Major revival initiative of Bhand Pather
Excelsio
r Correspondent
Srinagar, July 6: A meeting of the prominent Bhand Pather groups of Kashmir was held here today which was chaired by Natrang Director and the former Secretary of the J&K Cultural Academy, Balwant Thakur.
Natrang took a major initiative last year to revive the age-old theatre tradition of Kashmir and conducted a residential workshop under the directorship of veteran theatre personality Moti lal Kemmu who was supported by eminent theatre personalities like Amin Bhatt, Nissar Naseem, Bhawani Bashir, Mushtaq Ali, Sajood Salini, Dr. Farooq Fayaz, Ravi Kemmu, Anil Tickoo and Balwant Thakur himself through lectures and demonstrations and created a new generation of playwrights and directors of Bhand Pathter.
Followed by this workshop Natrang produced twenty new plays in Bhand Pather style. This was perhaps the biggest ever initiative to revive the cultural traditions of Kashmir which Natrang accomplished in collaboration with Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi.
This year again the Kashmir unit of Natrang will produce twenty new plays in Bhand Pather style with new themes and approaches which will be staged across the valley for the general masses for their larger social and educational awareness.
Today’s interaction and the meeting was coordinated by Manzoor-ul-haq and Shah-e-jahan Ahmed who both are National Awardees and have been conferred Sangeet Natak Akademi’s Bismilla Khan Award for their outstanding contribution in traditional performing arts. In the meeting various possibilities of new themes, styles, production processes were discussed which the groups will incorporate in the forthcoming productions.
The groups which participated the meeting included National Bhand Theatre, Kashmir Bhagat Theatre, Dilkash Folk Theatre, Baba Rishi Folk Theatre, Luk Pather Centre, Sultaan Bhagat Theatre , Gulistaan Bhagat Theatre , Gulmarg Luk Theatre, Manishah Folk Theatre, Sultaan Bhagat Theatre, Gulistaan Bhagat Theatre, Kashmir Bhand Theatre, Manasbal Folk Theatre , Alamdaar Bhagat Theatre, Bomai Bhand Theatre, Wullar Theatre , Bomai Luk Theatre, Arnimaal Folk Theatre , Kaatreshi Folk Theatre and Sheeshmahal Folk Theatre.
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