A TRIBUTE TO DR. BHUPEN HAZARIKA *
We
are very glad that FASS have been able to display a portrait of Dr. Bhupen
Hazarika at this prestigious Nehru Center, the cultural wing of the Indian High
Commission in London. We thank the authorities for permitting us to do this
which will be appreciated by millions of his fans. We also express our
gratitude to Dr.Jaimini Bhagawati, High Commissioner of India for unveiling the
portrait. We also thank Dr. Sayeedur Rahman Khan, High Commissioner of
Bangladesh for being the Guest of Honor for the event. A personal thank
to Jayanta Barman, FASS (INDIA) VP in Guwahati for initiating the idea. My
special thanks go to Rini Kakoty, FASS Intl Director and NRA Coordinator in
London for doing the hard work of following up on the idea almost single
handedly and making it happen for all of us in Assam and especially for his
Assamese, Bengali and other Indian fans all over the world.
Dr.
Bhupen Hazarika (1926–2011) is generally remembered by the general public as
the legendary singer, composer and film director from the northeastern state of
Assam. In fact, he was a lyricist, musician, singer, poet, writer,
activist, peace-maker, film-maker and much more. As a singer, his musical
field included, besides Assam and the Northeast, West Bengal and Bangladesh
also. His songs, marked by humanity and universal brotherhood, gave voices to
many regional and ethnic aspirations of the common people of the region that
won him the hearts of the millions of Assamese and Bengali fans all over. Later
he also composed songs and directed music in Hindi films which brought him to
the lime light of mainstream India.
For
the Assamese people, however, he represented something more and something
bigger. For us, he was our unofficial cultural and musical ambassador to
the world. For almost half a century or more, through his music, he had
popularized the Assamese and in fact the North East Indian musical melodies to
India, Bangladesh and beyond; and in the process he also carried with him the
Assamese cultural and musical identity and the very psyche and aspiration of
the Assamese people. In the North East India, he also did something more; in
this volatile multi ethnic region torn by separatist and insurgency movements,
he had contributed greatly to maintain peace and unity in the community. Like
the great Assamese Vaishnavite saint, Sri Xongkordev, who united the Assamese
community in the 16th century through a common universal religious
theme based on universal love, Dr.Bhupen Hazarika, through his golden voice and
his humanity and universal appeal contributed greatly to keep the multi ethnic
Assamese community united through a common musical theme in our time.
While
he was an Assamese by heart, he possessed a pure universal heart eager to do
something good for the humanity at large. Many of us had the opportunity
of meeting him personally many times. In 1991, Bhupenda visited us
in Houston, Texas when we the Houston Assamese community organized a Bhupen Hazarika Night in collaboration
with Bangladesh Association of
Houston. I remember, besides music, we discussed many things; how to do
something good for the Assamese literature through Asam Sahitya Sabha, how to bring the rich North East Indian folk
music to the world platform, how to do something good for the environment
for the North East and many more. In all these, we could always see his pure,
unbiased and universal heart full of compassion for all.
By
any world standard, Dr.Bhupen Hazarika was a great man. Shakespeare
said that there are three kinds of great man in this world, “Some are born great, some have greatness
thrust upon them and Some achieve greatness on their own”. Dr.Bhupen
Hazarika was a great man of the third kind who had achieved or rather earned
his greatness on his own hard work. Many a times, the greatness of a great man
is revealed or realized only after his or her death. I think, in case of
Dr.Bupen Hazarika, we all are just starting to realize this, and it may take
generations of Assamese to realize that such a great legend as Dr.Bhupen
Hazarika with such a golden voice, an universal heart and global mass appeal
really was one of us and lived among us in flesh and blood.
In
conclusion, I appeal to all his fans over the world to realize this and try to
keep his memory alive by various creative. ways. Best Wishes to all.
*
Written speech on the occasion. On Tuesday evening 26,
June, 2012 - Dr. Jaimini Bhagwati, High Commissioner of India, unveiled the
picture of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika at Nehru Centre, the heritage cultural building,
Govt. of India at London. The dignitaries present were Dr. M. Sayeedur Rahman
Khan, High Commissioner of Bangladesh, his wife - Ms. Quamrun Rahman Khan and
Lord Swraj Paul, prominent industrialist. This event has been organized by Rini
Kakati, Director, FASS, NRI Co-ordinator for UK.
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