GUWAHATI, Nov 5 - The State today remembered and paid homage to their beloved music maestro Dr Bhupen Hazarika on his fifth death anniversary.
Attending a function at the Dr Bhupen Hazarika Samadhi Kshetra (memorial) at Jalukbari here, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today said that the ideals of Dr Hazarika would forever shine as a beacon for the Assamese society and urged the young generation to contribute meaningfully to society by emulating his ideals.
Recollecting Dr Hazarika�s contributions in strengthening the bond among the different communities and tribes of the State, Sonowal said that transcending the boundaries of country and region, Dr Hazarika was able to establish the Assamese identity on the global cultural map and introduced the world to the unique music and culture of the land.
�It was the dream of Dr Hazarika to build a greater Assamese society based on humanitarian values and we must strive hard to realise his dreams following his ideals of universal brotherhood,� he said.
Terming Dr Hazarika as a global icon similar in stature to the likes of Paul Robson and Nelson Mandela, Chief Minister Sonowal said that the youth of the State must get inspired by the ideals of the cultural doyen to establish Assam among the top states in the country and also defend the age-old unity and harmony of the Assamese society in the face newer challenges.
�Dr Hazarika was the voice of the oppressed and downtrodden, fighting for justice and equality. The government is mindful of the difficulties of the common people and has undertaken many activities for the uplift of the underprivileged sections of society,� he said.
The All Assam Students� Union (AASU) also celebrated the occasion near the statue of the maestro at Dighalipukhuripar. It held a homage-paying ceremony and garlanded the statue in the morning. It was followed by the community lighting of 10,000 earthen lamps in the evening along the entire stretch of the Dighalipukhuri water-body.
The AASU leaders present on the occasion including president Dipanka Nath, general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi and adviser Dr Samujjal Bhattacharya urged the people to be inspired by and carry forward the legacy of Dr Hazarika.
At the Nehru Stadium here, Sanskar Bharati organized a mass song recitation by over 10,000 students against terrorism in the presence of Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. The students from various schools of the city and its nearby places sang a song titled Atankabad husiyar (Terrorism Be Warned) written by Dr Hazarika.
The Governor in his address termed Dr Hazarika as a legendary musician who strove all his life to uphold humanism through his songs, and exhorted the children and youth to follow the ideals of humanism and brotherhood as espoused by his unparalleled music.
The University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM) on the outskirts of the city celebrated the occasion in association with the Asam Sahitya Sabha. Sabha president Dr Dhurbajyoti Borah, the chief guest of the event, asserted that the Sabha had been working to create a sense of belonging and a sense of togetherness among the people of the region irrespective of their ethnic origin, religion, or creed. He cited the example of the tea-garden labours, Nepalese community and Muslim peasants who had become a part of the larger Assamese community by adopting Assamese as their first or second or third language.
The All Assam Minorities Students� Union (AAMSU) also held a memorial function near the Rajdhani Masjid here where 1,001 earthen lamps were lighted as a mark of respect to the maestro. The AAMSU leadership, including president of city committee, Minnatul Islam, voiced dissatisfaction over the failure of the government in according due respect to Dr Hazarika as evident from the slow pace of work at his Samadhi Kshetra even after five years of his death.
