What Makes Bhupen Hazarika’s Music Eternal?

The morning breeze in Guwahati's Jalukbari was resonating with the subdued hum of remembrance. Lamps were lit before Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika's portrait, flowers were placed with measured respect, and a hundred hearts seemed to beat as one, paying tribute to a man whose music had long since broken the bounds of Assam to touch the globe. Today is the centenary birth anniversary of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika — the Sudhakantha — a poet, singer, and storyteller whose voice held the soul of his people.

Hazarika was more than just a musician to those who had only encountered him through his music.  He told tales about the joys of festive celebrations, the hope and suffering of the average person, and the simple pride in one's country. Everyone could hear the voice of his songs, which sang not only of Assam but of all of humanity.  From the banks of the Brahmaputra to concert halls in Europe and America, his music transcended continents, languages, and ages.

Dr. Hazarika was much more than an artist, according to his most ardent supporters. A transcendent voice that chronicled life with all its hopes and dreams, in its myriad hues: the desperate mass, the understated pride, the muted celebrations, and the parent land, eulogized the passion. His sweet melodies stood as epic tales to the entire world and Assam, in a dialect easily comprehensible to all. He effortlessly blended the realms of art and nature, for his voice took flight across Brahmaputra, bridging distant dreams to the distant shores of Europe and America, where the waters of time and language had followed.

The centenary started with a modest yet moving tribute this morning at Dr. Hazarika’s Samadhi Kshetra in Jalukbari. Locally, the place was rededicated as Samannay Kshetra, or ‘Field of Harmony.’ Here, the Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma paid their tributes. Integrating the memory of Hazarika, the Chief Minister urged the people to devote the evening of the upcoming Bohag Bihu in the celebration, adding the maestro’s name to Assam’s multipurpose cultural calendar.

From Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered Dr. Hazarika when he was awarded the Bharat Ratna in the year 2019. In his message, he noted the singer’s wonderful Assam roots and worldwide reach, as well as his profound compassion. “The voice of the people, in their struggles and in their joys, Hazarika’s songs have. That is the strength of art," said the Prime Minister.

At Guwahati BJP State Office, things were affectionate and contemplative. Son of the singer Tej Hazarika appreciated the invitees and the state government for paying tribute to his father. His nephew, Dawar Hazarika, sang two of Bhupen Hazarika's timeless songs, and a silence fell on the room as voices swelled, quietly chorusing. Pawan Bordoloi, the maestro's longtime tabla accompanist, remembered touring the globe with him, and how Hazarika never lost touch with his roots. "Even in Europe's most imposing concert halls, he had Assam in his heart," Bordoloi said.

Cultural Affairs Minister Bimal Borah pointed out the magnitude of the centenary, stating that the programs will go beyond Assam to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and foreign cities. Tej Hazarika reported that more than 40 of his father's songs have been rendered into English language, and that an academic paper on Mass Communication and Information Dissemination of Columbia University would soon be brought out, adding one more dimension to the bard's legacy.

The official centenary celebrations will commence on September 13 at Veterinary College Grounds, Khanapara, with the Prime Minister present. To commemorate the occasion, a Reserve Bank of India ₹100 coin will be released — a modest gesture for a life that touched millions.

Also Read: How is Assam Celebrating Centenary of The 'Bard of Brahmaputra'?