Bhand Pather

Understand

Where Bhand Pather comes from

Bhand Pather (literally 'the performance of the Bhand') is the folk dance-drama of the Bhand community of the Kashmir Valley (and the adjoining parts of Himachal Pradesh, the Punjab and western UP), performed by Muslim Bhand actors in the courtyard of the host or at the open ground of the village. The Bhand are a community of traditional folk-entertainers whose performance tradition has been preserved in Kashmir for centuries. The Pather (the dramatic form) draws on the stories of the Sufi reshis of Kashmir (the Muslim saints of the valley) and the historical or contemporary figures, with the satirical and farcical elements being central to the performance. The form is recognised as one of the most distinctive regional traditions of the Kashmir Valley and is regularly performed at the cultural programmes of the state.

How it's practiced

Bhand Pather is performed by troupes of men (the Bhand actors) in the courtyard of the host's home or at the open ground of the village. The actors take the principal roles of the Sufi reshis and the contemporary characters, with the performance alternating between the dramatic dialogue and the dance sequences. The dance is energetic, with the small lunges of the Bhand tradition and the regional music of the sarangi, the rabab and the dholak. Costume is the everyday Kashmiri dress — the pheran and the waist-belt, with the small regional cap. Performances are at the courtyard of the host and at the cultural programmes of the state.