The national anthem of Bangladesh, the country that has often dictated the course of electoral politics in Assam, has been given a Sanskrit makeover on the eighth death anniversary of the State’s cultural icon – Bhupen Hazarika.
Hazarika, revered as the Bard of Brahmaputra, died on November 5, 2011, at the age 85.
Ranjan Bezbaruah, the man behind an 11-song audio album released on Tuesday, negated any political motive behind accommodating the Sanskrit version of Aamaar Shonar Bangla, the national anthem of Bangladesh that Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore had composed, and O Mor Aaapunaar Dekh, the State anthem of Assam.
The latter was written by Lakshminath Bezbaroa, Assam’s tallest literary figure who revolutionised modern Assamese literature.
“Bhupen Hazarika, who called himself a cultural nomad, believed in building bridges between communities and countries divided by political boundaries. Besides, he was and is as popular in Bangladesh as he is in Assam and elsewhere in the country,” Mr. Bezbaruah, who teaches Sanskrit in a college in central Assam’s Nagaon, told The Hindu.
Amaar Shonaar Bangla features in Anandini, the new Sanskrit album that Mr. Bezbaruah conceptualised, as Ayee Swarnila Bangla while O Mur Aapunar Dekh is Aho Atmanah Desha.
The two anthems on either side of the Assam-Bangladesh border feature alongside some of Hazarika’s popular compositions as well as two of A.R. Rahman’s hit songs – Bharat Humko (Bharatam Hi Nah) and Dil Hai Chhota Sa (Hrin Me Laghutaram).
The album also features a Bhajan by Meerabai, a Borgeet (Vaishnavite spiritual song) by Assam’s 16th century saint-reformer Srimanta Sankardeva, the patriotic song Saare Jahaan Se Achchhaa (Sarvalokeshu Ramyam) and Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite Bhajan Vaishnava Jana To.
Mr. Bezbaruah has sung the songs along with Pronoti Baruah, Krishna Borah and Riturani Mausumi. The Sanskrit teacher translated seven of the 11 songs while Alok Kumar, C. Ramnagpal and Siddhidatri Bharadwaj translated the others.
Assam-based Pranjal Borah and Abhisek Dhar rearranged the music for Anandini.
from Tricks News India https://ift.tt/2Nigy6n
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