Skip to content Skip to navigation

On the legend called Bhupen Hazarika


At any mention of the syllables “Bhupen Hazarika”... a very vivid image of howling winds gushing over turbulent Brahmaputra waters under, starkly contrasting, a calm azure sky... fills the canvas of my mind.


I am, what Temple Grandin would call, a visual thinker. I think in pictures... in bright overwhelming images. To me, “Bhupenda”, as he is fondly called by my parents and their peers, is a lyricist of the highest calibre. I have often felt that he and I, we have one thing in common – the love of creative expression. He has a gift – he can conjure dramatic images out of words and evoke their movement in our imaginations through his music. He works through sounds, and I, through colour... His transcendental harmonies harmonize with my mind, and I can instantly connect with them, whenever I hear them.


I have personally met him perhaps a few times in my life so far. However, I remember clearly one occasion a few years ago when he had come to perform, in fact, to mesmerize the city of Delhi, at Siri Fort auditorium, on the request of Assam Association, Delhi. It was a famous event in the history of the Association and tales of it have been widely broadcast. People have described how genial his mannerisms are, wondered in awe how he sang while standing next to his harmonium for hours at his age and health, and expressed how much they were moved by his voice, as emotional as it was melodious. I testify to all of it. Here is a man who is so astoundingly passionate about his music and enraptured by the beauty that sounds could create. Truly, it was not a concert but tryst with the universe of symphonies, a taste of life in the angels’ courts.


My parents had played an important role in the organisation of the event and my family visited him late after the show was over. He was very gracious, very benign and seemed to love children (he seemed very excited to see me and my brother and very indulgently showered us with blessings and sweets). His health too, as I remember it, was excellent. He had pink cheeks like a little girl and rosy, soft hands that held my hands in a gentle grasp.


Now, being a purebred city brat, I cannot honestly say that I have grown up listening to his songs on my fancy electronic mp3 gadgets. However, his tunes have been part of my life all along. My father keeps humming them on random occasions, for example, while driving or while in the bathroom. My parents even used them as lullabies for us. Many of his tunes, like ‘Bistirno Parore...’, ‘Buku hom hom kore...’, ‘Manuhe manuhor baabe...’ and other timeless compositions have been embedded to my memory, almost by default. Also, I do have a playlist containing hundreds of his songs that I hear occasionally when I’m in search of an inspiration.


I cannot claim either that I understand all of the eloquent Assamese words he uses in his compositions, but that is what amplifies the wondrous beauty of his music – regardless of whether I understand the words themselves, his evocative tunes are explicative enough that I could still conjure an accurate imagery. I’m sure a lot of other people also share this experience.


Bhupen Hazarika is a phenomenon, and if I may say so, “really awesome ”. He has no doubt been an inspiration for numerous music artists and a role model. From what I have gathered, not only has he an international audience, he is also multitalented with a wide range of interests encompassing even cinema. Many worship him and very few can criticize him (I personally haven’t met any). On a personal note I feel he deserves a more educative page dedicated to him on Wikipedia.


All in all, he is indeed one of the legends Assamese soil has sprouted and has truly earned the title of “music maestro”.





Priyanka Das, BSc (Hons.) Physics, St Stephen’s College, New Delhi


Author info

editor's picture

Please send your comments to editor@assamtimes.org

Add new comment

Assamese Translator

Assam Times seeks English to Assamese translators!
Join our volunteer team.
Email editor@assamtimes.org.

Random Stories

Tragic road accident claims 3 at Golaghat

20 Mar 2011 - 1:03am | Ritupallab Saikia
In a major road accident in Pulibor Chariali of Golaghat district, 3 people lost their lives and 3 were critically injured. The accident took place at around 6 p.m. of 18th March. Trailokya Konwar 32...

India win 22 medals in Asian Powerlifting Championship

20 Jun 2010 - 3:01am | editor
Indian Powerlifters returned home with handful of medals from Asian Powerlifting Championship that concluded at Ullen Batter, Mangolia on May 7. India altogether collected 22 medals which...

Saradha: ED waiting for CBI probe

4 Sep 2014 - 6:06pm | AT News
The Enforcement Directorate team, dealing with the Saradha scam, is waiting for CBI investigation to chargesheet the people involved in the multi crore scam. The investigating officials have been...

Banajit Hussain in press club

6 Nov 2009 - 10:07pm | editor
An Assamese crusader against racisism in South Korea, Banajit Hussain will interact with the members of Guwahati Press Club on November 9, Monday at 1 pm. The research professor at SungKongHoe...

Other Contents by Author

Wanna do online journalism? You can do if you are confident and workaholic. Need only an online training. We at Assam Times are ready to help you translate your dream in this roaring job. Come January 1, 2018. Register now for online course free of cost and get the advantage. Manned by a team of sharp and dedicated journos of international repute we are coming up from the new years day.  
Yet another witch hunting incident fans no less shock and anger across the on Monday two days after it came to light. The incident took place at a remote helmet in Chirang district bordering Bhutan where thr body of the victim was recovered on Saturday. Identified as Guneswar Basumatary, the local resident of Koila Moila near Dotom was believed to have been killed alleging witch craft.  According to family members,Guneswar went missing on September 16 evening he visited his relative's house at Koila Moila area. Family members lodged an FIR with Amguri PS,case number 45/2017, under section 302/201 IPC. During a search operation, police and family members recovered body in decomposed...
A local magistrate in Nagaon on Friday remanded Mithu Roy to two days police custody after the trader was produced before it in connection with the recent incident where he and his associates thrashed four former ULFA rebels who approached him for fund to feed the flood hit people.  According to allegations, he was the main culprit who hired a few local associates to beat up the youths who were raising fund.  He was arrested on Thursday as he was on the run as police arrested his three associates on Wednesday afternoon.  Meanwhile, a huge gathering in the central Assam town demanded examplary punishment of the accused youths saying that they...
A candle lighting rally was  carried out at Salakati in protest against killing of ABMSU leader Lafikul. The was organized by ABMSU and was participating by ABSU, AKRSU, bengali Federation, Santhali Student's Union and many organizations. The rally was started from Salakati anchalik Abmsu office and concluded at Railway gate. Thousands housands of activists from various student's union and civilians participated and demanded early arrests of main culprits.The ABMSU demanded CBI inquiry into Lafikul murder,arrest main culprits and provide safety and security to the persons of the region. Moinuddin Ali,ABMSU leader said that main culprits should be nabbed  as soon as possible...
United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) said The Nagas Nation has lost a true and uncompromising Nationalist. "In the creation of Western South East Asia geographic identity with an organic soul giving hope to even the smallest nationality of the region opportunity to get just political representation amongst the family of Nations reflects his deep understanding and vision in keeping with his superb statesmanship".  Describing him as a 'Grandee' of the indigenous citizens of the WESEA region, ULFA(I) chairman Dr Abhizeet Asom in his condolence message to media said "as the Chairman of United Liberation Front of Western South East Asia, he brought an affinity amongst the...
Amid an escalating controversy over beef consumption, yet another leader has quit BJP in Meghalaya suggesting a setback for the saffron party in the pre poll political landscape.  North Garo Hills BJP president Bachu Marak pulled out of the party after the national party spokesman Nolin Kohli warned him against a beef party in Tura to celebrate the three years of the NDA government at the Centre. Marak, who pulled many people to BJP in the Congress ruled state rued in his resignation letter to state party president Sjibun Lyngdoh made it plain and simple that he would never go against the sentiment of the  Garo people for whom beef is an inevitable item at any feast. He...
A crucial meeting of BPF and AGP leadership with Amit Shah is clearing the decks for the expansion of Sarbananda Sonowal cabinet slated for April 15. Senior BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma along with AGP president Atul Bora, his BPF counterpart Hagrama Mohilary is meeting the BJP president in New Delhi on Monday where the entire process would be finalized. Sources told www.Assam Times that Bongaigaon legislator Phani Bhushan Chaudhury is likely to be inducted in the cabinet from AGP. Both AGP and BPF will have one each in the cabinet while BJP will have six new faces in the expanded cabinet. Those who are attending the close door meet include Hagrama Mohilary, Arul Bora, Hemant Biswa...
In a bizarre incident that triggers statewide anger and surprise, the police have arrested a top ranked officer in Dispur on bribery charges on Tuesday before recovering more than Rs 1 crore from his possession.He is none other than Kujendra Doley, the irrigation secretary who alleged to have been collecting lakhs of rupees from the contractors for releasing their bills.Acting on a complaint from a contractor, the sleuths of the vigilance and anti corruption cell caught the secretary red handed and seized an astronomical amount of money from his office locker he allegedly to pay minister Ranjit Dutta.Then Doley was taken to his residence in the city and Rs 10 lakh were seized in cash during...