| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 33,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| • India • Pakistan • Nepal • Bangladesh | |
| Languages | |
| •Urdu •Hindi •Kashmiri •Punjabi •Bengali •Nepali | |
| Religion | |
| Hindu,Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Naqqal |
Bhānds (Devanagari: भांड;Urdu: بھانڈ,Gurmukhi: ਭੰਡ,Bengali: ভাঁড়) are the traditional folk entertainers of India, Pakistan,[1]Bangladesh, andNepal. In India and Nepal, the Bahand are now anendogamous Hindu and Muslim community, which is no longer involved in their traditional occupation of folk entertainment.[2] They include actors, dancers, minstrels, storytellers and impressionists.[3]
Payment for performances is usually voluntary: often, one performer goes around the audience collecting money on a "pay-what-you-can" basis while the others continue to perform.[3]
Bahand Pather is abahand of theKashmir region in which stories commemorating the lives ofreshis (Sufi sages, both Hindus and Muslims) or more contemporary real or fictional figures are enacted. The storylines (orpathers) are often humorous and satirical, andfarce is an essential component of the plays.[4]
Naqal (mimicry) is a strongbahand tradition in the Punjab region.[3] Thenaqalchi (mimic, sometimes called thebahrupiya) adopts the persona of a well-known person or character and improvises, using satire and farce extensively, to entertain the audience.[3]
... The most popular of the medieval folk entertainers who still linger on the Indian scene are the Bhands. InSanskrit Bhand means jester ... Bhands were patronised by the people and royalty alike ... small skits with extempore jokes, humour laced with social criticism ...
... one actor goes around collecting money (pay-what-you-can) from the audience ... In the swang tradition is the naqal of Punjab: farcical in nature, it relies heavily on improvisation by the naqalchi ... The bhands are itinerant clowns. It is a centuries-old tradition in the villages, and very popular at marriages. It may be a solo performance, or a troupe may have two or three people. Dressed in rustic clothes ...
... At the heart of the form, though, is the broad, farcical playing of the maskharas, or clowns ...