Bhand Pather: Burgam Artist Rayees Wathoori on Mission to Revive Kashmiri Art Form

Rayees Wathoori, a young Kashmiri artist, is on a mission to breathe new life into the dying art form of ‘Bhand Pather’ which is a traditional folk theatre of Kashmir. Wathoori seeks to reconnect the youth of today with the traditional art form and make it relevant in the modern world.

Bhand Pather is facing a difficult time as the lack of employment opportunities is hindering youth from connecting with traditional culture, said Wathoori. The artist who hails from the Wathoora area of Budgam district in central Kashmir said he is on a mission to revive it.

“Yes, I am on a mission to revive it. I am trying to present it in a different way and deliver messages on many social issues through it. I am attempting to attract the youth,” he said.

Wathoori further explained that one of the reasons why people’s inclination towards Bhand Pather has decreased over time is due to the lack of a script. He stated that due to the scarcity of scriptwriters, the art form has become less popular and has reached difficult times. Furthermore, he blamed the government for not paying any attention to it, which has ultimately led to this culture of Kashmir being in a difficult period.

“Administrations in other countries and states are paying attention to their culture. However, in Kashmir, this attention is lacking. As an artist, I have been fortunate enough to receive some events for performance, and if this number increases, it could potentially open up more job opportunities for me,” Wathoori added while cleaning the dust from his awards.

“How can anyone join this field if there is no opportunity?” he asked.

Wathoori said that while the government claims to be working to restore the culture here, nothing is actually happening on the ground. He stated that if the government implemented the same policies in the cultural sector as those in other sectors, Bhand Pather could be revived and people would join it.

“Government policies should be created to provide relief to artists associated with culture. If they can wish it, the government can achieve it quickly,” he said.

Rayees Wathoori is just one of many youth connected to the culture of Bhand Pather, yet there is no effective policy in place to ensure their employment or to keep them tied to it. Without intervention, these individuals risk unemployment and will drift away from their heritage.

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