[Assam] Bhupen silence ends at last, lends voice to new album after hiatus

[Pradip Kumar Datta]

        Bhupen silence ends at last
- Living legend lends voice to new album after hiatus     CHANDAN SARMAH   TELEGRAPH INDIA                The cover of Pratidhwani  Guwahati, July 19: He is the Voice of Assam. And age cannot wither him nor ailments stale his zeal to sing. 
  But the voice that had become silent while he was on a sabbatical, induced by illness, has returned to mesmerise his legions of fans and admirers. This is in the album Pratidhwani (Echo), which Bhupen Hazarika has cut with several other leading lights of the state’s music industry. 
  Though he has lent his voice to only two of the numbers in the album, it is more than enough for his fans to get ecstatic. “It is not how long the items are or how many he has sung. That he is singing even after suffering so many health problems is reason enough to celebrate. It shows his passion and zest for life,” said Nozoom Rehman Hazarika, a young entrepreneur and a die-hard fan of the maestro. 
  The album is a collection of the best of Assamese lyrics penned over two decades. Along with Hazarika, the album boasts the best of Assamese voices. 
  Moreover, noted music directors of the Assamese music industry have come together to compose music for the album. 
  On his part, the living legend said: “Singing is my passion. It feels nice to be back in the studio and lend my voice for an album. I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of it,” said Hazarika. 
  The album has come just over a year after he suffered a cerebral stroke during a public performance, which many thought would end his singing career. After that Hazarika became practically a recluse, preferring to spend more of his time taking rest. 
  The album has been produced under the banner of Lakhyadhar Choudhury Usha Choudhury Nyas. It features 12 Assamese numbers, most of them new. However, a couple of them are evergreen melodies. The album is dedicated to the memory of eminent social activist Munin Mahanta. 
  The very first number of the album, Moi Gandhijir Dore Hom, penned by Lakhyadhar Choudhury and presented in chorus with Hazarika in the lead, carries a rare patriotic essence. 
  “The album is a labour of love from the Assamese music industry for its fans. The voice of Bhupenda, the strongest and most mellifluous of them all, adds magic to the album. We feel honoured that Bhupenda is a part of the album,” said Choudhury, the brain behind the effort. 
  The album carries four enchanting numbers penned by Amarjyoti Choudhury, vice-chancellor of Gauhati University and a poet. 
  With a flawless music arrangement by Rupam Talukdar, Ganesh Deka and Parthapratim Choudhury, Pratidhwani is proving to be a prized possession for Assamese music lovers.

       
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