Remembering Bhupen Hazarika: Assam celebrates his legacy on 97th birth anniversary

Today is the 97th birth anniversary of Assam’s legendary bard Dr Bhupen Hazarika. Today the people of Assam are remembering Bhupen Da’s musical legacy and celebrating it through his immortal songs.

Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma also paid his rich tributes to the legendary singer.

Taking to Twitter CM Sarma wrote, ” ‘ভাৰত ৰত্ন’ৰে বিভূষিত সুধাকণ্ঠ ড° ভূপেন হাজৰিকাদেৱে জনতাৰ জয়গানেৰে আমাৰ সমাজক একতাৰ ডোলেৰে বান্ধি থৈ গৈছে। সংগীত, সাহিত্য, কলা-সংস্কৃতি, চলচ্চিত্ৰ আৰু ৰাজনীতিকে ধৰি বিভিন্ন ক্ষেত্ৰত থকা বহুমুখী প্ৰতিভাই তেখেতক দেশবাসীৰ বাবে পূজ্য ব্যক্তিত্ব আৰু হিয়াৰ আমঠু হিচাপে স্বীকৃতি দিছিল। অসমৰ সমাজ জীৱনৰ এইগৰাকী উজ্জ্বল নক্ষত্রক তেখেতৰ পৱিত্ৰ জন্মবাৰ্ষিকীত গভীৰ শ্ৰদ্ধাৰে সুঁৱৰিছোঁ। চিৰবন্দিত ভূপেনদাৰ কালজয়ী সৃষ্টিৰাজিয়ে আমাৰ গণ জীৱনক অনন্ত কাললৈ অমৃত সুধাৰে উজ্জীৱিত কৰি ৰাখিব।”

'ভাৰত ৰত্ন'ৰে বিভূষিত সুধাকণ্ঠ ড° ভূপেন হাজৰিকাদেৱে জনতাৰ জয়গানেৰে আমাৰ সমাজক একতাৰ ডোলেৰে বান্ধি থৈ গৈছে। সংগীত, সাহিত্য, কলা-সংস্কৃতি, চলচ্চিত্ৰ আৰু ৰাজনীতিকে ধৰি বিভিন্ন ক্ষেত্ৰত থকা বহুমুখী প্ৰতিভাই তেখেতক দেশবাসীৰ বাবে পূজ্য ব্যক্তিত্ব আৰু হিয়াৰ আমঠু হিচাপে স্বীকৃতি দিছিল।… pic.twitter.com/bCXhJeqHw4

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) September 8, 2023

Today several programmes are being held throughout the length and breadth of Assam.

Popularly known as the Bard of Brahmaputra, Hazarika was born on September 8, 1926, in the Sadiya town of Assam. 

Hazarika was born into a family of artists and was the eldest among his 10 siblings and received his singing skills from his mother who introduced him to Assamese folk music.

At a very early age, Hazarika’s musical talents attracted the attention of renowned Assamese lyricist, Jyotiprasad Agarwala, and filmmaker, Bishnu Prasad Rabha—both doyens of Assam’s rich cultural history.

With music surrounding him since his early childhood days, it was no surprise that Hazarika turned out to be a musical prodigy and created his first original piece of art at the age of 13.

Hazarika wrote his first song when he was a teenager and attracted the attention of noted Assamese lyricist Jyotiprasad Agarwala and artist Bishnu Prasad Rabha. With professional and artistic guidance, Hazarika’s talent only grew better.

Hazarika earned his BA degree in 1944 and MA degree in political science in 1946 from the Banaras Hindu University.

He went on to receive his doctoral degree in Columbia University, New York, United States in 1952, before he pursued his musical career.

Studying in New York in the early 50s, Hazarika befriended Paul Robeson, a renowned civil rights activist, whose influence inspired him to compose the famous song Bistirno Parore, based on the imagery and theme of Robeson’s Ol’ Man River which highlighted the rampant racial discrimination in the country. The song became one of the defining moments of Hazarika’s career and is still considered as one of his epical compositions, which has been translated in various Indian languages.

Hazarika expanded his creative career and also directed award-winning Assamese films like Shakuntala Sur (1961) and Pratidhwani (1964).

Hazarika also worked in Hindi cinema, some of his major contributions include composing music for films such as Arop, Ek Pal, and Rudaali.

He was awarded the Best Music Director National Award for Rudaali in 1993 and held the position of chairman at the Sangeet Natak Akademi from 1998 to 2003.

In the course of a six-decade career, Hazarika won several prestigious prizes.

He won awards such as the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan, for his outstanding contribution to music and culture.

He was also honored posthumously with the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, in 2019.

He was also one of northeast India’s leading socio-cultural reformers, whose creations and compositions united people from all walks of life.

Besides being extremely talented and involved in the arts field, Hazarika also served as an MLA in the Assam Assembly during 1967-72.

The Bharat Ratna recipient passed away on November 5, 2011 at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai due to old age ailments at the age of 85.