TRIBUTE PAID TO DR BHUPEN HAZARIKA

TRIBUTE PAID TO DR BHUPEN HAZARIKA

Dr Bhupen Hazarika, 85, who passed away owing to multiple organ failure at Mumbai's Kokilaben Hospital on Saturday, 5th, November, 2011, was not only the greatest cultural icon of Assam but also the region's biggest cultural ambassador. "He was not just a singer but a social reformer who brought the Northeast closer to the rest of India," film director and Hazarika's long-time companion Kalpana Lajmi told a news channel. National award-winning director Jahnu Barua said, "We have lost the Dronacharya of music. He was a creator whose quality compositions were easily identifiable and enjoyed by the common people."

A Dada Saheb Phalke winner, Hazarika's music echoed beyond borders. In a poll in Bangladesh five years ago, his song, 'Manush Manusher jonno (Humans are for humanity)' was voted the second most-loved number after the country's national anthem, 'Amar Sonar Bangla'. Singer, songwriter, composer, filmmaker - he was a complete artist. Hazarika composed for Bollywood films too without ever compromising either on his creative integrity or abandoning his roots in traditional Assamese folk. Yet he unfailingly found the popular pulse with tracks such as 'Dil hoom hoom kare' (Rudaali), 'Zara dheere zara dheeme' (Ek Pal) and 'Naino mein darpan hai' (Aarop). "You paint through your songs. But I can't sing with my paintbrush. It's up to you to fill this lacuna in my artistry. That's why I have taken you," master painter MF Husain is said to have told Hazarika after asking him to provide the music for his film, 'Gajagamini'.

Two of Bhupen Hazarika's most widely-heard non-filmy tracks emerged in a variety of versions: 'Moi eti jajabor' (Assamese), 'Aami ek jajabor' (Bangla) and 'Aawara hoon' (written by Gulzar, Hindi) were the same song in different languages. Then there's 'Bistirno parore' - 'Ganga behti ho kyun' in Hindi - which was inspired by Afro-American singer Paul Robeson's classic, 'Ol' Man River'. For decades, the song was like an anthem for pro-Left activists. Another music legend Manna De told a Bengali TV channel from Bengaluru said that he felt good whenever he sang under Hazarika's baton. "I used to tell him that there is a different feeling and sensation when I sang his songs at his direction. His talent spread from Assam all over India. His music enthralled everyone," the 92-year-old De said. Born in Sadiya, a small town in northern Assam, 1926, Hazarika earned his master’s from Benaras Hindu University before receiving his doctorate in mass communication in the USA's Columbia University. But his genius in music had surfaced much earlier: he sang his first song at the age of 10.

He went to Mumbai to work in the Indian People's Theatre Association(IPTA), a Left-wing cultural organization, with Salil Chowdhury, Balraj Sahni and others. "The generous city and its people have welcomed me, accepted me, and given me my second home. I admire its people for its willingness to allow people from the rest of India to earn a living and prosper, irrespective of caste, creed or colour," he once said. Apart from writing and composing over 1,000 songs, he also produced and directed many Assamese films winning the President's national award thrice for 'Shakuntala' (1960), 'Pratidhwani' (1964) and 'Loti Ghoti' (1967). Few know that he also produced, directed and composed music for Arunachal Pradesh's first Hindi film in colour, 'Mera Dharam, Meri Ma'. Hazarika married Priyamvada Patel during his student days in Columbia University. The two were separated after 13 years. They had a son, Tej Bhupen Hazarika, who lives in the  United States.

The mortal remains of legendary singer-composer Bhupen Hazarika were on Monday flown to Assam where his last rites will be conducted on Tuesday,8^th November,2011.“The body was taken by close family members from the hospital at 6.50 a.m. We have been informed that it will reach at 11.30 a.m. in Guwahati by a flight. The funeral will take place tomorrow at one pm on the banks of Brahmaputra for which arrangements have been made by the Assam government,” Dr. Ram Naren, COO, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital, said on Monday.

The 86-year-old music doyen died of multi-organ failure on Saturday at the hospital here, where he was undergoing treatment since June 29, after he complained of breathlessness. Since then he was confined to bed.His health deteriorated on October 23, after he developed pneumonia. The veteran had to undergo a minor surgery whereby doctors placed a food pipe into his system. Hazarika was regarded as one of the greatest living cultural communicators of South Asia. He was also known as a poet, journalist, singer, lyricist, musician, filmmaker and writer.The balladeer who composed his own lyrics and music, last lent his voice to the film “Gandhi To Hitler”, where he sang Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite bhajan ‘Vaishnav jan’.

He was one of India's oldest performing singers who entertained music lovers all over for more than seven decades - his songs are at times like letters from home, had revolutionary promises, sometimes angry, but always had that soothing touch in his baritone voice.From Tokyo to Mumbai and Alaska to Assam, those who heard Hazarika could never ever forget his powerful renditions."When I go to Japan, students of music want me to sing 'Manuhe Manuhar Babe' (For Man). When I reach California people say you are our Paul (Robeson), please sing 'We are in the same boat brothers'," the legendary musician told IANS in an interview in 2006 just before a stage performance in Guwahati.

It was mid-way during that stage performance that Hazarika suffered a mild stroke and later had to undergo a bypass surgery. But the cardiac arrest failed to deter his spirit - Bhupen Da, as he was endearingly addressed by one and all, continued singing until about two years ago when his failing health stopped him from composing new numbers. "I always think I am young," Hazarika again told this writer while celebrating his 84th birthday last year.

                                                                          Prof. John Kurakar