TEZPUR, June 21 � Different organisations including the AASU, Tezpur Sahitya Sabha, ABSU etc., observed the 46th Rabha Divas in and around Tezpur town on Saturday with a day-long programme.
At Samannay Kshetra, the day began with floral tributes by the members of Tezpur unit of AASU, Hemraj Rabha among others. On the other hand, the Tezpur Sahitya Sabha also observed the day at the Sahitya Sabha Bhawan by paying rich tributes to the internationally-acclaimed artist.
Paying tribute to Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha, renowned artist Noni Borpujari expressed his dissatisfaction over the alleged failure to preserve the valuable paintings of the cultural icon and urged the concerned authority to come forward with a positive attitude towards this venture. He also urged the authority to preserve the paintings of another noted artist Jagat Singh Kochari.
Lighting an earthen lamp on the occasion, the vice president of the Tezpur Sahitya Sabha, Hemanta Kumar Baruah spoke on the importance of the day and said that Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad was an ideal politician. �He was not confined to narrow party politics. He could have acquired immense political clout in the corridors of power after the country became independent.� He said that Bishnu Prasad was a versatile genius and his dancing mesmerised the audience. He was bestowed the title �Kalaguru� by Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan at Varanasi following a recital of the Tandava dance there. He was the embodiment of the Nataraja, a heritage of Assam. Incidentally, the concept of Nataraja was a contribution of Assam to the Indian civilization. Till date there has not been a better exponent than Bishnu Prasad on the Tandava dance. Even Uday Shankar was fascinated by his recital and wanted to learn the same from him. The concept of Tandava was as if ingrained in Bishnu Prasad. He wanted to demolish everything bad in the society, which was the message of the Tandava dance.
Speaking about his artistic talent, he also said that Bishnu Prasad was simply marvellous as an actor. The Ban Theatre of Tezpur saw his genius aplenty. He ably assisted Jyoti Prasad in the making of the first-ever Assamese film Joymoti. There were innumerable plays where Bishnu Prasad lent his acting prowess. He could have very well established himself as a commercial artiste outside Assam since he had access to the art world in Kolkata and Mumbai. But he did not go for those green pastures as he had taken up this medium only as a tool for spreading this message. His acting talent came very handy in moving incognito around the State during the freedom movement. Sometimes he sneaked out of a place cordoned by police force by posing as a police official. Bishnu Rabha was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930.
He actively participated in the freedom movement and this affected his education. He wrote many slogans and hoisted the Indian Tricolour atop many government buildings in Calcutta. This forced the British Police to issue non-bailable warrants against him. Bishnu Rabha fled from Calcutta to Tezpur and started his activities from there. He led Assam in the freedom movement and parallely expressed his inborn artistic talent. He donated all his inherited 2500 bighas of land to poor farmers. Bishnu Rabha always worked for the uplift of his people. All his writings, songs, arts are just a by-product of that. The books written by him like Asomiya Kristir Somu Abhakh (An outline of the Assamese culture), Axomiya Kristi (The Assamese culture), and Mukti Deol (The temple of freedom) are reflections of his socialistic notions, he added.
The event was attended by many well-known personalities. Meanwhile, in Ghoramari near here, the Ghoramari unit of ABSU also observed the day to commemorate the cultural icon. In connection with the programme, quiz competitions were held among the students and the students showing good performances in the recent Higher Secondary and High School Leaving Certificate Examinations were feted. The programme held under the aegis of social worker of the area, Mohan Boro, was attended by Chitra Moni Boro and Minuma Boro among others.
On the other hand, the Rabha Divas held at Kawoimari under the Dhekiajuli revenue circle was attended by Assamese cine actress Barasha Rani Bishya. The day was also observed at Bahbari near here by the Bahbari Usha Natya Samaj.