Friday, November 22, 2024
spot_img

Maestro returns to grieving sea of humanity

Date:

Share post:

spot_img
spot_img

Thousands escort balladeer’s body to ancestral Guwahati house ,

Last rites to be performed at Gauhati University campus today

From Our Correspondent

 Guwahati: A sea of humanity Assam on Monday paid rich and tear-soaked tributes to legendary musician Dr Bhupen Hazarika as his body was flown to the city from Mumbai.

A sea of humanity lined all along the 25km route from the airport to Dr Hazarika’s residence at Nizarapar area with people showering flower petals, offering wreaths and the traditional Assamese ‘gamosa’ on the cortege carrying the gilt-edge brown casket.

Songs of the music maestro played along the entire route with the administration putting up public address system all over the city.

Portraits of Hazarika lined the entire stretch as the truck from Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport took nearly seven hours to reach his house.

The bustling Guwahati literally came to a grinding halt with all roads leading to the MG road, the route along which the cultural icon’s body was taken in a procession.

People put up posters, banners and cut-outs of the maestro all over the state and lit lamps to pay their homage.

The 86-year-old singer-composer died on Saturday following multiple-organ failure.

Filmmaker Kalpana Lajmi, Hazarika’s companion for nearly 40 years, sister-in-law Manisha Hazarika, nephews and other family members accompanied the music legend on his last journey home.

All shops and business establishments remained close as a mark of respect to Dr Hazarika and modes of public transport remained off the roads.

The procession was halted for brief periods at a number of places, including Gauhati University, Dharapur , Cotton College, Dighalipukhuripar, Sonaram Field.

The body is kept at the historic Judges Field in the city till Tuesday afternoon to allow people to pay their last respects to the Dada Saheb Phalke Award winner who carried the flag of cultural diversity of North Eastern Region throughout the globe with a message of world brotherhood.

An Inspector General of Police, G P Singh and a magistrate were posted all along the body which was received by Governor J B Patnaik and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi at the airport.

All the state government and Central government offices, banks and financial institutions, educational institutions, fuel stations and other business establishments will remain close on Tuesday as a mark of respect to the legendary artiste.

The last rites will be performed at the campus of Gauhati University, where Dr Hazarika had taught Political Science during 1946-49, by his son Tez Hazarika, who will arrive here from Toronto on Tuesday.

The government had to be shift the place of cremation from the bank of Brahmaputra river to Gauhati University campus under public pressure after the varsity authority announced to provide 62 acres of land within its campus for setting up of a study centre and archive of creation of Dr Hazarika. (With inputs from agencies)

spot_img
spot_img

Related articles

Last rites of nine Manipur violence victims held, hundreds join mass burial

Imphal, Nov 22: The last rites of nine Manipur violence victims, including three children and three women abducted...

Australia to America, world leaders cherish exquisite traditional mementoes gifted by PM Modi

New Delhi, Nov 22: Having perfectly mastered the art of blending diplomacy with culture over the past one...

Jagpal Singh Dhanoa new SP, ANTF Shillong

Shillong, Nov 22: In the interest of public service and on the recommendation of the Civil Services Board(CSB),...

Shillong street vendors protest move to relocate them

Shillong, Nov 22: The hawkers and street vendors under the umbrella Meghalaya Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street...