‘Baand Pather’: Kashmir’s oldest folk theater nears its final act

Less than 10 miles from Srinagar, the village of Wathoora sits beneath snow-clad mountains in the Budgam district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

Inside a modest home, 38-year-old Manzoor-ul-Haq pours steaming cups of traditional Kashmiri "nun chai"-pink salted tea-as he waits for his students to arrive.

Haq is a seventh-generation Baand artist, part of a lineage that has safeguarded Baand Pather, Kashmir's oldest surviving folk theater tradition. Practiced for more than two centuries, the art form blends satire, music, dance and sharp social commentary to challenge power structures and expose everyday injustices.

"This art is devotion," Haq told Anadolu, describing Baand Pather as a sacred inheritance passed down through generations of his family.

Despite social stigma and financial uncertainty, he chose the stage over stable employment. "I left many jobs just to be a Baand," he said, expressing pride in his identity despite the pressures it entails.

For centuries, Baand Pather was performed in open village spaces, where performers used humor and satire to articulate grievances at a time when no formal media platforms existed.

Through laughter and layered symbolism, Baand artists addressed corruption, inequality and political oppression while speaking truth to authority.

But the art form that was once deeply embedded in Kashmiri cultural life is now nearing extinction due to decades of political turmoil, shrinking patronage, urbanization and the dominance of modern entertainment.

"Baand was the messenger of voiceless people," Haq said, noting that performers once occupied a central role in Kashmir's social and political life but are now largely confined to staged performances.

"There were 72 villages in Kashmir where Baand artists lived and thrived. Today, only a few remain," he said.

- WHAT IS BAAND PATHER?

The word Baand translates to jester or clown, while Pather refers to a dramatic performance. Traditionally, a Baand Pather troupe includes five to 12 performers, each portraying specific roles.

Baand Pather can be described as loosely scripted open-air theater that begins with the loud beating of the dhol, or drum, to gather spectators and concludes with "duai khair"-a prayer for the well-being of people.

"Baand Pather was the traditional media of Kashmir for centuries," said Abdul Ahad, an author and former cultural secretary of the region.

Baand artists historically held authority and respect, being invited to all major social and community gatherings, he explained.

"Across regimes-from Buddhist and Mughal rulers to Hindu kings-Baand Pather survived, despite openly criticizing the ruling class," he said.

Baand Pather performances were transmitted orally from elders to younger generations, with no formal scripts or institutional training.

Many historic versions addressed political oppression and social concerns. Dard Pather criticized dictatorship and injustice under foreign rulers, while Shikargarh Pather focused on environmental protection and wildlife conservation. Other performances confronted social evils, moral decay and communal tensions.

Baand performers are multiskilled artists-actors, singers, dancers and acrobats-known for expressive body language, animated eye movements and direct audience engagement.

Their costumes and masks are vibrant, while props remain minimal, often limited to a stick or large cloth. Music is central, with instruments such as the dhol, "swarnai"-a wind instrument, and "nagara," or percussion, accompanying performances.

The musical compositions, rooted in Sufi traditions, are known as "mukam," with each Pather featuring its own distinct structure. While Kashmiri is the primary language, Persian, Punjabi, Urdu, Pahari and Dogri are also incorporated.

Riddles, poetry and metaphors are common elements. The troupe leader, known as the "magun," must master multiple skills, while the "maskhara," or clown, serves as the most prominent figure, using satire and ridicule to deliver hard truths.

- CULTURAL ERASURE AND STIGMA

Despite its historical significance, Baand Pather faces cultural erasure, according to Rayees Ahmad Bhat, an artist-in-residence at Anant National University in the Indian city of Ahmedabad.

"Baand Pather is a historical folk theater of the region, but today it is suffering from stigma, identity crisis, and lack of institutional effort," Bhat told Anadolu.

He said Baand artists, once respected figures, are now ridiculed.

"Many Baands hesitate to identify themselves as Baands because they feel socially and economically marginalized," he added.

Following India's independence in 1947, institutions were established to promote and preserve Baand Pather and elevate it alongside other traditional media forms.

"But Baand Pather has lost the connection with the masses that it once enjoyed," Bhat said.

For Haq, preserving the tradition is both a personal mission and a cultural responsibility. As his students arrive, he prepares to pass on rhythms, gestures and stories that have survived centuries of upheaval.

Whether Baand Pather endures may depend on artists like him-and on whether society rediscovers the value of a theater that once gave voice to its deepest truths.