Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary - known for its flagship resident and India’s only ape — 'the Hoollock Gibbon' is situated in Jorhat district in Assam with semi-evergreen forests and evergreen patches amidst tea gardens and human settlements. The sanctuary has derived its name from the Hoolock Gibbons, an endangered species of primates, found only in India.

Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary is popularly known for its staggering primate community and it is one of the highest primate density areas in the world. The sanctuary covers an area of 20.98 sq. km. At the time of British rule and till 1996, the sanctuary was known as Hoollongapar Forest. The Forest had been named after the species of trees - Holong and Agar. The Government of Assam has notified it as Wildlife Sanctuary on 30th of July 1997 and since then it came to be known as Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary.

The sanctuary is dominated by trees like Ou Tenga (Dillenia indicia),Amari (Aglaia spectabilis), Gahorisopa (Magnolia griffithii), Borhamthuri ((Magnoliaceae hodgsonii), Bandardima (Dysoxylum sp.), Titachapa (Michelia baillonii), Bhelekor (Aristolochia tagala) etc. The primate community of Gibon Wildlife Sanctuary consists of four species of macaques, one species each of langur, gibbon and loris. Some of the animals found in the forest are Western Hoolock Gibbon, Elephant, Leopard, Tiger, Pangolin, Assamese macaque, Pig tailed macaque, Rhesus macaque, Stump tailed macaque, Capped langur, Slow loris, Jungle cat, Indian civet, Giant squirrel, Barking deer, Sambar, Wild pig and Squirrels.

There are more than 200 varieties of Birds found in the area. Indian Pied Horn Bill, Osprey, Hill Myna, Kalij pheasant etc. can also be seen. Recently, on January 09, 2009, White-winged wood duck, a rare and engendered bird was sighted in the sanctuary.

The sanctuary is 5 kms away from Mariani Rly. Junction and 25 kms from Rowriah Airport (Jorhat). It is about 19 kms from Jorhat town.

(Ref -

1. http://conservation.in/blog/wildlife-under-wheels/;

2. http://wildmahseer.com/index.php/wildlife-sanctuaries/hollongapar-gibbon-wildlife-sanctuaries.html)

(Photo taken from -

1. http://conservation.in/blog/wildlife-under-wheels/ - Narayan Sharma;

2. http://apture.s3.amazonaws.com/0000012488b339898538dc4a007f000000000001.1436691516_df569b4b50%5B1%5D.jpg - Vivek Tiwari)

Aideu Handique (1915-2002)

Aideu Handique (1915-2002) - an illiterate village girl then, became the first woman to act in the first Assamese film 'Joymoti' in the year 1933. She earned accolades for her performance and her bold step. But back in her village, her family was ostracised. So much so that her parents would not even let her enter the house for fear of the society.

The heroine of Jyotiprasad Agarwalla’s 'Joymoti' was forced to live as a spinster as nobody would marry her after the acting stint, a ‘taboo’ for women in those days. Another reason for her to remain unmarried was because she had to call her co-actor 'Bongohor-deo' (husband) in the film. And to make matters even worse for her, she never got to watch the film, except for catching up with some surviving scenes screened during the Golden jubilee of Assamese film industry in 1985.

Aideu Handique spent her life in a cowshed — a thatched hut— for the rest of her life.

(More information about Aideu Handique can be found in the following links -

1. http://www.bipuljyoti.in/cinema/aideuhandique.html;

2. http://utpalborpujari.wordpress.com/2008/10/06/tragic-story-of-a-life-sacrificed-for-cinema/;

3. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/aideu-the-story-of-assams-first-actress/224472/)

In national competition, Ao played for Mohun Bagan between 1943 and 1952. In the 1950 Durand Cup final, he switched his position when the goalkeeper of his team had to leave the field due to injury, and helped his team to draw the match. In 1972 he received a rare honor of being made a member of the All India Council of Sports.

Dr. T. Ao was the son of Rev. Subongwati Ao and Maongsangla. He was married to Deikim Doungel.

After passing from Cotton College of Gauhati, Assam Aao went to study medicine in R.G.Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata in 1943. In the same year he became a member of Mohun Bagan Athletic Club. In 1963, the Government posted him as Assistant Civil Surgeon in Kohima Hospital, Nagaland. Dr.T.Ao rose to become the first Naga Director of Health Services. He held this post till his retirement in 1978.

In 2009, Union minister for mines and DoNER B.K Handique inaugurated the first Dr. T. Ao Football Trophy at the DDSC Stadium in Dimapur, Nagaland.

(Photo taken from - http://dimapur.nic.in/taoprofile.htm)

*The earliest known Assamese writer is Hema Saraswati, who wrote a small poem "Prahrada Charita".

*In the 14th century the most well-known poet of the Pre-Vaishnavite sub period Madhav Kandali rendered Valmiki's Ramayana into Assamese verse Kotha Ramayana.

*In 1819 the publication of Bible in Assamese marked the onset of modern Assamese period.

*In 1836 'the Missionaries' established the first printing press in Sibsagar.

*In 1846 Nathan Brown with Oliver Cutter and Miles Bronson published the first Assamese newspaper/magazine 'Arunodoi'. Hemchandra Barua was the editor of the magazine

*In 1848 Nathan Brown published the first book on Assamese Grammar.

*In 1867 'the Missionaries' published the first Assamese-English Dictionary compiled by Miles Bronson.

*In 1873 Assamese was reinstated as the state language of Assam.

*In 1889 the period of modern literature began with the publication the Assamese journal 'Jonaki' (জোনাকী) under the leadership of Chandra Kumar Agarwala.

Laxminath Bezbarua

*In 1889 Laxminath Bezbarua introduced the short story form in assamese.

*In 1894 Rajanikanta Bordoloi published the first Assamese novel Mirijiyori (মিৰি জীয়ৰী).

*In 1901 'Cotton College' the first institution for higher education, was Established in Guwahati, Assam by Sir Henry John Stedman Cotton, the then-Chief Commissioner of the erstwhile British province of Assam.

*In 1909 Laxminath Bezbarua created the state song or state anthem of Assam 'O mor aponar desh' (অ’ মোৰ আপোনাৰ দেশ) for an Assamese magazine named 'Baahi'. It was officially adopted as the Assam's state song in 1927 at Oxom Chhatra Xonmilon held in Tezpur.

*In 1917 the Oxom Xahityo Xobha (অসম সাহিত্য সভা) was formed as a guardian of the Assamese society and the forum for the development of Assamese language and literature. Padmanath Gohain Baruah was the first president of the society.

*In 1919 'Arun', the first book of poems, was published. It was written by the 'first Asssamese Poetess and the first Assamese female short-story writer' Jamuneswari Khatoniar. Jamuneswari Khatoniar, Dharmeswari Devi Baruani and Nalinibala Devi and are regarded as the trio of poetesses of the same decade.

*In 1935, Rupkonwar Jyotiprasad Agarwala produced and directed the first Assamese film Joymoti under the banner of Critrakala Movietone.

*In 1947 the first medical college of North-East India 'Assam Medical College', was established in Dibrugarh.

*In 1948 the first university of North East India 'Guwahati University' was established.

*In 1955, the first under graduate engineering college in North-Eastern India 'Assam Engineering College' was established.

*In 1968 Prof. Bhabananda Deka, Parikshit Hazarika and Upendra Nath Goswami formed the 'Asomiya Sahitya Samaj' in Delhi. They were subservient in the introduction of Assamese Language in MIL Department of Delhi University (DU).

Pasighat - is the oldest town of Arunachal Pradesh established by the British in 1911. It is situated on the banks of the river Siang, eastern side of Arunachal Pradesh and is at a height of 152 m. from the sea level.

Pasighat has been often called the 'gateway of the state of Arunachal Pradesh'. Pasighat derives its name from the 'Pasis', an 'Adi' tribe of the area. With its breathtaking hillside and lush-green river valleys, Pasighat is a tourists delight.

After it's establishment in 1911, the British government had appointed a political officer with a view to help the natives of the area to come down to the plains of Assam for trade and commerce. Pasighat was founded as a gateway to administrative convenience of the greater Abor Hills and area north.

Pasighat is known for receiving highest rainfall in a single year. It is also ideal for adventure sports activities. The Daying Ering Wild Life Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh is located at a distance of 13 km from Pasighat and is one of the few sanctuaries located on an island. One has to cruise through river Siang by boat to reach this sanctuary.

Ziro - is a small picturesque destination in Arunachal Pradesh with Pine and Bamboo groves, villages, a craft centre and Tarin Fish Farm which is located at a high altitude. Ziro is known for the practice of rearing fish in the paddy field.

It is one of the oldest towns in Arunachal Pradesh and is home to the Apa-Tani tribe. Few special characteristic features of Apa-Tanis are: (a) Apa-Tanis are permanently settled in one place whereas other tribes are nomadic in nature move from one place to another in search of fertile lands. (b) Apa-Tanis cultivate permanent wet land cultivations whereas other tribes practice dry land cultivations by clearing the forests by burning the jungles. (c) Apa-Tanis used to practice facial tattoos before; now they have dropped this custom few decades back.

Ziro has highest numbers of Schools in Arunachal Pradesh. The number of Schools are even more than the State Capital, Itanagar. There are more than hundred private and Government Schools and one college run by Christian missionary.

Ziro is the district headquarter of Lower Subansiri district.

Paces to see:

1. Shiva Linga at Kardo - believed to be one of the tallest Shiva Lingas in the world, It is about 4 Km away from Hapoli town.

2. Talley Valley - has diverse flora and fauna ranging from sub-tropical to alpine forests, this biodiversity hot spot is approximately 32 KM north east of Ziro and makes a perfect route for trekking.

3. Ziro Putu - is a Hillock at old Ziro from which one can have bird’s eye view of Ziro valley. The Airstrip is also located beneath this hillock in the midst of the scenic paddy field.

(Photo taken from - http://lowersubansiri.nic.in/images/photogal/ziro3.JPG)

Manik Raitong (Manik the Miserable) - is the first coloured film in Khasi language of Meghalaya. The film was directed by Ardhendu Bhattacharya. It won the Indian Panorama 1984 Award (from amongst 21 Indian Feature Films).

The movie was made in the year 1984 and was about 149 min in duration. It was made under the banner of Neo Cine Production. The movie was screen played and directed by Ardhendhu Bhattacharya and the storyline was from Rishan Rapsang which was based on one of Meghalaya's earliest legends. The music for the film was composed by a Japanese musician Kazu Matsui. Skendrowell Syiemlieh rendered his voice for Manik Raitong and in 1991 he received the 'U Tirot Sing Award'.

The lead actors in the film were William Rynjah, Sheba Diengdoh, Gilbert Synnah, Veronica Nongbet, Benjamin Kharkongor, Diamond Matthew and Assamese female actor Chetana Das. It was also the first movie for Sheba Diengdoh's who acted as Lieng Makaw, the female lead in the movie.

The movie represented the Indian Panorama at the Tokyo Film Festival. It also won the Appheia Award.

(The first Khasi film 'Synjuk Ri ki Laiphew Syiem' (The Alliance of Thirty Kings) was directed and produced by Hamlet Bareh Ngapkynti.)

Ardhendu Bhattacharya - Bhattacharya holds a postgraduate degree in philosophy at the Visva-Bharati University in Shantiniketan and then went to the Film and Television Institute of India to study further. He made documentaries in Bombay, Guwahati and worked alongside as a philosophy lecturer at 'Gauhati University'. He directed two famous movies, Indira in 1980 and Manik Raitong in 1984.

About

Dr. Bhupen Hazarika (1926-2011)

Dr. Bhupen Hazarika (1926 - 2011) - known for his crisp baritone voice and flawless diction, was a noted music director, playwright, actor, journalist, author, lyricist, politician and film-maker of the highest repute from Assam. He wrote and sang his first song at the age of 10 and worked for the second Assamese film, Indramalati, in 1939, when he was 12 years old. He was the last of the great mass singers and one of the great ballad singers in India.

Family & Education

Dr. Hazarika was born on 8th Sept, 1926, in Sadiya, Assam. He was born to the family of Neelkantha Hazarika, a teacher. His mother was Shantipriya Hazarika. He was the eldest among 10 brothers and sisters. After Bhupen Hazarika, his brother Jayanta Hazarika (1943-1977) is immensely popular as a singer and musician in Assam and West Bengal.

Bhupen Hazarika did his Inter (Arts) in Guwahati in 1942, and went on to Banaras Hindu University to complete his Bachelor of Arts in 1944. After completion of Masters in Political Science in 1946, he left for New York, USA where he lived for five years and received his doctorate (PhD) in Mass Communication from Columbia University. He also received the Lisle Fellowship from Chicago University, USA to study the use of educational project development through cinema. Between 1949 and 1955 in USA, he met musician 'Paul Robeson' with whom he became closely associated. He also met artist 'Picasso' in France. In November 2001, he was honoured with the Doctor of Philosophy (Honoris Causa) from the Tezpur University.

Works

Bhupen Hazarika was solely responsible for installing the first state owned film studio in Guwahati, Assam, first studio of its kind in India. He produced, directed, and composed music for Arunachal Pradesh's first Hindi feature film in colour "Mera Dharam Meri Maa" in 1977. Apart from this he has produced, directed, composed music and sang in about 80 (eighty) films in Assamese, Hindi and other languages.

He is one of the leading authors/poets of Assam and has to his credit more than one thousand lyrics and more than fifteen major books on short stories, essays, travelogues, poems and children's rhymes. He has produced and directed many documentaries in various languages. He had also produced a 52 (fifty-two) episodes tele-serial titled "Dawn" for telecast on StarTV. Bhupen Hazarika has scored music and sung for the highest number of Assamese films made in the past 40 years. His remarkable popularity brought him to the legislative Assembly as an Independent member between 1967 and 1972.

He represented India in Berlin at the World Conference of Composers who used songs as an instrument in social change. He was given the honour of inaugurating the World Seminar in Congress Hall with his own songs on the liberation of Bangladesh. In 1993 Dr. Hazarika had been conferred the highest honour by making him the president of Asom Sahitya Sabha.

Filmography

Click Here for Dr. Bhupen Hazarika filmography

Awards

He has won the President's National Award for the best film maker thrice - for Shakuntala in 1960, Pratidhwani in 1964, and Loti Ghoti in 1967. He won the Arunachal Pradesh Government's Gold Medal in 1977 for his outstanding contribution towards Tribal Welfare, and Upliftment of Tribal Culture through cinema and music. He also won the National Award as best music composer in India in 1977 for the Assamese film Chameli Memsaab. While he was studying in USA, he was awarded a Gold Medallion in New York as the best interpreter of 'India's folk songs' by 'Eleanor Roosevelt'.

In 1977 Bhupen Hazarika got the Padamshree award. In the same year he also got two awards in West Bengal for the best music director for the film 'Dampati' from The Bangla Chalachitra Prasar Samity and the Bangla Chalchitra Purashkar Samity. In 1978 he won two awards from Bangladesh as rhe best music director for the film 'Simana Periye'. In 1978, the Gramophone Company of India bestowed on him the Gold Disc for his outstanding contribution towards Indian Music. Apart from this he receieved more than 100 awards for his cotribution towards different fields.

In 1987, Sangeet Natak Academy in New Delhi awarded him for his outstanding contribution towards Indian music. In 1999, he has been appointed by the Honourable President of India as the Chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi for a period of five years. In 1987 he won "Assam's Man of the Year" award. Same year the Government of Assam bestowed its highest award the 'Shankar Dev Award' for his contribution to Assam's culture

His biggest achievement in terms of awards would be 'The Dadasaheb Phalke Award', also considered as 'India's Oscar', which he was honoured In 1993 for his lifetime's contribution to development of Indian cinema.

In 2001, he was honoured by the Government of India with the 'Padma Bhushan', one of the highest civilian awards. In the same year, he was given the 'Lata Mangeshkar Award' for his overall contribution in music by the Madhya Pradesh Government.

In 2012, he was posthumously awarded the 'Padma Vibhushan', India's second highest civilian honour.

Marriage

Dr Hazarika married Priyamvada Patel, who belongs to the well-known Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel family, and has a son named Tej Hazarika. He met Priyamvada in America where he fell in love with her. But his parents opposed the match. So, before he returned to India, he got married to her in America. They were separated after 13 years.

Associations

Bhupen Hazarika has been associated with noted film directors like painter 'Maqbool Fida Husain', 'Sai Paranjype', 'Lekh Tandon', 'Kalpana Lajmi' and 'Bimal Dutt'. He has directed music for many movies by these directors. Before his death he was staying in Mumbai with Kalpana Lajmi with a 40-year-long association. M F Husain preferred him to music veterans such as Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan. He said, ‘Bhupen, you paint when you sing. Your music paints, but my brush can’t sing.’

Death

Dr. Bhupen Hazarika was hospitalized in the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and Medical Research Institute in Mumbai in 2011 after he suffered dehydration. He was in ICU for four months and required dialysis due to kidney failure. He was admitted to the intensive care unit on June 30, 2011. He died of multiple organ failure at the age of 86.

(Ref - 1. www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhupen_Hazarika; 2. www.bhupenhazarika.com)

Neer-Mahal – also means a ‘palace on water’, is located at Melaghar, in Tripura. It is about 55 km from Agartala. The palace was built by King or Maharaja Birbikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur in the middle of the lake Rudrasagar in 1930. The palace is the 2nd largest of its kind in India after the Jalmahal in Rajasthan and the only one in Eastern India.

Known as ‘lake palace’ of Tripura, Neer-Mahal was constructed as a summer residence. It was Maharaja Birbikram Bahadur’s idea to build a palace in the beautiful Rudrasagar lake and in 1921 he accredited the British company Martin and Burns to construct the palace for him. The company took nine years to complete the work. Maharaja Birbikram Bahadur belonged to the ‘Manikya Dynasty’ which is the 2nd largest dynasty in the world. The palace is the establishment of Maharaja’s great taste and his fascinating idea of blending Hindu and Muslim traditions and cultures.

The palace is divided into two parts. The western side of the palace is known as Andar Mahal. It was made for the royal family. The eastern side is an open-air theatre where drama, theatre, dance and other cultural events were organized for the enjoyment of Maharajas and their royal families. The palace has 24 rooms in total.

Neer-Mahal has two stairways inside leading down to a landing on the water of Rudrasagar Lake. Maharajas used to go by motor boat to the palace from ‘Rajghat’.

Somdev Devvarman or Somdev Dev Varman – is a tennis player from Tripura, India and was born in Guwahati, Assam, on February 13, 1985. Somdev is the first tennis player in the world to win the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in men's singles tennis and the first Indian to win a gold medal in the men’s singles tennis event of the Asian Games. He won the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games 2010 in New Delhi, India and created history by winning a gold medal at the Asian Games 2010 in Guangzhou, China. He is also the second (2nd) tennis player from Assam after Bidyut Goswami to make it to the world tennis.

Devvarman belongs to Tripura’s erstwhile royal family. He is the grandson of Tripura's late royal scion Bikramendra Kishore Debbarman, popularly known as Bidurkarta. His father is Mr. Pravanjan Devvarman, a retired income tax commissioner. Somdev grew up near Chennai. In 2005, he went to attend University of Virginia in USA. He earned a sociology degree in May 2008.

Devvarman started his journey as a tennis player at the age of nine in Chennai in 1994 and after learning the basics he made it to the Britannia Amritraj Tennis Academy in 2000. In 2002, at the age of 17, he competed in his first tournaments in India. His biggest achievement during this time was a victory in the Kolkata F2 championship in 2004 after which he rose to 666 in world ranking. He got into full time tennis and turned pro in 2008. While studying at University of Virginia, Devvarman won the ‘2007 NCAA Singles Championship’ and ‘2008 NCAA Singles Championship’. With these titles, he became the 13th player in the 124-year history of the ‘NCAA Singles National Championship’ to win consecutive titles, and just the fourth to do so in the past 50 years with an unprecedented 44-1 record in 2008. He was named ‘ACC Men’s Tennis Player of the Week’ in Virginia in 2007. Apart from winning Gold at the Commonwealth, 2010, and Asian Games, 2010, in the 'men's singles', Somdev had also won the 'mens's doubles' Gold on Nov 22, 2010 with partner Sanam Singh at the Asian Games.

Somdev has played many national and international games and tournaments including ATP, Wimbledon, Australian Open, US open, etc. He is the member of India's Davis Cup team. In 2007, he made it to the Davis Cup squad for the Asia-Oceania group. He made his Davis Cup debut in February 2008 against Uzbekistan player D. Istomin in Delhi. His current ranking in the international level is 95. He is the first Indian to reach the final of the ‘Chennai Open 2009’.

Few facts about Somdev Devvarman:
• Born: February 13, 1985
• Birthplace: Assam, India
• Residence: Charlottesville,VA, U.S.A.
• Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
• Weight: 160 lbs (73 kg)
• Plays: Right-handed
• Turned Pro: 2008
• Coach: Jacek Wolicki

Dr Bhupen Hazarika, the legend, touched me personally.

Neither am I man of song or letters or among the rich and powerful. But Bhupen Hazarika's last ride to his final resting place was like the end of a personal journey for me.

A Journey which began when, as a 3 year old in in Kachari field Jorhat, I saw him singing and my parents going ga ga over his songs. We had a 33 RPM long record player. The first long player I ever saw. Later, he used to visit our place in Shillong and time would fly over drink breaks into songs and into early mornings. My mother used to serve 'pakoras' as the Jalsa progressed. I and my little sister would peer into the room hiding behind the curtains, quite sleepy and being forced to wake up to his songs, while my enthusiastic mother by his side.

He used to call us out. We would get scared as we considered him as 'Modopi Manuh'. Last I saw him about 10 days before his departure from this world in Kokila ben Hospital, Mumbai (thanks to my good friend and colleague Mr Debasish Sharma). He really looked frail and exhausted and ready to be set free to be on his way as Jajabor, wandering across the universe. God soon gave him his wish.

Thus as a govt officer making the arrangements for the funeral I was my way to the funeral site that day early morning. But I took a detour up towards Kamakhya hill to pray for this great soul. And as the sleeping city of Guwahati woke up to a new day, the eternal Sun came out with the radiance and the veil of fog over the city glittered as a universal shroud for this lover of Assam’s beauty which he immortalized through his songs. Again at the pyre I became a little boy again peering at the huge crowd of famous, powerful as well as common folk. The pyre became that curtain from where I used to peer four decades ago.

Great bard... today please be free to go forth as the brightest streak of light from the valley of Burha luit. But look upon us with your goodness and indomitable spirit so that we all become little Bhupens with feelings for humanity and the world around us.

-by Moloy Bora, ACS

I feel blessed to have encountered many times with this well known person who is considered the God embodied in flesh. After our beloved Dr. Bhupen Hazarika’s sad news of demise in Mumbai reached Guwahati, we witnessed a movement of people in very large numbers. It is now when I have realized to a greater depth that Bhupen Dada was for the mass – but was of the same level of Srimanta Sankardev, Mahatma Gandhi, J F Kenedy or Indira Gandhi.

I had heard the name of this exceptionally outstanding and notable person for the first time as a child, when my brother, Late Achyut Kr Thakuria, showed me the film “Ara Baator Sur” and told me about Bhupen Hazarika. I was even fortunate enough as a child to meet Bhupen Da personally, when my father Late Pandit Dadhiram Thakuria took me for a ‘Bhupen Hazarika concert’ at Baghmara, in the Old Kamrup district of Assam.

In 1968, when my husband Late Bhabananda Deka was working in Delhi, he and couple of his friends took great effort in introducing Assamese Language in the MIL Department of Delhi University. He was highly appreciated for his work by Bhupen dada.

When G P Sippy came to Guwahati few years back, I had the privilege of sitting in the same row of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika in a musical concert and watching Lata Mangeshkar and other artists from Mumbai (then Bombay) perform. In the same day, my son’s biographical book on Dr. Bhupen Hazarika ‘Onyo Ek Jajabor, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika’ was also inaugurated in the same occasion by GP Sippy.

After reading my book for children ‘Padmashree Nalini Bala Devi’, Bhupen dada, in his ‘golden pad’ sent me a review which I have kept in safety till now. The review was also published in the book.

While his stay in Kolkata (then Calcutta), he used to take my home-made ‘black soda’ in small bottles from me.

I had the opportunity of attending the Asom Sahitya Sabha in Rongpur, Assam, as a delegate with writer Arpana Banikya. That was where I met writer Khuswant Singh for the first time along with Dr. Bhupen Hazarika.

I remember, even when my youngest son had to go to Delhi for an eye operation, Bhupen Dada was the one to book a seat for him in the Batra Hospital. And throughout the time my two sons and my husband were in Delhi, Bhupen dada constantly been in touch to check the updates regarding the operation and saw to it that everything went well. That was the time when he would often meet my husband to talk about the developments of Assam.

One can never forget Bhupen Hazarika. May his soul rest in ataraxis, and this is all I ask from God today.

(On Nov 8, 2011, I, along with my eldest son, daughter-in-law and grand-daughter, went to Dr. Bhupen Hazarika’s house in Nijara Paar, Guwahati. I met Sudakshina Sharma (Bhupen Hazarika’s sister) and gave my condolences. After some time Bhupen Dada’s son, Tej Hazarika, also joined us. He was very warm and was thankful to all the people of Assam and India. I felt as if I met Bhupen Dada again.)

I know no music, neither writing nor poems,

I am a layman,

Not even worth of praising a soul like you,

But yes, I am a true Assamese,

Who loves her land, her native, and those songs of the native.

Your role have been immense,

You were sharp, intellectual, and energetic;

Also were you honest, truthful and straightforward,

I could do nothing, but praise;

As I am a layman,

I know no literature, neither lyrics nor rhythm.

That energy evolved from the “The Same Boat Brothers……”

Which could make a layman sing, ..sing aloud…..

“aami eke khon naworei jatri, xohojatri”,

That rhythm, the vibration, that spirit,

Will not be felt again.

Those words of “bisaron moromor maat exar”,

Will not evolve again.

I can do nothing, but just praise,

I pray if I can do something someday for this native,

If I am bestowed upon the strength to carry forward

…..a few words of yours,

If I can be of any help to my Assam,

If I can make your dream of that pure, green,

…and bright Assam coming true,

You have done immense….

And now, you rest.

You rest in peace.

It is our work now to take this native forward.

I pray at this day,

“Bestow upon strength to this generation…

…to make your dreams come true.

I repeat, I am a layman,

And I am unworthy to praise a soul like you,

But the feelings…!! Where should I dump these?

Thus I beg your pardon for any mistake.

And accept this tribute by a layman!