The secular outlook of Bhands is reflected in their dynamic folk form that has incorporated many elements from the classical Sanskrit theatre as well as from other traditional folk forms of India. But over the years many aspects have been lost and others have undergone dramatic changes.
The plays of the Bhands are called pather, a word that seems to have derived from patra, dramatic character. Bhand comes from the bhaana, a satirical and realistic drama, generally a monologue that is mentioned in Bharata's Natya Shastra. The Bhand Patherthough is not a monologue but a social drama incorporating mythological legends and contemporary social satire. Born Hindus, the Bhands converted to Islam and remain very secular in their outlook. An extremely simple, witty and practical people.
The village of Akingam in the Anantnag district of Kashmir, 45 kilometers from Srinagar is the home of a community of Bhands, the traditional performers of the valley. Spread over a number of villages at the foothills of an endless mountain range, these people move from place to place with their extensive repertoire. A short distance up one of the smaller hills in this area sits a famous temple dedicated to the goddess Shiva Bhagvati. Once a year, in honour of this goddess, the Bhands who are Muslims, perform a special ritualistic dance known as the chhok done with great devotion and faith. During this time the temple in enveloped in an atmosphere charged with a sense of timelessness, a cosmic reality. An extremely superstitious people, theBhands perform this particular chhok at this temple and nowhere else. However, other shows are presented elsewhere, at Muslim shrines as well as at Sufi centres.
The Bhands dance to the tune of a specified mukam and the orcehstra includes the swarnai, dhol, nagara and the thalij. The swarnaiis larger in size than the shehnai with a strong and metallic sound that has arresting impact in the open air arena. This instrument attracts audiences from the vicinity. A very special wind instrument, it is made in three parts: the nai or wooden pipe made by special carpenters, the barg, a reed of a particular grass found locally and a copper disc the diameter of the pipe into which the barg is fitted. Before the swarnai player adopts his newly made instrument a ritual offering is made in dargah. The composition played is called a mukam and each Bhand Pather has its own. The music follows a set pattern, the salaam, thurau, dubitch, nau pattiand the salgah. There is a highly developed system of music based on the classical mould of the sufiyana kalaam with intricate and codified patterns.
The two properties that are a must for every pather are a whip and a short bamboo stick. The koodar, or long whip is crafted from the dry stem of the bhang plant and looks like a thick rope which is forked at its tip. When used it emanates a sound similar to a gunshot. During the performance a character can be whipped a hundred times without being hurt because this property does not have the impact associated with a whip, it just looks deadly. It is used to transform all the elements that represent oppression into strong dramatic images. In sharp contrast the bans are used by the jester or maskhara. These are split bamboo sticks that make a sharp sound. In his pantomime, the maskhara uses the bans emerges as the total opposite of the oppressors whip.
The Maskharas are one of the most important characters in the Bhand Pather. They lampoon the king and the upper classes by exposing their corruption. The jester is the constant factor in the performance, the link of the various episodes. The elements of homour, be it hazal (mockery), mazaak (jokes), tasan (sarcasm) or even finding fault with the other characters is the forte of themaskhara. They do very accurate caricatures of society using a great deal of pantomime. Finally, the maskhara emerges as the rebel, the character who does not cow down to the oppressor. The message that comes across through the performance the message of the political and social scene, makes the Bhand Pather a very relevant and contemporary traditional folk form - a political and social review.
Performances take place in the open air and there are no clearly defined acting areas. The actors can move about climb the roof of a house or even a tree if they so choose. In the Watal Pather a satirical play about the profession of sweepers who in Kashmir are not considered untouchables, a wedding procession that is part of the action comes through the village drawing crowds along with it and ends up at the point where another episode of the performance has already begun. This simultaneous action is an interesting aspect and is done in other patheras well. Another example is a king may be seen holding court at one point and farmers are ploughing the field at another. These instant juxtapositions give another very subtle and sensitive dimension to this form.
The predominant language used is Kashmiri but there is also a use of Gujjari, Punjabi, Dogri, Persain and sometimes even English, Non- Kashmiri words are used to accentuate the humourous and absurd situations to create dramatic effects and totally incongrous expressions.
The Bhands in their day to day living reflect their firm belief, in the faith of a unique fusion of Kashmiri Shaivism and Sufi traditions of the valley. Now days this form of art loosing its sheen because the Bhand Pather unfortunately does not sustain them economically and they have been driven to other professions primarily weaving the basket work of the kangris, wolloen blankets and carpets.
Source : http://www.koausa.org
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