The artist community of Kashmir Saturday united for special performances to remember a talented folk artist Ghulam Ali Majboor and give ‘Khilat-e-Majboor’ awards named after him.

The event was organised by family, friends and artists of National Bhand Theater (NBT) Wathor to pay tribute to Majboor, who was popularly known as ‘Maagun’ (Multi-talented) of Kashmir’s Bhand Theater’.

Majboor was poet, writer, actor, director and folklorist and the founder of National Bhand Theater, well-known association of Bhand performers in Wathor village of central district Budgam.

The event, which starts at 2pm on Saturday, showcases a documentary on the life and times of late Majboor and special performance by musicians and actors of NBT.

On the occasion folk artists presented a satirical play ‘Kahan Gaav Yaad Thav’ written by Ghulam Ali Majboor. The play was directed by his student Shahjahan Bhagat.

The play depicts conflict and confusion in the Kashmiri society due to division among social and culture groups.

On the conclusion NBT also gave away Khilat-e-Majboor and Karam Buland awards to professionals for the promotion of art, culture and theater.

The Karam Buland award was given to artists associated with the Bhand Theater including Muhammad Maqbool Bhat, Abdul Hamid Bhagat, Manzoor-ul-Haq, Fayaz Ahmad Bhagat and Muhammad Ismail Bhat.

‘Khilat-e-Majboor’, which was constituted this year was conferred on well-known artists, culture activists and officials including a known theaterist Mushtaque Ali Ahmad, Academician and writer Dr Farooq Fayaz, Ex Additional Secretary Mehraj ud Din, former Director Doordarshan Dr Rafiq Masoodi, Editor Urdu Cultural Academy Ashraf Tak, Broadcaster and Playwright Nisar Naseem, Theater director Arshad Mushtaq, theater artist Ayash Arif, comedian Talha Jahangir, Dr Shabnum Rafiq, Gulzar Ahmad Ganai, Director Radio Kashmir Syed Humayun Qaiser, RTI activist turned politician Raja Muzaffar and writer Gulshan Badrani, Aijaz Ahmad Kakroo, Senior Superintendent of Police, Budgam, Fayaz Ahmad Lone.