JAVEED GILANI
The drama has been played out in Kashmir for a long time. Before television and Radio, this art was performed on stage, before that in the palaces of Kings, and before that in places of worships. Drama is essentially the art of acting out of a role in front of an audience. It is said that centuries ago drama was performed in temples. But it had a lot of dancing influence. After that, it slowly left there and reached the palaces of kings. Many Kings were lovers of this art and used to organize such gatherings in the grand halls of their palaces. And then drama reached to the courtyards and fields of the people.
The famous historian Kalhan has written in Raj Tarangni that a King named Harish ruled Kashmir, whose reign ended in 1101. During his reign, drama and dance were at the peak in Kashmir. Some dancing girls who were skilled in dancing and very famous also acted in plays on stage. During this period artists were highly respected and were given prizes including Hangul horns, Hangul skin and cow along with her calf. There is an old tradition of performing plays in Kashmir. The greatest proof of this is the saying of Nunde Resh, Sheikh Noor u din (May Allah mercy on him) in which he says: “PATHER BUNE BUNE TE AKUYE MAGUN”. It is an established fact that Drama has been going on in Kashmir for centuries and has gradually reached today’s revolutionary era.
Haba kadal and the theatre activities are words that cannot be separated. Haba kadal is located on the banks of river Jhelum, one kilometer from Lal chowk, Srinagar. Some people say that the Haba Kadal Bridge is named after the poetess Haba Khatoon, some says that since the Haba Kadal Bridge was built by sultan Habib Shah of the Shamiri dynasty, it is named after him. Haba kadal is not a small area but the name of an area which has many neighborhoods including Ganpatyaar, Purishyaar, Badyaar, Badyaari balla, Drabiyaar, Agehammam, Kralekhude, Zaindar mohalla, Qarfali mohalla, Nayisadahk, Chute bazar, Kani kadal, etc. Rather all the areas on both sides of the river Jhelum are called Haba kadal. It is an established fact that from 1930 to 1955, people from this area of Srinagar city, especially those belonging to the Pandit community, were often associated with theatre. During this period, there were many theatre groups in the Srinagar city. Among them, The Sarasvati Theater Company, The Maharaja Theatre Company and The National Theatre Company are worth to mentioning. Since in those days there was no specific place designated for drama in Srinagar, nor was there any hall where a drama could be performed, during that time the drama groups used the open fields, for rehearsal and perform on a temporary stage. One of these places was Kralkhud area, where there was an open space where a temporary stage was build and dramas were performed. The second place was near Haba kadal, where there was a huge area near Gawkadal up until today’s BSNL
Office, plays were also performed there. There was an open space were the National Hospital, (todays Shaikhul Alam Hospital) was situated, plays also were performed there. And the courtyards of Ragnath Temple Haba kadal, and Shivala Mandir chotabazar were also used for rehearsals and performance.That is, there has been theatrical activity in Haba kadal and its surrounding areas since ancient times. The drama of that time was influenced by Parsi drama, which is why actors of that time knew singing as well as acting. Here are some of the names of Actors and theatre figures who became famous in the latter part of the era: Sudahamaji Koule, Jagan Nath Saqi, Hassan Shah, Vedlal Koule, Mohammad Shaban, Sarwanand Khushoo, Nandlal Koule, Gopikishan Madan, S.N.Nanda, Mohammad Hassan, Babookishan Dass, Capt. Ram Krishan, Thakur Dass, Mohammad Hussain, Gori Kanth, etc. In those days, women did not act in dramas, but men would dress up as women and play the roles.
Meanwhile in 1952, the Siddahar Samithi Natak Vibhagh was established at Shivala Mandihr and was run by Trilok Dass, who was working tirelessly. Film and theatre star from Bombay (todays Mumbay) Prithvi Raj Kapoor came here from Bombay and inaugurated it at Shivala Mandhir, Chota bazar.
Then came the era when the Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Language came into existence and along with it, a modern theatre building was built in the city of Srinagar, in the frame work of the Rabindher Nath Tagore centenary celebrations, which was named Tagore Hall. During this period many dramatic clubs came into existence in the Kashmir valley and thousands of young people joined the theatre movement. It would be not wrong to call this period the “golden period for theatre”. But in the city of Srinagar, Haba kadal remained the center of theatre activities.
The drama groups that were far from Haba kadal also tried to find rooms for their offices in or near Haba kadal. Some theatre groups managed to get their offices in different rooms in the same house near Haba kadal, and thus the house became known as the theatre building. I remember that there were only three or four theatre groups that did not operate from Haba kadal, One was called Shaheen theatre in Khanyar Srinagar which was started by Jalal Gilani, Syed Yaqoob Dilkash, the other group was Shah Dramatic Club in Zaldager, which was run by Ali Mohammad Sager, Nazir be Nazir, Mubarak Gul, and third group was Youth Cultural Organization, near Neelam cinema run by G M Bhat and friends. And Yawan Raye theatre group was in Zaina Kadal. The theatre groups which were in and around Haba kadal are as follows: Sangam theatre, Kamal theatre, Wasant theatre, Nowrang, Kala Kendra, Young Dramatist society (presently Mushtaq Baqal president and Altaf Hussain General secretary), Sanger Mall theatre, Kashmir Valley theatre, Rang much club, Kashmir cultural Society, Kalidass theatre, Kashmir theatre, Himalaya theatre, Kameshver Kender, ATC, Inder Kala theatre, J and K Culture Society, etc. The theatre movement reached its peak due to theatrical activity in one place because Actors, Directors and play writers worked together and a good kind of competition started. Another important thing is that many of these people who were associated with theatre were residents of the same area. Perhaps that is why theatre activities were at peak in this area. Here are the names of some of the important people associated with theatre, who lived in Haba kadal and adjacent areas: Master Zinda Koul, Tralok Dass, Deena Nath Nadim, Pran Kishore, Bansi Nirdoush, Mohan Lal Eima, Hari Krishan Koul, Makhan Lal Saraf, Chaman Hakhoo, Muhan Nirash, Hardy Koul Bharti, M K Raina, K K Raina, Payare Lal Handoo, Some Nath Sadhoo, Krishan Jee Langoo, Kashi Nath Bhan, Asha Zaroo, Bharti Zaroo, Shadi Lal Koul, Dr. Ayash Arif, Ashok Zalpoori, Ashok Zafrani, Kamal Razdhan, Bihari Kak, Ravi Kemoo, Mohammad Aslam Bhat, H. N.
Gratoo, Capt. S. K. Tikoo, Ghulam Rasool Santosh, Dr. Farooq Fayaz, Umkar Eima, Warkoo Brothers, And many more.
These activities continued in the Haba kadal area until the end of 1989, after that there was a lull. Famous theatre actor and director Mr. Mushtaq Baqal told me, “It was evening, and the call for evening prayers was echoing from the masjid. I was at home, and the situation was tense. Suddenly, someone knocked on my main door. I looked through the window and saw the owner of the building where our theatre office was located, knocking at the door. I opened it, and as soon as he saw me, he folded his hands and requested me to remove the theatre’s signboard from the building, which read, ‘Registered from the song and drama division, government of India.’ He warned that otherwise, a serious accident might happen to his building. I went to the home of my friend and fellow theatre member, Prof. Muzafer, and together we went to the theatre office in the darkness. We took down the signboard and managed to return home safely that night”. Thus, the curtain fell on the once – bright connection between Habba Kadal and Theatre, leaving a quiet stage in its wake. Who knows – perhaps one day that connection will revive, just as theatre activities returned in 1999, ushering in a new era.
The author can be reached at Javeedgilani84@gmail.com
