By Ratan Bhattacharjee
Bhupen Hazarika, the bard of Brahmaputra, is a household name in both Bengal and Assam. He inspired the Assamese with his life-oriented songs and in a similar capacity he inspired the mukti jodhas, the freedom fighters of Bangladesh liberation. Today his songs are being sung all over the globe in different languages and remixes. It is really wonderful to know that even a single song could give him lifetime fame.
Songs of Bhupen Hazarika convey a forceful message as we find it in the songs of Bob Marley or Paul Robeson. He is a civil rights activist and like Paul Robeson he envisioned a classless society. Since his first recording for Jyotiprasad Agarwala’s film Joymoti, at the age of 10, Bhupen remained unstoppable.
Kalpana Lajmi’s ‘Rudaali’ gave him Pan-India reach. Paul Leroy Robeson sang ‘Ol’ Man River’ in 1936. It was in 1999 Hazarika sang the song on Doordarshan ‘Bistirno Duparer, oshonkho manusher /Hahakar suneo, nishobde nirobe, O Ganga tumi! Ganga Boicho keno? (Stretched on two shores where crores of people’s life, you hear their cries in silence and oblivion, O Ganga, Ganga why do you keep flowing in silence?)
The Brahmaputra always came to his mind as in 1950 the river changed its course and devastated a large part of Sadiya where he was born ninety four years ago.
Later, the Ganga became a part of his song and he reached millions of Indians. ‘Ganga behti ho kiyo’ is the other record making song that made him the most popular singer of our time. Hazarika sang the song in Bangla, Hindi and Assamese.
Paul Leroy Robeson was an American bass baritone concert artist and his songs on humanity and poverty of mankind irked many in the US and he was blacklisted during the McCarthy era. His 276 distinct songs made a wonderful mixture of many styles, including Americana popular standards, classical music, European folk songs, political songs, poetry and spoken excerpts from plays. Such a flavour is available in the songs of Hazarika who was influenced greatly by Paul Robeson.
In one after another song even philosophical or religious, Hazarika was above everything a humanist.
His songs were about the demonic nature of the mechanical civilisation sponsored by capitalism. Even in a lyrical song O Bideshi Bondhu he heard the echoes of weeping (Protidhhoni Huni kandonor).
He was proud of being an Assamese all his life and in a song Ami Asamiya he does not accept the lackadaisical attitude of the people of his state. They must know themselves or everything will be finished (no hou dukhiya/buli santana lobhile no hobo/ajir asamiyai nijok ni sinile rasatole jabo).
The Brahmaputra always attracted him and in a famous song Jivon Nadir Lui o paror, he hears the heart rending cry of sadness (hahi aru kandonere kun hahakar!). Prochondo dhumuha is another fantastic song where he as Wordsworth thinks of Nature giving him the best education, values and thunder giving him his baritone voice.
In Sagar Sanghamat, he feels sad by the devastation of the new creations caused by the mechanical giants (naba naba srisitir doita danab e kare nisthur aghat abisranta).
The image of daitya and danob occupies the imagination of Hazarika and this is from the Assamese folk culture. Assam’s ancient rulers are known for the interesting myths and legends.
Mayong, the name is believed to have originated from the word Maya or illusion. The place is famed and feared as a land where sorcerers and magicians have held sway for centuries and the legacy continues. The onslaught of demons and monsters and many tales of men being converted into animals or beasts being magically tamed have always captured the imagination of Assamese people.
Hazarika saw in the destruction of human values and sufferings of common people the hands of demons and monsters which he called, ‘daitya and danava’. His patriotism expressed in many songs reveals his deep love for Assam and in songs like ‘Axom Amar Rupohi’, he beautifully expresses it.
There is no end to the virtues in this land of sunrise (gunor o nai sesh/ purba dikor surjyo utha desh /bharatar purba dikor surjyo utha desh).
His inspiring songs still create ripples in the minds of the Assamese youth and rouse a patriotic feeling in their heart in songs like ‘ jadi jabo lage saraighat loi’.
In this song, Hazarika expects the Assamese youth not to waste time in poetic romanticism or enjoying the beauty of the river Brahmaputra.
Hazarika’s love for humanity and the sadness caused by mechanical civilisation and capitalistic society are revealed in the protest songs which he sang with a brave heart and open voice.
EY Harburg once said: ‘Words make you think a thought /Music makes you feel a feeling/ A song makes you feel a thought’. This is wholly true about the golden songs of Hazarika.
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