Today being the 79th Birth Anniversary of Assam’s Legendary singer and composer Jayanta Hazarika , People of Assam pay their tributes and fondly remembers Jayanta Hazarika.
People were seen offering floral tributes at the musical icon’s statue at Chandmari in Guwahati . Marking the occasion various programs have also been lined up throughout the day .
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also paid his tribute to the legendary music maestro and shared a heartfelt post on his Twitter handle .
অসমীয়া সংগীতক ধন্য কৰাসকলৰ ভিতৰত অন্যতম শ্ৰেষ্ঠ মোৰ অতি শ্ৰদ্ধাৰ সুৰকাৰ তথা কণ্ঠশিল্পী জয়ন্ত হাজৰিকাদেৱৰ আজি ওপজা দিন। ৰাণাদাৰ যাদুকৰী কণ্ঠ আৰু সুৰৰ স্বকীয় শৈলীয়ে অসমীয়া সংগীতক যুগে যুগে দি গৈছে এক নতুন পৰিচয়। আমাৰ অতি প্ৰিয় শিল্পীগৰাকীক ওপজা দিনত সশ্ৰদ্ধ স্মৰণ কৰিলোঁ৷ pic.twitter.com/Tv9eqUcRNL
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (Modi Ka Parivar) (@himantabiswa) September 20, 2022
Born on 20th September 1943 in a culturally inclined Hazarika family, Jayanta Hazarika was the youngest of six children of Nilakanta Hazarika and Shantipriya Hazarika. He was the youngest brother of Assam’s legendary musical prodigy, filmmaker and great cultural icon, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika.
Jayanta Hazarika died early at the age of 34 on 15th October 1977 and left behind his wife and son. But he remains alive through his melodious and soulful songs which continues to enchant and captivate the people till date .
Jayanta Hazarika was indeed a progressive music maestro as he was the first Assamese composer to be credited for fusing traditional Assamese melodies into western musical forms such as Rock , Jazz and Western Classical . He was considered a pioneer in introducing several western instruments in his compositions.
He was a specialist in playing multiple instruments including the guitar, domra ,mandolin, accordion, tabla and and harmonica among others. Also he was fond of collecting various traditional musical instruments from other parts of the world. Moreover he could play the Harmonium in two different octaves simultaneously.
He composed for a numerous films and performed over many songs during his life span. Jayanta Hazarika assisted his elder brother Dr. Bhupen Hazarika in composing and directing music for a number of Assamese films. At the age of nine he composed the first tune in his life for lyrics written by one of his elder brother’s Nripen Hazarika.
Aagoli botahe kopale kolore paat and Krishnachura Krishnachura were the very first two songs recorded by Jayanta Hazarika with HMV .These two songs were instant hits and this marked his professional musical career. However with the song Sonar baran pakhire tor along with Shyamal Mitra for Assamese feature film Maniram Dewan ,Jayanta Hazarika started his playback singing in 1963. Dr. Bhupen Hazarika was the music director of the film. And from then he went on singing numerous melodies for films like Lotighoti, Chikmik Bijulee, Faguni etc.
Jayanta Hazarika also worked as an assistant music director in numerous Assamese films with his brother, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika. His Cover films are namely Bonoria Phool, Niyati, Brishti, Dharmakai and lastly Natun Asha (which was completed by his wife Manisha Hazarika after his death).
During his life span he also composed music for documentaries namely Flora and Fauna of North East India, Wheels and the Horizon and Jyoti Chitraban.
Jayanta Hazarika was also associated with music direction for stage-plays. He gave his music to prestigious productions like Siraj directed by Phani Sarma, Baan by Prafulla Bora, Janma, Yuddha Ghosanar Din, Jerengar Sati produced by Progoti Shilpi Sangha. He was associated with the ‘Pragoti Shilpi Sangha’ of Guwahati and composed for various stage productions by the group. Jayanta Hazarika also gave his music to a Mobile Theatre group named Lakhimi Theatre of Goalpara which was formed in memory of Pramathesh Barua .In a span of 3 days between 13 and 16 September in 1977, Jayanta Hazarika along with lyricist Nirmalprabha Bordoloi composed 17 songs for 5 plays by Lakhimi Theatre of Goalpara.
Jayanta Hazarika also performed at the International Conference of Political Songs on 14th February 1972 in Berlin accompanying his elder brother Dr. Bhupen Hazarika.
Apart from his valuable creations , Jayanta Hazarika was also the pioneer behind the formation of the Xur Bahini, a mobile musical institution dedicated to work selflessly for the welfare of the poor. Xur Bahini was formed with the help of people from Golaghat to help the flood-victims of Assam. Under his leadership, many singers joined in.
What Jayanta Hazarika said about Xur Bahini:
(“মই এতিয়া কথা ক’ম। কথা ক’ম মোৰ সুৰেৰে, মোৰ গীতেৰে। মই গীত গাবলৈ ওলাই আহিম আলিবাটলৈ, মঞ্চলৈ নহয়। মোৰ এই সুৰ বাহিনীৰ উদ্দেশ্য হ’ল ৰাইজৰ বিপদৰ সময়ত, দুৰ্যোগৰ সময়ত সুৰ বাহিনীয়ে ৰাইজৰ কাষত সদায়ে থিয় দিবগৈ। সংস্কৃতিৰ নামৰ দুষ্কৃতিৰ পোহাৰ মেলাসকলক সুৰ বাহিনীয়ে বাধা দিব সুৰেৰে গীতেৰে।”)
“Now I will speak. I will speak with my melodies, my songs. I shall come out to sing in the streets, not on the stage. The goal of Xur Bahini is to stand with the people during trying times. Xur Bahini will prevent the rise of evil with melodies and songs.”
