From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: The busy traffic along the road by Dighalipukhuri in the heart of bustling Guwahti was slowing down a bit in the afternoon of Tuesday as some of the motorists stopped their vehicles abruptly on seeing something unusual unfolding inside the park along the road.
Yes, it was Guinness recognized bromide scratch artist Apuraj Barooah of Dibrugarh is working on a piece of 20”x28” bromide paper to pay birthday tribute in his ingenious way to the bard of Brahmaputra, legendary Dr Bhupen Hazarika on his 86th birth day that falls on September 8 .
In full view of the on lookers, the artist scratched with a common shaving blade (the tool he used for his creation)on a piece of bromide paper sized about 20”x28” the depiction of one of the most hummed songs of Dr Bhupen Hazarika –Moi Bicharichu Hazar Chakut Dipta Surujar sikha … (I want to see glimpses of the bright sun in thousands of eyes …..) – much to the awe and applauds of those who were present.
A skilled artist as he is, Apuraj took just twenty minutes to complete the unique piece of bromide scratch art at a tribute to Dr Hazarika who is now recovering from his old-age ailment at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in faraway Mumbai.
“In fact, I want to create a series of depiction of Bhupen Hazarika’s songs as well as ever green number of another revered Assamese singer singer , Dipalee Borthakur,” Apuraj said giving finishing touch to depiction of Dipalee Borthakur’s eternal number –Sonar kharu nelage muk ….. (I don’t want golden bangles ….).
It was on July 9, 2011 the Guinness Authority recognized Apuraj Barooah as the World Record holder for the Longest Scratch Art done on bromide measuring 20.30 m in length and 1.04 meter in width. On this canvass of bromide he scratched with a shaving blade (his only tool for art) 40 pictures of folk dance forms of many parts the world including India, the UK, the US, Spain, Italy, China, Australia, Brazil, Japan, South Africa, France and Thailand. The Tribune has talked to the artist of different ilk to know about his journey so far.
A former Assam government employee, Barooah left his cushy job to pursue his passion of giving life to pieces of most unattractive looking black bromide paper . It happened all of a sudden with Barooah who claimed that to experiment has been in his blood since his childhood.
It was sheer inquisitiveness that prompted Apuraj to pick up a piece of bromide paper lying on the floor in a photo studio about 18 years back in his hometown Dibrugarh in eastern Assam. He took the paper home to try his artistic skill on it in his ingenious way. That was the beginning of an innovative journey in the field of Art that has finally earned him a place among the Guinness World Records.