aajiz, President of National Bhand Theatre (NBT), Wathoora, says. “Bhand Paethar was distorted by different invad­ers and rulers of Kashmir for political reasons. To gain popularity among the people of Kashmir, Sikh rulers used BhandPaethar as a potent weapon. They highlighted atrocities of Pathans through Bhand Paethar and to do so they introduced vulgar language, lecherous behaviourism, atrocious and untidy actions into it,” he said.

Bhand Peathar, which not long ago was very common mode of entertainment in Kashmir particularly in rural areas, has started making way for new forms of entertainment. The situation is getting worse with the lacklustre approach of the state government.
“Today folk theatre of Kashmir is dying and now there is no folk theatre worth its name present in the Valley. We’ve failed to revitalise this tradition during the past 50 years,” Aajiz said.

“In other states, folk theatre is becoming more vibrant and making a strong impact on the theatrical movement and cultural life of the country, but in Kashmir the Bhand-e-Peathar is dying. If we want to save the tradition, we’ve to go back to our traditional theatre. Although it is a difficult task right now, it isn’t impossible,” an optimistic Aajiz added.

The NBT President says that folk theatre in Kashmir has almost disintegrated and lost its vigour and dramatic impact. “The Bhands are no more professional actors, dancers, singers or writers as they used to be in earlier days. Now, small groups of Bhands possessing a few worn-out costumes gather once or twice a year to celebrate a jashin.” He feels that the present condition of Bhand is pitiable and it is nothing better than tramps and illiterates.

“Our theatre is surviving because 12 of its employees, including me, who are being paid stipend, though meagre, by the Union Ministry of Tourism and Culture. The day stipend stops, our theatre too will close down,” he added.

Bhand Manzoor-ul-Haq, son of famous theatre personality and comedian the late Ghulam Ali Majboor, has taken the legacy of his forefathers and is optimistic to do well. “I took over the legacy of my forefathers despite knowing the hardships. But I am confident that with a bit of assistance from the government, the tradition of Bhand Paethar in Kashmir can be revitalised,” the young man said.

Asked how difficult it was to choose this profession, Manzoor said, “at times my friends ridicule me. They say I’m crazy that I’ve chosen this profession, but I never bothered and took to the profession of my ancestors.”

Manzoor blames the government for the decline of Bhand Paethar in Kashmir. “The government spends lakhs of rupees to invite outside artistes to the Valley, but it isn’t ready to spend money for the promotion of local art. See the situation at Music and Fine Art Coll­ege where students are being taught Indian classic music instead of Kashmiri  Sufiyana music. This is ridiculous,” Manzoor lamented.

Not only the Bhands used to entertain people, but spiritual part also exists in Bhand Paethar. During natural calamities like drought and incessant rains, Bhands used to go to shrines of saints to pray for mercy. The Bhands of Wathoora used to go to the shrine of Hazrat Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noraani (RA) at Chrar-i-Sharief and shrine of Hazrat Sultan-ul-Arifeen (RA) (Makdoom Sahib) where they would plead for mercy from Allah.

After Bhand Paethar, a Bhand Doei-Khar (prayer) was carried out by the magun (head Bhand) at the shrine where all the Bhands used to plead for mercy. During droughts, Bhands used to carry water in a mud pot to sufi saint Makhdoom Sahib’s shrine in Srinagar and empty that in a pond. It is believed that immediately after this rains used to lash the Valley.

The practice is still alive and only last year, Bhands of Wathoora were taken to Chrar-i-Sharief to perform Bhand Paethar when it did not rain for a long time in the Valley.