Student fans of late Bhupen Hazarika here were left spellbound as musicians and dancers executed a fine harmony with his motley collection of songs and poems at a tribute to the legendary singer-composer.
The prestigious Ramjas College of Delhi University played host to the function in which Xatriya dance exponent Jatin Goswami stole the show with his ballad Luhit ke gatha.
A 52-member troupe from Gauhati Commerce College presented various dance forms like Bihu and Xatriya and those of tribes like the Misings, the Deoris, the Bodos, the Rabhas, the Tiwas and the tea garden workers.
"This dance medley was specially created for the Occasion. As its name Luhit ke gatha suggests, the repertoire speaks of Assam's rich and unique cultural forms. We come across so many amazing cultural forms as we move from one place to another in Assam. And we dedicated this special creation to Bhupen Hazarika, whose works highlighted all these diverse forms," Goswami told PTI.
On Friday's function, he said, "It is a very noble exercise when culture bridges any gap among students. Our performances showed how our rich cultural heritage binds us together. People also got a glimpse of our richness in the folk music."
Popular Assamese singer Sadananda Gogoi led the pack who rendered several songs of the Dada Saheb Phalke winner including Dil hoom hoom, O Ganga and Naino mein darpan hai (from the Vinod Khanna-Saira Bano-starrer Aarop).
The theme of the event was "Unity in diversity", something what Hazarika professed through his songs that also talked about Mississippi, Volga, Ottawa, Austria and Paris. Hazarika, a poet, music composer, singer, actor, journalist, author and film-maker, took the rich folk heritage of Assam and interpreted it beautifully for the world through his songs.
"It was an honour to showcase the rich cultural of Assam in our college in memory of legendary Bhupen Hazarika. Such exercise not only helps students to understand a region even better but also helps them shape up as a better citizen of the country," said PN Dutta Gupta, vice-principal of Ramjas College.
