Bhupen Hazarika
Encyclopedia
Bhupen Hazarika was an Indian
lyricist, musician, singer, poet and film-maker from Assam
. His songs,written and sung mainly in Assamese by the legend himself, are infused with humanity and universalism, and have been translated and sung in many languages, most notable being Bengali
,Hindi
and Sanskrit . Known for writing strong lyrics with themes of communal amity, universal justice and empathy, his songs have become popular among all sections of ethnic and religious communities in Assam, besides West Bengal
and Bangladesh
. He is acknowledged widely in the Hindi film industry for introducing Hindi film to the sounds and folk music of Assam
and Northeast India.
, Assam
. His father was originally from Nazira, a town located in Sivasagar district. The eldest of ten children, Bhupen Hazarika (as also his siblings) was exposed to the musical influence of his mother who exposed him to lullabies and traditional music of Assam
. In search of better prospects his father moved to the Bharalumukh region of Guwahati in 1929, where Bhupen Hazarika spent his early childhood. In 1932 his father moved to Dhubri, and in 1935 to Tezpur It was in Tezpur that Bhupen Hazarika, then 10 years of age, was discovered by Jyotiprasad Agarwala and Bishnu Prasad Rabha where he sung a Borgeet taught by his mother at a public function. In 1936 Bhupen Hazarika accompanied them to Kolkata
where he recorded his first song at the Aurora Studio for the Selona Company. His association with the icons of Assamese culture at Tezpur was the beginning of his artistic growth and credentials.
in 1942, and went on to Banaras Hindu University
to complete his BA (1944) and MA (1946) in Political Science. He won a scholarship from Columbia University
and set sail for New York in 1949, where he earned a PhD (1952) on "Proposals for Preparing India's Basic Education to Use Audio-Visual Techniques in Adult Education". He also befriended the legendary Paul Robeson
, whose lessons on humanity and universalism were to last Bhupen Hazarika's entire life.
At Columbia University he met Priyamvada Patel, whom he married in 1950. Tez Hazarika, their only child, was born in 1952.
station at Guwahati before embarking for his doctoral studies at Columbia University.
Soon after completing his education, he became a teacher at the Gauhati University
.
He was elected the President of the Asam Sahitya Sabha in 1993.
He was pursuaded by the Bharatiya Janata Party
via Kalpana Lajmi to enter the electoral fray as its candidate in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections from the Guwahati constituency
, which he lost to the INC candidate Kirip Chaliha.
in 2011. He was admitted to the intensive care unit
on 30 June 2011. He died of multi-organ failure on 5 November 2011. His body lay in state at the Judges Fields in Guwahati and cremated on 9 November 2011 near the Brahmaputra river
in a plot of land donated by Gauhati University
. His funeral was attended by an estimated half a million people.
, when he had performed a Borgeet at the age of 10 in Tezpur
. Subsequently, Hazarika sang two songs in Agarwala's film Indramalati
(1939): Kaxote Kolosi Loi and Biswo Bijoyi Naujawan at the tender age of 12. He wrote his first song, Agnijugor Firingoti Moi at the age of 13 and he was well on his way to to becoming a lyricist, composer and singer.
soon after returning from the USA in 1953. and became the secretary of the Reception Committee of the third All Assam Conference of IPTA held in Guwahati in 1955.
(1993) and Daman
(2001) are major films this period. Many of his earlier songs were re-written in Hindi used as played-back songs in these films. These songs tried to cater to the Hindi film milieu and their social activist lyrics were browbeaten into the lowest common denominator.
touched on themes ranging from romance to social and political commentary; and as a composer for his use of folk music. Some of his most famous compositions were adaptations of American black spirituals
that he had learned from Paul Robeson
, whom he had befriended during his years in New York City in the early 1950s.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
lyricist, musician, singer, poet and film-maker from Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
. His songs,written and sung mainly in Assamese by the legend himself, are infused with humanity and universalism, and have been translated and sung in many languages, most notable being Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
,Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
and Sanskrit . Known for writing strong lyrics with themes of communal amity, universal justice and empathy, his songs have become popular among all sections of ethnic and religious communities in Assam, besides West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
and Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. He is acknowledged widely in the Hindi film industry for introducing Hindi film to the sounds and folk music of Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
and Northeast India.
Early life
Hazarika was born on 8 September 1926 to Nilakanta and Shantipriya Hazarika in SadiyaSadiya
Sadiya is a small town in the Tinsukia district of the North-eastern Indian state of Assam. It stands on a grassy plain, nearly surrounded by forested Himalayan mountains, on the right bank of what is locally considered the main stream of the Brahmaputra river...
, Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
. His father was originally from Nazira, a town located in Sivasagar district. The eldest of ten children, Bhupen Hazarika (as also his siblings) was exposed to the musical influence of his mother who exposed him to lullabies and traditional music of Assam
Music of Assam
The music of Assam, a state in the northeastern part of India, can be divided into various categories of folk music. In recent times starting the late eighties popular artistes have modernized the music that caters to local popular demand....
. In search of better prospects his father moved to the Bharalumukh region of Guwahati in 1929, where Bhupen Hazarika spent his early childhood. In 1932 his father moved to Dhubri, and in 1935 to Tezpur It was in Tezpur that Bhupen Hazarika, then 10 years of age, was discovered by Jyotiprasad Agarwala and Bishnu Prasad Rabha where he sung a Borgeet taught by his mother at a public function. In 1936 Bhupen Hazarika accompanied them to Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
where he recorded his first song at the Aurora Studio for the Selona Company. His association with the icons of Assamese culture at Tezpur was the beginning of his artistic growth and credentials.
Education
He studied at Sonaram High School at Guwahati, Dhubri Government High School and matriculated from Tezpur High School in 1940. He completed his Intermediate Arts from Cotton CollegeCotton College, Guwahati
Cotton College is a premier institution for higher education located in the heart of Guwahati, Assam, a northeastern state of India.240px|right|thumb| Cotton College, the premier college of Assam-History:...
in 1942, and went on to Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University is a public university located in Varanasi, India and is one of the Central Universities of India. It is the largest residential university in Asia, with over 24,000 students in its campus. BHU was founded in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya under the Parliamentary...
to complete his BA (1944) and MA (1946) in Political Science. He won a scholarship from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
and set sail for New York in 1949, where he earned a PhD (1952) on "Proposals for Preparing India's Basic Education to Use Audio-Visual Techniques in Adult Education". He also befriended the legendary Paul Robeson
Paul Robeson
Paul Leroy Robeson was an American concert singer , recording artist, actor, athlete, scholar who was an advocate for the Civil Rights Movement in the first half of the twentieth century...
, whose lessons on humanity and universalism were to last Bhupen Hazarika's entire life.
At Columbia University he met Priyamvada Patel, whom he married in 1950. Tez Hazarika, their only child, was born in 1952.
Professional life
After completing his MA he briefly worked at the All India RadioAll India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
station at Guwahati before embarking for his doctoral studies at Columbia University.
Soon after completing his education, he became a teacher at the Gauhati University
Gauhati University
Gauhati University, the first university of North East India, is in the Jalukbari area in the western part Guwahati city, Assam, India. It was established in 1948. It is a four-star rated university by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council. It has 183 affiliated colleges.- Campus :The...
.
He was elected the President of the Asam Sahitya Sabha in 1993.
Later life
He met Kalpana Lajmi in the 1980s and they made the film Ek Pal (1986). Since then Lajmi began managing him professionally and personally till the end of his life.He was pursuaded by the Bharatiya Janata Party
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
via Kalpana Lajmi to enter the electoral fray as its candidate in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections from the Guwahati constituency
Gauhati (Lok Sabha constituency)
-Assembly segments:Gauhati Lok Sabha constituency is composed of the following assembly segments :* Dudhnai * Boko * Chaygaon* Palasbari* Jalukbari* Dispur* Guwahati East* Guwahati West* Hajo* Barkhetry-Members of Parliament:...
, which he lost to the INC candidate Kirip Chaliha.
Death
Hazarika was hospitalized in the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and Medical Research Institute in MumbaiMumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
in 2011. He was admitted to the intensive care unit
Intensive Care Unit
thumb|220px|ICU roomAn intensive-care unit , critical-care unit , intensive-therapy unit/intensive-treatment unit is a specialized department in a hospital that provides intensive-care medicine...
on 30 June 2011. He died of multi-organ failure on 5 November 2011. His body lay in state at the Judges Fields in Guwahati and cremated on 9 November 2011 near the Brahmaputra river
Brahmaputra River
The Brahmaputra , also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra, is a trans-boundary river and one of the major rivers of Asia. It is the only Indian river that is attributed the masculine gender and thus referred to as a in Indo-Aryan languages and languages with Indo-Aryan influence...
in a plot of land donated by Gauhati University
Gauhati University
Gauhati University, the first university of North East India, is in the Jalukbari area in the western part Guwahati city, Assam, India. It was established in 1948. It is a four-star rated university by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council. It has 183 affiliated colleges.- Campus :The...
. His funeral was attended by an estimated half a million people.
Beginnings
A young Bhupen Hazarika was noticed by the doyens of Assamese culture, Jyotiprasad Agarwala and Bishnuprasad RabhaBishnuprasad Rabha
Bishnu Prasad Rabha was born in Dhaka on 31 January 1909. He was a multifaceted artist and revolutionary singer of Assam. A doyen of the Arts, he is popularly known as Kala Guru . From an early stage, he played an active role in the struggle for Indian independence. However, he never joined Indian...
, when he had performed a Borgeet at the age of 10 in Tezpur
Tezpur
Tezpur is a city and the administrative headquarters and municipal board of Sonitpur district in the state of Assam in northeastern India. Tezpur is an ancient city on the banks of the river Brahmaputra and is the largest of the north bank towns with a population exceeding 100,000...
. Subsequently, Hazarika sang two songs in Agarwala's film Indramalati
Indramalati
Indramalati is the second Assamese language film, directed by the great Assamese poet Jyotiprasad Agarwala. It was released in 1939.-Background:...
(1939): Kaxote Kolosi Loi and Biswo Bijoyi Naujawan at the tender age of 12. He wrote his first song, Agnijugor Firingoti Moi at the age of 13 and he was well on his way to to becoming a lyricist, composer and singer.
IPTA years
Hazarika began close association with the leftist Indian People's Theatre AssociationIndian People's Theatre Association
Indian People’s Theatre Association was an association of leftist theatre-artists and others mostly based in Kolkata, West Bengal, Mumbai and Assam, India. Its goal was to bring cultural awakening among the people of India. It was the cultural wing of the Communist Party of India...
soon after returning from the USA in 1953. and became the secretary of the Reception Committee of the third All Assam Conference of IPTA held in Guwahati in 1955.
Later years
In the period after the release of Ek Pal (1986) till the end of his life Bhupen Hazarika's mainly concentrated on Hindi films, most of which were directed by Kalpana Lajmi. Ek Pal (1986), RudaaliRudaali
Rudaali is a 1993 Hindi film directed by the feminist Indian director Kalpana Lajmi, based on the short story written by famous Bengali litterateur Mahasweta Devi.-Cultural background:...
(1993) and Daman
Daman: A Victim of Marital Violence
Daman: A Victim of Marital Violence is a 2001 Indian film directed by Kalpana Lajmi released on 4 May 2001. The lead actress, Raveena Tandon, won the distinguished National Film Award for Best Actress for her role as Durga Saikia. The film follows the story of a battered wife...
(2001) are major films this period. Many of his earlier songs were re-written in Hindi used as played-back songs in these films. These songs tried to cater to the Hindi film milieu and their social activist lyrics were browbeaten into the lowest common denominator.
Legacy and influences
As a singer, Hazarika was known for his baritone voice and diction; as a lyricist, he was known for poetic compositions and parables whichtouched on themes ranging from romance to social and political commentary; and as a composer for his use of folk music. Some of his most famous compositions were adaptations of American black spirituals
Spiritual (music)
Spirituals are religious songs which were created by enslaved African people in America.-Terminology and origin:...
that he had learned from Paul Robeson
Paul Robeson
Paul Leroy Robeson was an American concert singer , recording artist, actor, athlete, scholar who was an advocate for the Civil Rights Movement in the first half of the twentieth century...
, whom he had befriended during his years in New York City in the early 1950s.
Awards and honors
- Award for the Best Regional Film (Chameli Memsaab; music by Bhupen Hazarika) in the 23rd National Film AwardsNational Film AwardsThe National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
(1975) - Padma ShriPadma ShriPadma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
- the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India (1977) - Gold medal from the State Government of Arunachal PradeshArunachal PradeshArunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
for "outstanding contribution towards tribal welfare, and uplift of tribal culture through cinema and music." (1979) - All India Critic Association Award for best performing folk artist (1979)
- In 1979 and 1980 he won the Ritwik Ghatak Award as best music director for two theatre plays, Mohua Sundari, and Nagini Kanyar Kahini
- Bengal Journalist's Association Indira Gandhi Smriti Puraskar in (1987)
- Sangeet Natak Akademi AwardSangeet Natak Akademi AwardSangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists. The award consists since 2003 of Rs. 50,000, a citation, an angavastram , and a tamrapatra...
(1987) - Dadasaheb Phalke AwardDadasaheb Phalke AwardThe Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in cinema given annually by the Government of India for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. It was instituted in 1969, the birth centenary year of Dadasaheb Phalke, considered as the father of Indian cinema.The award for a particular year is...
(1992) - First Indian to win Best Music for the film RudaaliRudaaliRudaali is a 1993 Hindi film directed by the feminist Indian director Kalpana Lajmi, based on the short story written by famous Bengali litterateur Mahasweta Devi.-Cultural background:...
at the Asia Pacific International Film Festival in Japan (1993) - Padma BhushanPadma BhushanThe Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
- the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India (2001) - Honorary Degree from Tezpur University (2001)
- 10th Kalakar Award for Lifetime Achievement in the year 2002, Kolkata.
- Sangeet Natak Akademi FellowshipSangeet Natak Akademi FellowshipThe Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, also, Sangeet Natak Akademi Ratna Sadasya is an honour for the performing arts in India...
(2008) - Asom Ratna - the highest civilian award in the State of AssamAssamAssam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, India (2009) - In February 2009, the All Assam Students UnionAll Assam Students UnionAll Assam Students Union is a five-tier students' union in Assam, India.All Assam Students Union or AASU is a students' organization in Assam, India. It is best known for leading the six-year Assam Movement against alleged illegal immigrants from Bangladesh...
erected a life size statue of Hazarika on the banks of Digholi Pukhuri in Guwahati. - The Government of Bangladesh has honoured him with "The Muktijodha award" posthumously.
- Asom Sahitya Sabha has honoured him with the title "Biswa Ratna". etc
Filmography
| Year | Film | Credited as | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playback singer Playback singer A playback singer is a singer whose singing is prerecorded for use in movies. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and actors or actresses lip-sync the songs for cameras, while the actual singer does not appear on screen.-South Asia:... |
Composer Composer A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media... |
Director Film director A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:... |
Producer Film producer A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The... |
Writer Screenwriter Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:... |
Actor Actor An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity... |
||
| 1939 | Indramalati Indramalati Indramalati is the second Assamese language film, directed by the great Assamese poet Jyotiprasad Agarwala. It was released in 1939.-Background:... |
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| 1948 | Siraj | ||||||
| 1955 | Pioli Phukan | ||||||
| 1956 | Era Bator Sur | ||||||
| 1958 | Mahut Bandhu Re | ||||||
| 1961 | Shakuntala Sur | ||||||
| 1964 | Pratidhwani | ||||||
| 1964 | Ka Swariti | ||||||
| 1966 | Lati-Ghati | ||||||
| 1969 | Chik Mik Bijuli | ||||||
| 1973 | Titash Ekti Nadir Naam Titash Ekti Nadir Naam Titash Ekti Nadir Naam is a 1973 Bengali film directed by Ritwik Ghatak. The movie was based on a novel by the same name, written by Advaita Malla Burman. The movie explores the life of the fishermen on the bank of the Titash River in Brahmanbaria, Bangladesh.Rosy Samad, Golam Mostafa, Kabori,... |
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| 1973 | Aarop Aarop Aarop is a 1973 Bollywood romance film directed by Atma Ram. The film stars Vinod Khanna, Saira Banu and Vinod Mehra .-Cast:*Vinod Khanna ... Subhash*Saira Banu ... Aruna*Vinod Mehra ... Ravi*Rehman*Johnny Walker ... Dhondudada*Bindu ... Kanchan... |
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| 1974 | For Whom the Sun Shines | ||||||
| 1975 | Chameli Memsaab | ||||||
| 1976 | Roop Konwar Jyoti Parsad Aru Joymoti | ||||||
| 1976 | Mera Dharam Meri Maa | ||||||
| 1977 | Through Melody and Rhythm | ||||||
| 1977 | Shimana Perye | ||||||
| 1979 | Mon-Prajapati | ||||||
| 1979 | Debdas Devdas (1979 film) Devdas is a 1979 film based on the Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay novella, Devdas. The movie is starred by Soumitra Chatterjee, Sumitra Mukherjee and Supriya Choudhury.... |
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| 1982 | Aparoopa Aparoopa Aparoopa is an Assamese language film directed by Jahnu Barua. It is the first feature film of the director and also the first Assamese film produced by National Film Development Corporation of India. It was released in 1982. The film starred Biju Phukan, Suhasini Mulay, Sushil Goswami and Girish... |
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| 1986 | Swikarokti | ||||||
| 1986 | Ek Pal | ||||||
| 1988 | Siraj | ||||||
| 1993 | Rudaali Rudaali Rudaali is a 1993 Hindi film directed by the feminist Indian director Kalpana Lajmi, based on the short story written by famous Bengali litterateur Mahasweta Devi.-Cultural background:... |
||||||
| 1993 | Pratimurti | ||||||
| 1997 | Do Rahain | ||||||
| 1997 | Darmiyaan: In Between | ||||||
| 1998 | Saaz Saaz (film) Saaz is a Hindi movie produced and directed by Sai Paranjpye and released in 1998, starring Aruna Irani and Shabana Azmi in lead roles. The plot is allegedly based on the life of legendary singing sisters of Bollywood, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle . In an interview after the release of the film... |
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| 2000 | Gaja Gamini Gaja Gamini Gaja Gamini is an 2000 Indian film written and directed by M.F. Husain and is his ode to womanhood and his muse of the time, Madhuri Dixit, who stars as the lead in the film.... |
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| 2001 | Daman: A Victim of Marital Violence Daman: A Victim of Marital Violence Daman: A Victim of Marital Violence is a 2001 Indian film directed by Kalpana Lajmi released on 4 May 2001. The lead actress, Raveena Tandon, won the distinguished National Film Award for Best Actress for her role as Durga Saikia. The film follows the story of a battered wife... |
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| 2003 | Kyon? | ||||||
| 2006 | Chingaari Chingaari Chingaari is a Bollywood movie released in 2006. The movie was directed by Kalpana Lajmi who previously directed Rudaali and Daman: A Victim of Marital Violence... |
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| 2011 | Gandhi to Hitler | ||||||