- Report: Niren Choudhury, Picutres: Gautom Thakuria
On Sunday, December 11, 2011, following the occasion of the first month of death anniversary of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, a few of the Assamese community members from NY and NJ joined Tej and Candace Hazarika to offer flowers with a closing prayer. It was a December morning with bright sun shine creating a calm and auspicious environment as if Bhupeda was looking from heaven to see his relative, well wishers and fans offering the prayer for one more time. About 25 members joined the ceremony near the junction of East River and Hudson River overlooking the great Atlantic Ocean.
The event started with a recital of poem (written by Xudhakontho Bhupen Hazarika) led by Candace followed by a verse of Brahma (presented by Bimal Rajbanshi). Tej played “Kanhar Taal” (similar to Brass Disc in drum set) three times as a symbol of connecting our prayer to the departed soul. The first flower and prayer offering was done by Tej and Candace followed by each attending community member offering the flower into East River. After the flower offering, Bimal Rajbanshi sang one of the most popular songs of Dr. Hazarika “Buku Ham Ham Kare”. The function was ended with one minute of collective prayer.
Similar offering was done in Guadalquivir River – a major river in the Andalusia region of Spain by Sanjib Bhuyan and in Nile River in Cairo, Egypt by me.
