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Celebrating the North East

In memory of Bhupen Hazarika

Kavita, New Delhi
It was a much-anticipated evening. The music of distant North East India was to reverberate in Delhi and that too in memory of legendary lyricist, musician and singer late Dr. Bhupen Hazarika. The singers and musicians from Assam, Nagaland and Manipur did not disappoint.
Though the programme got off to a faltering start with some Hazarika songs by amateur singer Robin Kalita, what followed was a treat for listeners. Mayukh Hazarika, Bhupen Hazarika's nephew, truly created magic with his baritone voice that captured the quintessential elder Hazarika's themes — ranging from romantic numbers to hard hitting social commentaries, to songs of peace and humanity. The young Hazarika effortlessly switched between Assamese, Bengali and Hindi.
Later, he was joined by his wife Laili Dutta-Hazarika in a charming romantic duet. Finally Laili took the stage in some solo numbers, capped by a beautiful rendition of Bhupen Hazarika's "Dil Hoorn Hoorn Kare” for the Hindi film "Rudaali” which won the National Film Award for actor Dimple Kapadia.
When Laili stepped down from the stage, the redoubtable choir Nagaland Singing Ambassadors took over. The delightful bunch of young singers, led by LipokmarTzudir, is well known for its 19th and 20th century choral works and choral compositions of Naga composers. Hits with the audience were the popular if soppy theme song from the film "Titanic” and a Naga composition. The choir has performed at many cities in India and most recently at the International Culture Mix Festival with 45 musicians from Europe and the US.
Last came up the "father” of the Naga blues, Rewben Mashangva, who has revived the musical traditions of his Tangkhul community. He was accompanied by his 11 -year-old son, Saka, who played a traditional cowbell and sang along with his father. Mashangya has a fascinating history — he comes from a small village in the Ukhrul district of Manipur. Not content with being a mere folk singer, he is also an accomplished musician, composer, instrument maker and researcher. He sang songs of peace and harmony and has worked for the past 15 years towards the preservation and development of tribal folk music. Rewben has released two albums, “Naga Folk Blues”
and “Creation”.
A major part of the credit for the enchanting evening goes to the Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research (C-NES). By bringing alive the memory of a musical legend who is popular in Assam, besides West Bengal and Bangladesh, the Centre has also showcased "facets of the North Eastern region which remains lesser known through other parts of the country,” says Sanjoy Hazirika, managing trustee of C-NES and director of the Centre for North East Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, a central university.
The exposure of the Delhi audience to the geographically and historically distant North East cannot but go some way in bridging the divide that separates India from a culturally rich region that unfortunately one knows little about.