- By Krishanu Kaushik

The Assam Association of Michigan (AAMI) paid tributes to the legendary bard of India, Assam-Ratna, Sangeet- Surya Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, on Nov 13th at the residence of Dr. Debojit Barua and Ruma Barua, in Belleville, Michigan, USA. Ruma Barua is the elder daughter of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika’s childhood friend Late Srijut Nagen Bezbora, who was his close friend and confidante throughout his active life. The program was arranged by Partha Bora and Mompi Bhuyan-Bora, from Lansing, Michigan. The members of the Assamese community, living in the state of Michigan, assembled and condoled the passing of their “beloved Bhupenda”. They prayed for the eternal peace of his soul, with two minutes of silence. A condolence meeting was held under the president-ship of Dr. Prafulla Baruah, from Rochester Hills, Michigan.

The program was started by singing together the devotional song “Hey Joi Raghura Nandana”, which Bhupenda used to sing

in every cultural program that he presented in the USA. Following that, several members of the community shared their personal experiences with Bhupenda. The hosts, Ruma and Debojit Barua shared many personal photographs of Bhupenda with their own family. Along with various interesting anecdotes, they also shared some of Bhupenda’s handwritten letters and notes, out of which a notable item was a Biya Naam that Bhupenda wrote and sang during their wedding. Mr. Mridul Barua, from Toronto, Canada was also present and he told us about how he was auditioned and selected by Bhupenda to play a child artiste’s role in the film “Era Bator Xur”. He also mentioned that after a long gap of 40 years when Bhupenda met him in USA, he immediately recognized him and called him by his name. Such was his memory, when it came to people! Dr. Prafulla Baruah, from Rochester Hills, Michigan, narrated his association with Bhupenda during the making of the same movie in Kolkata. He said that Bhupenda was very friendly with the Assamese students who visited the locations and the studio where the movie was being made and would engage them in preparing the titles and credits for the movie. He recalled that Bhupenda arranged for these students to attend the premiere show of the movie, and before the show started, he told them not to laugh if it did not turn out good. Such was his humility! Mr. Istakur Rahman, from Canton, Michigan and his sister Shahnaaz Rahman, visiting from Guwahati, talked about their close association with Bhupenda and the Hazarika family. They shared many of their personal experiences, from which it was evident how the greatness of Dr. Hazarika has spread into his family and how his message of humanism has been adopted by even the youngest generation of the family. They also talked about how Bhupen Hazarika used to be a regular visitor to their house as he was a friend of their uncle Abdul Khalek and used to teach singing to their mother Shahzadi Begum (Anne) along with her close friend Sudakhsina Sarma, Bhupenda’s sister. A younger member of the community, Chiranjit Bordoloi, from Rochester Hills, Michigan, who is a musician himself, contrasted the musical aspects of Bhupenda’s songs with the modern techno-music that is used by today’s singers and musicians. He mentioned that most of Bhupenda’s songs are sung in major chord and hence it is easy for others to sing those songs with a little practice. He stressed the need to preserve the original identity of Bhupenda’s songs and also to find means to ensure that his music lives on and is enjoyed by generations to come. Another young member of the community, Jahnavi Mahanta, from Ypsilanti, Michigan, who happens to be a great grand-niece of Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha recited a poem that she wrote and also mentioned that her grand mother, who was a music teacher, used to personally know Bhupenda and that he learned some songs from her. Mr. Partha Sarathi Borah, from Lansing Michigan did a wonderful job in reciting Dr. Amarjyoti Chaudhury’s poem – “Mrityu Jinaar Gaan”. Partha and his wife Mompi were instrumental in organizing this meeting in a very efficient and effective manner, in such a short time. Dhon Bordoloi, from Troy, Michigan, recounted how Bhupenda enjoyed “Lopha Xakor Tenga” in their house during one of his visits to USA. From his childhood days, he recalled hearing an interesting comment from Bhupenda made during a visit to an "Okonir Mel" program in Guwahati Radio station in the 1960s. Explaining the meaning of his name to the children attending the session Bhupenda said, “Bhu means Prithivi (Earth) and Pen means Kolom (Pen in English). So, my name means - the Pen of the Earth”. That has proved to be so true! Dhon Bordoloi also slightly changed some words and sang, “Bhupenda, Gaam Tumarei Gaan” (Bhupenda, we will keep singing your song). There were a few more renditions of Bhupenda’s songs during the session. Krishangi Kaushik, a seventh grader from Canton, Michigan sang “Kohua Bon Mur Oxanto Mon”; Manjula Baruah, from Rochester lead the rendition of “Osto aakaxore, xopun rohon xaani”; Krishanu Kaushik led the singing of “Aai tuk kihere pujime” and all the attendees sang “Bistinrno Parore” and “Manuhe Manuhor Baabe” in chorus before ending the session with “Buku Hom Hom Kore”, at the end of which, one of the attendees said with a heavy heart, “….today I realize for the first time what Hom Hom really means!” The community also resolved to adopt the song "Manuhe Manuhor Babe" as their anthem, to sing it in each and every musical, cultural or literary session that is organized by them in the future and to stand by the principles that are highlighted by the song. A condolence card signed by all the attendees, a poem titled, “Tumaar Kotharei Tumaloi Shraddhanajli”, written by Krishanu Kaushik, and some photographs from the event have been sent with Ms Shehnaz Rahman, to be hand delivered to the immediate family members of “beloved Bhupenda”, the greatest son of the soil of Assam.