Guwahati: Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s USA-groomed son Tez Hazarika on Wednesday struck a note with the numerous fans and mourners of his father as he tried to pacify and console them while lighting the pyre of the departed balladeer.
Tez Hazarika, who had reached Guwahati from New York, USA, on Tuesday, performed the last rites of his legendary father with thousands of mourners and host of dignitaries in attendance.
As emotions soared just prior to the lighting of the pyre, Tez stood up to pacify the fans and mourners, waving and shouting ‘Please’ and trying to soothe them.
He also knelt before the crowd and raised both hands again and again to pacify them.
Not conversant in Assamese due to his upbringing in foreign shores by a non-Assamese mother rpt mother, Tez expressed his feelings towards the crowd by making gestures.
Rituals performed, Tez again got connected with the crowd, waving and holding hands with numerous people as the mass waited for the pyre fire to fade.
He had addressed the mourners and fans at Judges’ Field, where Dr Hazarika’s body was kept in state, yesterday.
”No words can describe what I am witnessing. It clearly has something to do with the life of my father and his works. I have to learn from my father’s works,” he said in English, apologizing for not being fluent in Assamese.
”I am proud to be my father’s son and I am proud of my family,” he added.
”This is a special occasion. My father will hope that his words will live on. I also hope that his words (lyrics) will be understood and people will learn to live in this wonderful world as envisaged by him,” Tez said.
The 60-year-old gray haired Tez Hazarika, who owns a publication house in New York, will be in Guwhaati for the next two weeks and his wife and their son are likely to join him.
Dr Hazarika’s wife, Priyamvada, could not accompany her son for the funeral due to ill health.
Padma Bhusan and Dada Saheb Phalke awardee Dr Hazarika had died of multiple organ failure at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital in Mumbai on Saturday (November 5).
The body was flown to Guwahati on Monday and lakhs of fans had paid tribute to his mortal remains in the city in the last two days.
We are for Bharat Ratna for Hazarika: Gogoi : Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said he has appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for conferring the country’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna posthumously on legendary singer Bhupen Hazarika. “I have written to the Prime Minister and received an acknowledgement stating that the matter is under consideration,” Gogoi told reporters at the residence of Hazarika.
Gogoi criticised BJP leader Sushma Swaraj for politicising the award issue at this moment of grief. “She (Swaraj) had said her party would support the state government in its effort to get the award, but I feel she should not have said it now,” the chief minister said.
There will never be another Bhupen Hazarika: Lata: Meanwhile, mourning the death of Bhupen Hazarika, Lata Mangeshkar says there won’t be another one like him and that she not only fell in love with his music but enjoyed his company as he was always full of life and joy.
“I sang for him way back in the 1950s in Assamese. I was scared of getting the pronunciation wrong. But he was confident,” lata said. (Agencies)