NALBARI, Feb 12 - The prestigious Mohan Bhaira Memorial Award for 2017 was presented to renowned nagara naam artiste Ramcharan Bharali in a function held at Nalbari Natya Mandir on Saturday evening. Sangeet Natak Akademi award winning artiste Jatindra Nath Goswami formally presented the Mohan Bhaira Award consisting of cash of Rs 10,000, a memento, a citation, seleng sador, phulam japi, sarai among others.
The chief adviser to the AASU, Dr Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya also attended the award giving ceremony which was presided over by Himan Barman, president of the Nalbari district unit of the AASU. Dr Bhattacharya said that the dhol, nagara and Bihu should be included in the textbooks of educational institutions by the Government. He further added that the Government should take up plans to commercially produce the folk musical instruments to ensure their availability so that the new generation is attracted.
Giving away the award, Nrityacharya Goswami said that the Government should take steps to recognise the artistes who are silently involved in the promotion of folk culture. Earlier, Bharali and the guests of the award giving ceremony were brought to the Nalbari Natya Mandir in a cultural procession from the PWD inspection bungalow.
The Nalbari district unit of the AASU and the Nalbari district unit of the Assam Unnati Sabha have been presenting the award since 2009 to a popular folk artist of the State. It may be mentioned here that artist Ramcharan Bharali who was born in Kumarikata village in Nalbari district has been promoting the nagara naam, a popular performing art of lower Assam. He formed his nagara naam party in 1964 and till now has produced 85 audio cassettes and 30 video CDs. Besides, he has written six books of nagara naam. As a recognition of his contributions, Bharali is getting the Silpi Pension from the State Government.The Assam Natya Sanmilani also conferred on him the �Nagara Surya� title in 2002.
