As part of the first phase which kicked off today, Songs of Soul have provided the people of Kolkata with the opportunity to interact with three diverse group of musicians who have travelled the world gathering knowledge which they now want to share.

World’s leading saxophone player Rain Sultanov spoke on Ajerbaijani music – Mugham – in the first workshop which was held at the Calcutta School of Music yesterday. Boi Akih from Netherlands and Robin Sukhadia will be conducting their workshops at Weavers studio tomorrow.

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The second phase of KIMF this year will feature more than 700 artists from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Russia and Thailand. The festival, to be organized over a span of ten days, will include exhibitions, lectures, panel discussions, film shows, workshops and exclusive food stalls, revealing the incredible cultural richness and diversity of folk and tribal music. “It is different from every other music festival because it focuses on these neglected forms, which we take for granted. That attitude must change now so as to give the folk and tribal music the respect it deserves,” says Kaushik Datta, artistic director of the festival.

File photo of KIMF 2010

In order to encourage filmmaking from early stages among students, Creovaent Productions today announces its new initiative ‘LETZ SHOOT – shoot your own entertainment’ – a student short film competition. A first of its kind film competition dedicated entirely to the students from North-East India, ‘LETZ SHOOT – shoot your own entertainment’ was conceived with the noble objective of encouraging the students to understand filmmaking, its techniques and to take it as a career, said Pritish Chakraborty, founder of the competition.

The competition, scheduled for January 28, 2012, is being organized by Creovaent Productions with the support of the Department of Mass Communication & Journalism of Guwahati University and SHAMIANA – popular short film club from Mumbai. Creovaent Productions will be glad to see other brands and educational institutions joining hands and come forward to support the student competition.

“The main motive to introduce the competition of short films for students is to give them exposure to the latest trend of filmmaking from the very beginning. The competition will also encourage students to showcase their creative talent and most importantly any students from any stream can participate. We will also encourage students to start with zero budget filmmaking by shooting the short films with their mobile phones”, said Prithish Chakraborty.

The submission of short films has already begun. Students can download the entry forms with the rules & regulations details from the competition website – www.letzshoot.webs.com and also the entry forms will be disseminated to all the important colleges, universities and institutes across North-East India. The entry form can be downloaded for free and also the competition is restricted to only students from North-East India.

The winning short film in the competition will get the Wild Card entry for the North-East Competition section at prestigious 2nd Guwahati International Short Film Festival schedule to happen on 1st week of May, 2012 and also the short film will be absorbed by SHAMIANA for national screening. Apart from that the winner will get Certificate, Cash Honorium and an Award.

The deadline for submitting the entries is January 15, 2012. The list of final 20 short films selected by jury panel for the main competition will be announced on January 21st, 2012, Saturday. The finale of the first edition of ‘LETZ SHOOT’ will comprises with daylong activities on January 28, 2012 at the Guwahati University Campus which will see a perfect blend of special screening of award winning short films from across the world (Courtesy SHAMIANA), main competition and interactive sessions with the eminent jury panel.

Blues band Soulmate and Experimental Naga rock band Abiogenesis performed on the closing night on 13th November for 45 minutes from 8.30 pm onwards with their brand of Howeymusic from their 3 albums: Aeon Spell, Rustic Relish & Slice of Heaven. They also performed their latest single ‘Return of The Son’ to be released in December by Artist Aloud, Mumbai.

Meanwhile, former Governor of Nagaland and the present Governor of Maharashtra and Goa K
Sankaranarayanan on November 16 hosted a cultural programme and dinner in honour of Consuls General of various countries based in Mumbai at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai.Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, members of his cabinet, consuls general and honorary consuls of more than 60 countries were in attendance.

Abiogenesis performed their brand of Howey on this occasion. Howey is a fusion of Naga folk tunes with various streams of modern music. The music presented by Band Leader Moa Subong and his troupe received thunderous applause from the distinguished audience. The band members played a new wind musical instrument made of bamboo called Bamhum.

bombay gym violin tribute

Mumbai based Assamese violinist Sunita Bhuyan gave a classical violin and vocal recital accompanying her mother and guru Minoti Khaund, eminent violinist of Assam. Minoti expressed that she felt blessed to give our humble tribute to our beloved Bhupenda at the Bombay Gymkhana this evening! Sunita said, “Mother and I took the audience through a journey of Bhupenda’ s magical melodies and the stories behind each masterpiece, Samay dheere chalo,Ddil hum hum kare, the iconic Biyaar nixha, Manuhe manuhor baabe and finally Ganga beheti ho kyon /bistrinno parore.

The audience’s reaction was, “How can each and every song of one composer and singer be so varied and so eloquent in celebrating the myriad colours of life!” They were overwhelmed by the mastery of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika over melody, rhythm and lyrics….a legend who lives on through his music and passion…

AWARD IMAGE

“We are really very happy and proud to get the top honors for our music video. Thanks to everyone who loved and voted for us at Nagaland Music Awards. It encourages us to send our music video to other festivals across world,” said Ms. Puja Chakraborty, Filmmaker & Co-Director of the music video ‘Painted Dreams’.

The music video was made as a theme song of 1st Guwahati International Short Film Festival (GISFF) by Creovaent Productions which concluded on May 2nd & 3rd, 2011 at Assam State Museum Auditorium this year.

“It feels great to get recognition for your maiden effort and now our video will travel in other festivals internationally that have music video category. This award goes to all who were involved in making of the video. We have worked hard and now it’s paying off”, said Mr. Prithish Chakraborty, Filmmaker, Co-Director of ‘Painted Dreams’ & Founder, Guwahati International Short Film Festival.

Creovaent Productions in the coming days is planning to release its first documentary and other productions.

Mur Gitor Hazar Shrota
Tumak Nomoskar
Gitor Sobhat
Tumie Tu Prodhan Alankar
Prayax Koru
Tumar Uthat Hahi Bilabole
Proyax Koru
Tumar Dukhot Xosai Kandibole

While the news of Bhupen Hazarika’s demise is yet to sink in the minds of the people, the visionary himself seemed to have visualized the impact of his songs and life on the people long back. But even the bard might not have fathomed the extent to which his songs and poems had influenced the people of Assam as lakhs and lakhs of teary-eyed people swelled on the streets of the State, in a manner never witnessed before, since early morning today to receive the body of their much loved balladeer.

Indeed, Bhupen Hazarika might have left his physical state here on earth but the fact that he will continue to live forever in the hearts and minds of every Assamese was evident in the heart-rending cries of “Bhupen Hazarika Amar Hok” (Long live Bhupen Hazarika) that was let out by the mammoth crowd that had assembled at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport to receive his body. Watching the sea of humanity –– perched atop trees, on top of trucks, bridges and jostling for space on footpaths – trying to stop their tears while screaming their maestro’s evergreen numbers in a bid to suppress their grief, provided for the creation of a poignancy that is bound to remain etched in one’s heart and mind forever.

Even as the huge crowd in the airport sobbed inconsolably as the legendary humanitarian’s coffin was brought out of Jet Airways aircraft 619, hundreds of thousands of people holding placards, photographs, wreaths and petals continued to come out on the streets of Guwahati, assembling along the 26-km long route through which the coffin was supposed to pass, so that they could pay their last tributes to a man whom they have epitomized as the torchbearer of Assamese culture and identity. As shops all over the gateway city of the Northeast downed their shutters as the body reached Dighalipukhuri paar –– where the bard had unveiled his own statue a few years back –– a teary-eyed Assam today did indeed bid adieu to their legend in a befitting manner.

As the coffin was brought out of the airport before a ceremonial guard of honour at around noon, Governor JB Patnaik and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi paid floral tributes to the legend. “I am numbed and speechless,” an emotionally charged Tarun Gogoi, who is otherwise known for his witty repertoire of speech, said in front of mediapersons.

The hearse carrying the coffin, decorated with flowers, was accompanied by Kalpana Lajmi, his partner and companion for the last four decades, his family members, his nephew Mayukh Hazarika, Manisha Hazarika, State Culture Minister Pranati Phukan and Kamal Kataki. Lajmi, who had always been by the maestro’s side despite coming under scathing criticism from the people of the State on quite a few occasions, said, “I have lost my father, mentor and husband. He may have died, but his spirit would remain forever.”

The district administration had yesterday chalked out an itirenary for the hearse to follow, underlining the places where it would stop on its way to the Nizarapar residence from the airport. However, the tremendous support of the people threw the State government’s plans totally off-gear and it reached his Nizarapar residence only at around 7 pm in the evening –– much later than the government’s scheduled time of 2:30 pm.

Heart-rending scenes were witnessed all along the route from the airport to the Chandmari area of Guwahati today as lakhs of people waited along both sides of the road, lighting earthen lamps and holding placards, along with photos of the maestro that were placed atop bamboo plantains.

The first major stop of the procession was at Gauhati University –– a place where Bhupen Hazarika had spent some of the most memorable events of his life. With a group of students rendering Jilikabo Luitore Par –– a song he had written on the university –– the crowd of more than 4,000 people that had gathered stood silently with tears streaming down their face as they watched life coming full circle for their legend. GU VC Akhil Kumar Medhi, GU Registrar Uttam Chandra Das, Tezpur University VC Mihir Kr Choudhury, Guwahati MLA Robin Bordoloi, Director General of Police Shankar Barua and Chief Secretary Naba Das were also present in the university.

The procession later on stopped at Garegaon, Gauripur, Adabari, Maligaon, Pandu, Kamakhya Gate, Kalipur, Santipur, Lalit Chandra Bharali College, Bhootnath, Bharalumukh, Fancy Bazar and Dighalipukhuri paar.

Once in his Nizarapar residence, the body was taken inside the balladeer’s bedroom while troupes from a neighbouring naam ghar performed gayan bayan outside the residence. The coffin was placed on his usual bed, which was shrouded in a white cloth and adorned with yellow flowers. Singing lines from the immortal Biswar Sande Sande, family members performed the requisite Hindu rites and rituals inside his bedroom, smearing the body with turmeric, even as traditional nam kirtan and prayers were performed alongside the bard’s bed.
The body was later taken to Judges Field in the city where it will be kept till tomorrow afternoon. The cremation will take place tomorrow afternoon at Gauhati University.

Written by Aiyushman Dutta and first published in The Sentinel (Nov 8, 2011)

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