-By Arpita (Chumki) Gogoi

We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind;
In the primal sympathy
Which having been must ever be;
In the soothing thoughts that spring
Out of human suffering;
In the faith that looks through death,
In years that bring the philosophic mind.

I am reminded of Wordsworth’s famous quote as I think of the immortal, timeless, works of Bhupenda through which he will live after his tragic demise. I plan to say a few words about Bhupen da as he appears to me and our families. A son of Assam’s soil this magnanimous outgoing, vibrant, and charming person, a true and original talent was respected and loved in Assam, Bengal, other parts of India and universally for his open-hearted worldly approach. My fascination for his vibrant, rhythmic music began when I grew up in Bengal as a little girl and a teenager and much before I met my husband, Partha Gogoi and getting married into an Assamese family.
At every puja, at every social event we used to really look forward to his Dola he Dola or Aaj Jibon Khuje Pabi Chute Chute ai, Bistirno du pare, Sagor Songome, Ganga amar Ma, Snehe amar Sata Srabanot, Ek khana Megh bheshe elo Akashe, Protidhoni Suni, Prothom Na Hoi Ditio and several of his numbers. His affinity towards other languages makes him very near and dear to all and accounts for his outstanding talent and versatility not to speak of the humongous and phenomenal range of his work. What appeals to me most is his variety and originality.

My entire family, my father, a dedicated singer himself, my brother, an enthusiastic vocalist, my grandmother and grandfather and my in-laws family are ardent admirers of this versatile man and my grandfather, Bhupenda’s contemporary late Ratu Mukhopadhyay, a big figure in Bengali music of the days had many a time worked closely with him while composing music and used to always ask “Bhupen kemon ache?” knowing Partha my husband hails from the same place. My grandparents even wanted to admit me to his singing school after a function in Calcutta.
Later on at Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre in Woodbridge, VA, we saw the “Show Boat” where Paul Robson’s “Old Man River” the same song as Bhupenda’s “Bristirno Parore” in English with exactly the same tune was a major attraction. In fact I love his songs for its strong lyrics, the catchy tune and rhythm and the very suggestive underlying meaning, such as a revolution or uplifting of common man, man’s sorrow and a ray of hope. Bhupenda not only an extra-ordinary singer was a civil leader representing and speaking for the common man and minorities long before they could speak for themselves. Later I became admirers of an even vaster collection such as Axom Amar Rupasi Ruper Nai Go Sesh, Rong Kiniba Kone, Buku hom hom kore, Mur Ganor hezar srota, Gauripuriya Gabharu Dekhelu, Bimurto Ei Ratri Amar or Bimurta mur Nixati, Topto Tikhare, Gum gum gum gum Dhumuha ahile, Natun Nimati and others with the influence of my husband, his family and friends.
The main purpose of my tributes to Bhupenda are to respect, to convey my heart-full of regards, reverence, admiration, awe, gratitude and remember his soul, his talent, his originality, to admire his booming voice and also to be as creative as I can in choreographing with his music. I realized I can assert my creativity. My dances are audience specific and that I think that is so important. To appeal emotionally and empathetically to a certain group means a lot to me personally and you cannot do it without becoming one with them. For instance for the Bengali population I chose the Bengali version, “Sagor Songome” and for the Assamese population I chose “Sagor Songomot“, the Assamese version. This is what makes Bhupanda unique and this is why I admire him and wish to follow that in my own performances. I am trained in classical dance but I love to choreograph almost with anything since I find it innovative and an opportunity to express one‘s own persona. Sagor Songomot: I found this song very intriguing: the serene ocean devours all is the essence to it and through nritya, abhinaya or acting and the odissi steps I will try to express myself in best possible ways.
I started by a solo tribute to him with a dance “Rong Kiniba Kone” with creative and bihu steps at National Counsel of Asian Indian Association on the occasion of Republic day of 2012 celebrated in Maryland where the audience had Maryland Lt Governor Anthony Brown, Deputy Secy. of State of Maryland Rajan Natarajan and Majority Leader of Maryland Senate, Kumar Barve. Our group tribute was amongst me and couple of my good friends Simita Bhowmik from Bengal, Sunanda Barua from Dibrugarh, Assam, and Shuchita Bora from Uttaranchal and we danced with “Rong kiniba Kone” at Durga temple holi festival and it was greatly admired by the entire audience with multiple rounds of applause for the colors and vivacity. Moreover all the non-Assamese ladies except Sunanda adapted so well to Assamese song and dance and the art of wearing mekhela chadar I thought I could not have done with a better and more cohesive group. A solo tribute was again performed by myself with a dance with “Sagore Songome” for Prantik, the Bengali community of Baltimore, Maryland for Baisakhi on May 5th and again this crowd who are close to my heart always appreciated my dance a lot. From the time my late aunt Mrs. Supriya Chowhury, my late uncle, Mr. Barun Chowdhury and my cousin Pia lived in Elicott city I have known many most of them. This is always an enthusiastic, familiar and loving crowd. Our aunt, Labanya Borra, an accomplished and astute lady accompanied us to all the tributes. I have one more tribute to the mystro left to do at Assam Convention 2012 at Calgary, Canada with “Sagor Songomot“, the Assamese version of “Sagor Songome” in Bengali and hope for it to be a grand success like others.