A Study on Dr Bhupen Hazarika's Idea of Masculine Assamese
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JOURNAL OF CRITICAL REVIEWS ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 14, 2020 Defining Luit Poria Deka; A Study On Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s Idea Of Masculine Assamese Identity Through His Songs Parikshit Sarmah Research Scholar Department of Cultural Studies Tezpur University Assam, India, 784001 ABSTRACT: Any form of literature, written only or songs carries the potentiality of being an instrument for the representation or construction of any nation and a binding force of nationalism. Any literary text arises from a set of the embedded condition of the society; Hence, the creation of music artists are the crystal clear representation of the society at one point in time. Post-Independent Assam has been a history of different demands, the quest for identity, the question of “Son of the Soil”, contestation and ethnic revivalism. These issues gain predominance in the context of Assamese literature in the forms of written literature, songs and so on. The songs of Dr Bhupen Hazarika can be contextualized in re-reading Assam post-independence history and this paper endeavours to examine how the concept of Assamese masculinity is constructed and reflected in the songs of Dr Bhupen Hazarika. Throughout his musical journey, Bhupen Hazarika has been influenced by different ideologies, his songs are a burning example of it. This is an attempt to find how an ideal Assamese man is constructed in relation to nationalism, how Assamese masculinity has been defined by the songs of Dr Bhupen Hazarika, how the philosophy of Dr Bhupen Hazarika sees Assamese society in this era. This study not only includes the songs written by Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, but also the related songs written, composed or sung by him. Keywords: Dr Bhupen Hazarika, Assamese Nationalism, Literature, Nationalistic Identity 1. INTRODUCTION: It is foremost to discern how Dr. Bhupen Hazarika has created the image of Assam or Asomi Aai (Mother Assam) in terms of nationalism before going to study how Assamese masculinity is defined in his songs. The most significant element of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika’s Assam can be cited as river Brahmaputra. Even though Assam’s geographical core is divided into two river valley i.e. Brahmaputra valley where most of the communities speak Assamese and Barak valley which is dominated by the Bengali population and Dr. Hazarika is popular equally in both the areas and among both communities, the lion’s share of his literature can be tracked on river Brahmaputra. In one his song, “AaimorsonoreAsomor” Dr. Hazarika constructed the image of Assam as goddess and remembers the contribution of different legends to this mother figure. He sings with the lyrics of another eminent figure of Assam history Parboti Prasad Baruah….. “Aaimor Sankar Puruxe-Kirtane pohile AaimorMadhabe Borgeet gale. Aaimor, Aaire Charanat Bhakat Chapise, Aai mor charan Sewa koru buli.”(Hazarika; 2010) (Trns: Mother in your feet Shankar recites Kirtan, Madhab sings Borgeet and Monks worship you) The picture of Assam as a goddess and the contribution of different Assamese legends as priest to create the image of her is beautifully reflected throughout the song. This song refers Assam a SonoreAsom or golden Assam. So, the prosperity of the nation is based on the contribution of different legends of the soil. In the song, “Aai o Aai”, Dr Hazarika refers to Ahom kings as the root of Assam nation.Meanwhile, the image of Assam has been magnified in reference to its geographical location also in his several songs like “Axam Amar Rupahi”, written in the year 1969. But such songs can be traced in his writing as a product of his homesickness during his life in Bombay. The erection of Brahmaputra River or Luit as the benchmark of Assam nation can be tracked in most of his songs. In “Mahabahu Brahmaputra, Mahamilanar Tirtha” written during 1980, the identity formation of Assam dependent on the contributions of Sankardeva, Lachit Borphukan, Bishnu Rabha, Jyotiprasad Agarwala based on the mighty Brahmaputra can be seen. But, a particular song “Sankar Madhabar Moha Moha Sristit” is proper specimen to study how there had been changes and additions in terms of Dr Hazarika’s construction of Assam in 4296 JOURNAL OF CRITICAL REVIEWS ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 14, 2020 different phases of his life. This song was first written in the year of 1972 and some extra stanzas were add in 1880. 1970s is the phase when Dr Hazarika has been in Calcutta and have been in touch of Bengali ideology.This song draws the picture of Assam grounds on the contribution of different personalities like Padmanath Gohainboruah, Bishnu Rabha, Chandrakumar Agarwala, Hemchandra Goswami, Ambikagiri Raychoudhury, Rajanikanta, Azan Fakir, Lakhsminath Bezbaruah, Mafizuddin Ahmed Hazarika; and this song clearly talks against the ongoing ideology against Bengali after Bhasa Movement in Assam. This is a proper example how he believes such imaginary enemity between Bengali and Assamese were constructed by a certain section of the society including intellects and journalists. But, when he added certain lines in 1980, referring Assam movement of 1979-1980 as “Xes Saraighat” (the last battle of Saraighat), he writes- Thousands of voices demonstrated how non-violence movements are the root of Assam’s quest for their rights. Dr Hazarika adds the martyrs of Assam Movement Khargeswar Talukdar, AjitNeog, Nagen Deka, Kumud Gogoi, Dilip Hujuri in his list of identity marker of Assam in its revised form(1980) shows how in that period, even though he is criticized for not supporting the movement directly, has serious support to it. But, it is interesting to see how Dr Hazarika has talks about his urge to establish to project the so called uncivilized cultures of Assam in the global platform with proper honor. In his song “Ami nahou mathu” (1990), he writes… “PagaliPagali Deodharjanir Ulong Nrityak Sabhya korim”(Hazarika; 2010) (Trans: We will establish the naked dance of Deodhani as civilized) (N.B. Deodhani is a sacred dance form of Assam where in some places women dances without clothes in their body worshipping Goddess Manasa) Different songs written in different time phases has also glimpse of Dr. Hazarika’s perception of Assamese rural life. In his song, “O Ami Tejal Gaonliya” (Movie: Biplobi, 1948), a picture of rural Assam is drawn in reference to its agricultural society dependent on mighty Brahmaputra. After series of conflicts between Assamese speaking and Bengali speaking communities in the 1960s and 70s, Dr. Hazarika writes about the Bengali women as adopted child in his song “Asomi Aaire Lalita-Palita” in the year of 1982 (Hazarika; 2010). This identifies how the image of Assam in the philosophy of Dr Bhupen Hazarika has been centred in the Assamese speaking community. But, interestingly in one of his songs, “Asam Dexar Bagisare” recorded for the film “Chameli Memsab” (1974), Dr Hazarika defines the tea tribe girl as even though their forefathers belongs to somewhere else, they belongs to this culture itself. This transformation can also be tracked as the outcome of influential Assam movement started from the year of 1979. This movement took shape just after the Election Commission of India’s concern at the rapid change in the demographic pattern of Assam due to alleged influx of Bengali speaking immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh increased Assamese anxiety in 1978. Such example reflects what Dilip Kumar Dutta said about Dr. Hazarika that the language movements is a dilemma for him between Assamese and Bengali people (Dutta: 1982). As in some songs Dr Hazarika urges for Assamese-Bengali brotherhood, but there are certain examples where he defines Bengali as Enemy of Assam. In his song “Aai o Aai” based on the separation of North-Eastern states from Undivided Assam, he sings about Tribura, “Aaimoi Bangar himat ghar xajisu, Hatarur sam reh-rup, Tripura namere raize janibo, Pahori najabi muk”(Hazarika; 2010) (Trans: Mother I am building my house on the boarder of Bengal, Will spying on them, People will know me as Tripura, do not forget me) A man who has been in West Bengal for an ample amount of time and has done most of work there, it is interesting to hear to consider Bengal as enemy. This can be called as the outcome of influenced by the constructed ideological imagination of Bengali as enemy by Assamese people. At best, the image of Dr Hazarika’s Assam has been based on a dynamic philosophy across time on works of different personalities, the natural beauty of Assam and most importantly on Assamese nationalism. In his first half of life, where it was undivided Assam or “BorAxom” and towards the later life, Hazarika created the image of Assam on solidarity of different caste, tribe and ethnicity of the state. But, as a whole the sketch of Assam in Dr Hazarika’s canvas is grounds on Assamese nationalism where mighty Brahmaputra is a mediator. Decoding “Notun Purux”: Assamese masculinity in Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s songs Masculinity is a set of attributes, behaviors and roles; it is not based on a single norm and in terms of our perception, masculine identity is different person by person. As for a labor, masculinity is judges by the physical labor one has done but it is the intellectual knowledge one has for an academician. Dr Hazarika’s Assamese 4297 JOURNAL OF CRITICAL REVIEWS ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 14, 2020 masculinity often regarded in terms of Assamese nationalism, always talked about the new Assamese man. The life and philosophical phase of Dr. Hazarika can be divided differently. His philosophy is the combination of leftist and socialist ideology, his support to Assamese nationalist movements (accused of being chauvinist) and right wing politics. But these philosophies are the outcome of his relation to different organizations in different stages of his life.