GUWAHATI, Feb 4 � Asam Sahitya Sabha UK celebrated Silpi Divas and Magh Bihu at St Mathews Hall in Leicester, an email received here stated.
Tributes were paid to Dr Bhupen Hazarika, Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami, Rana Pratap Borooah and �probasi asomiyas� in the UK Iqbal Rasool, Jitendra Lal Baruah and Jadumoni Bora.
Khageswar Lahon, vice president, ASSUK, welcomed the audience and spoke at a length about Rupkonwar Jyotiprasad Agarwalla and the aims of celebrating Silpi Divas and Bhogali Bihu. He also paid tributes to Dr Bhupen Hazarika, Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami and others. A short video clip of Dr Bhupen Hazarika organised by Bhargab Sarma and Biraj Bora brought tears to the audience. Nripen Borkataki spoke about his long association with Bhupenda, his simplicity and his philosophy. He also showed a rare clip of Bhupenda when he came to Newcastle in 1999. Bhupenda�s own brother Prabin Hazarika, who lives in Leicester paid his tribute through his memory of Bhupenda as his own elder brother and his feelings through his beautifully written two poems when he heard the news of Bhupenda�s demise. He also spoke about Jadumoni Bora, an Assamese surgeon from Assam, who passed away recently in Nottingham and Rana Pratap Borooah, a class friend of Prabin Hazarika who had a connection with ASSUK and attended many events with his son Mitam Borooah. They were very much liked and respected by the Assamese community in the UK.
Geeta Borooah paid her tribute to all the people who passed away recently through a song of Bhupenda�Jibantorey kandon khini�
Nilmoni Sikdar spoke highly about Jadumoni Bora whose sudden demise has shocked the community on December 30,2011.
Manjira and Rishi Chowdhury chanted slokas from the Gita and the Vedas followed by a minute silence to pray for the departed souls and to comfort the bereaved families.
The cultural programme began with Amrita Sarma�s dance to Bhupenda�s Asomirey sotalotey followed by Surabhi Lahon and Shohida Haque�s modern and Parbati Prasad�s songs. Chinu Kishore danced to Bishnu Rabha�s song. Tributes to Bhupenda were paid by Samyami and Rishi Chowdhury through Bhupenda�s Axom amar rupahi, meghey gir gir korey and a tabla solo, Kumud Sharma�s bistirna parorey and a Bihu song followed by Bihu dance by Samyami and Amrita enthralled the audience.
The evening concluded with an Asomiya Bhogali Bihu feast with home cooked khar, masor tenga along with other festive dishes. Manjira Chowdhury, secretary ASSUK offered vote of thanks to everyone whose hard work and participation made the event a success including the audience who took trouble to travel from various corners of the country on a British winter day.
