RANJAN BEZBARUAH, SINGER, WRITER

An Endless Musical Journey

INDIAN MUSIC AND ITS SANSKRIT RENDITION

chapter: Assam

Ranjan Bezbaruah

Bhupen Hazarika departed in 2011.With the demise of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, the most resplendent and momentous chapter of modern Assamese music came to an end. After about a year I had the privilege of participating at a function in honour of the legend at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. The programme attracted the listeners from other parts of the country. Amidst the rich showering of tributes, an enthusiastic member of the audience asked from his seat- 'Why don’t we get to listen to Bhupenda’s songs now? What are you doing? Why haven’t the people of Assam done anything from the point where he left?'

The words keep trampling on my heart even now. Have we actually been unable to do anything for Bhupenda or for Assamese music? Are we so numb and helpless?

My mind instantly raced back to those memorable years a decade and a half before.

India Habitat Centre, Delhi


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It was 1999. I was then engaged as a professor in the Sanskrit Department of a local college in Nagaon, Assam. I was teaching Sanskrit to the students and learning myself too. I was trying to attract the students as much as I could to this age-old but splendid language with newer ideas and innovative techniques. In midst, I took the aid of poetry, painting and music. My young friends seemed to appreciate my approach. Over that, they must have taken notice of my inclination to render Bhupen Hazarika’s songs.

As a young teacher my eyes nurtured a myriad of dreams. There was no end to my fancies too of having a little identity in the cultural firmament. I had just two tools in hand— Sanskrit and music.Can’t something be done with the scope  these subjects provide me with ? Would it be possible for me to do something from which  people can benefit?

The days hobbled past in this way when suddenly an idea flashed across my mind— 'Why don’t I try my hand in expressing the songs of the great exponents of Assamese music like Saint Sankardeva or Dr. Bhupen Hazarika in Sanskrit?'

Couldn’t these wonderful streams of Assamese music be rendered in Sanskrit? Couldn’t our music be made to gush forth into the glorious classical heritage of our country?

India Habitat Centre, Delhi

Suddenly one day, in a pre-dawn venture, I came up with the Sanskrit rendition of the pioneer of Assamese music and cenema, Jyotiprasad Agarwala’s(1903-51) song— jano, jano, jano biphole najai moru gano (I know for sure, my songs, too, won’t frizzle out)...

This was followed days later by Bishnuprasad Rabha’s Bisware chande chande (1909-69) and Lakshminath Bezbaroa’s (1864-38) Sakhi he, ki kom and so on.

With my Sanskrit versions of these immortal songs of Assam, I had the sensation of entering into the splendour of a bygone era. My heart brimmed with thrill and ecstasy. The delight and excitement of these experiences shall remain etched in my memory for ever.

First Sanskrit audio album: Manomohini, 2008

4.

The days rolled by. My dreams seemed to be sprouting. This time I felt an urge to try one of Bhupen Hazarika’s popular songs. Ever since my childhood days, my all-time favourite has been 'Snehei aamar Sata Sravavar' (My love ushers in the teeming rain) in which Bhupenda speaks about the essence of life through love. Though purely modern in theme, the lyrics bear the fragrance of Sanskrit and the tune is based on the Indian raga strains. The structure and composition of the song assured a smooth transition to its Sanskrit rendition..

For several days I kept myself immersed in the song with silent utterances as though it were an incantation. I tried my level best to near its soul. The pages of Amarkosha and other Sanskrit dictionaries compiled by M. Williams and Anundoram Barooah were loosened from the bindings as I savagely flipped through them scouring desperately for the meanings and synonyms that would suit the original magnificence of Bhupen Hazarika’s lyrics.

I weighed the aesthetic aspects of both Indian and western culture. I concentrated on some important writings on phonetics, meter, rhythm, too, to hone my skills and prop up my confidence. In the minute technicalities of Sanskrit letters and words, I tried to identify suitable representations for the thoughts, tune and rhythm of Bhupenda’s compositions. I virtually plunged into a solemn but tricky language game.

The Sanskrit translation of Snehei amaar (premavahait me sravananam) was followed by Bistirna parore, Buku hom hom kore, Manuhe manuhor babe, Bimurto mor nishati, Natun nimati niyarare nisha, Dola he dola, Sagar sangamat, Gum gum gum gum and so on.

5.

'Geeta Sanskritam': Sanskrit songs Book

I thought of bringing out a book of translations of Bhupenda’s songs with their English counterparts by Krishna Dulal Barua. In the beginning, I was helped with the song notations by the noted flutist Dipak Sarmah of Nagaon and my music teacher, Subhash De of Guwahati. I got some help from my Sanskrit teachers— Prasanna Kr. Sarma, Sarad Madhav Kusre and Dr Kameswar Sukla..

After going through my translations, Dr Ashok Kr. Goswami, who taught me Sankrit at Gauhati University, wrote, “Ranjan’s translated songs prove that our regional music can be fruitfully rendered into Sanskrit and made acceptable to a wider audience.” The distinguished scholar, Dr Jogendra Narayan Bhuyan, after listening to a performance of mine at the Vivekananda Kendra in Guwahati in 2000, stated, “This is something new for Assamese music. Assamese poetry has been rendered into Sanskrit, but this is the first instance of modern Assamese songs being translated into Sanskrit.”

Dr Nirmalprabha Bordoloi also reacted in a similar way. The eminent painter, Pranab Baruah encouraged me with his invaluable information on the relationship between colours and musical sounds. He explained to me how modernity could be made to merge with the classical tradition and how I, too, could advance along this route.

Soon I found the opportunity to perform some Assamese songs in Sanskrit at a conference of the Sanskrit Bhasha Vikash Manch, Nagaon. The positive response of the listeners was a tremendous boost to my confidence to go ahead.

Madhupurdham, Coochbehar, West Bengal

Here I may mention that the usage of the Sanskrit language has declined substantially in Indian social life, but still, its appeal and influence continues to have the old alluring grasp on the Indian psyche. The impact on the subconscious still seems to prevail. Different national organizations are striving to re-establish the language with its former resplendence and glory. Some scholars even tend to opine that Sanskrit written in present days should be termed as ‘Modern Sanskrit’. The inherent aims and objectives of the organizations may differ, but if Sanskrit can be made to bloom anew, it is our language and literature that would benefit the most.

From Sankardeva’s time (1449-1568) and much before, Old Assamese literature have evolved and developed with the oriental splendour of Sanskrit cuddled to it or streaming forth side by side. Assamese literature is loaded with the sound and resonance, colour and grace of Sanskrit. Sanskrit and Assamese can be said to have an umbilical cord as link between them. Indian literature remains eternally indebted to Sanskrit. Anyway, I had a feeling of fulfillment at being able to perform Assamese music with lyrics at its scintillating best in a language that is so ancient, splendid and vibrant.

Performing in ICCR

My enterprise with the Sanskrit rendition of the evergreen Assamese songs from the last century went on. A number of Songs of Lakshminath Bezbaroa, Jyotiprasad Agarwala, Bishnuprasad Rabha, Parvatiprasad Baruah, Kamalananda Bhattacharya, Karonadhar Barua, Prasannalal Choudhury, Ambikagiri Raichoudhury, Umesh Chandra Chaudhury, Mitradev Mahanta, Ananda Chandra Barua, Padmadhar Chaliha, Kirtinath Sarma Bordoloi, Bhupen Hazarika, Purusottam Das, Rudra Barua, Navakanta Barooah, Kesav Mahanta, Nirmalprabha Bordoloi and even the Borgeets (Noble songs) of Saint Sankardeva and Madhavdeva were translated.

These songs were rearranged with new musical scores without upsetting the original flavour and presented at various places both within and outside Assam. I could perceive that my presentations were able to reach the hearts of the people to some extent. My endeavours went on to be highlighted in certain leading papers and journals too.

Of course, in midst, I was subject to scorn and ridicule by a disenchanted few. Some expressed their doubts over my competence. Still I was not deterred from going on. Once, during one of my performances at a remote village, a listener remarked, “I don’t understand a word but I’m enjoying the songs in a special way!” I could guess that the person was actually attracted by the splendour of Sanskrit pepped up by Bhupenda’s musical resplendence. I was aware of the subordination of my role in the whole exercise. Nevertheless, I was buoyed up by the reaction of sensitive members of the audience.

The days rolled ahead as though I were cruising blissfully across a dream. This euphoric sequence of experiences continued for months together but the legend Bhupenda, on whose immortal creations my journey was primarily based upon, was least aware about my humble venture and that, too, as a pioneering effort.

With legend Dr Bhupen Hazarika, 2001

It was November, 2001. Bhupenda had put up at Hotel Swagat in Nagaon after gracing a special programme at Natya Mandir, Nagaon. It was more of a breather during his hectic schedules as the Chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi. I contacted Bhupenda’s accompanying guitarist, Kamal Kataky.

It took me about an hour to reach the hotel from my birth-place, Hatichong, at around 15 kilometers away from Nagaon town. At about half past eight in the morning, I entered the hotel-room where the living legend was snuggled under the warmth of a quilt.

I nervously took my seat on a chair beside the bed. Kamal Kataky introduced me to the great man, “He’s Ranjan, he has rendered a number of your songs in Sanskrit.” My hands and legs began to quiver but I strained every nerve to render my best of Bhupenda’s Snehei amar and Lakshminath’s Sakhi he in Sanskrit.Incidentally, Lakshminath Bezbaroa’s original Assamese version was sung beautifully by Bhupenda himself which went on to be a milestone in the history of Assamese music.

My singing ended. Bhupenda’s face was filled with emotion. He said, “You’ve done it. I’m amazed that among many, only you felt the urge.’’ I hesitate to record this moving and memorable experience. I feel rather embarrassed, but every word was true. Bhupenda, everyone knows, never hesitated to encourage new artists and writers.

Bhupenda, with his characteristic humour, went on speaking about a lot of things. In midst, he mentioned about Pundit Narendra Sharma who had translated Ganga (the Hindi version of Bhupen Hazarika’s famous Bistirna Parore). Narendra Sharma as a lyricist had also worked in the Mahabharata telecast by the Doordarshan.

He went on— “People accepted his Hindi translation of the lyrics of my song. You must show your translations to people like him. I gave some Sanskrit slokas to M. F. Hussain for his film Gajagamini (2000). For the presentation of the slokas about the roving damsel in Kalidasa’s Meghaduta— tanvi syama sikhari dashana, I invited Suman Devgan. She was briefed about the proper Sanskrit pronunciations by a Professor from Pune University. Your translation and expression, too, ought to be of that dimension. Lata Mangeshkar remained in seclusion indoors for about a month before her presentation of the Bhagavad-Gita. The pronunciation need to be of that exalted order. Our general pronunciations won’t do!”

Next Bhupenda made the hotel-room erupt with laughter by his mimicry of a Chandi Stotra in the Kamrupi dialect, Bengali, Oriya, Marathi and Kannada.

Bhupenda suddenly turned grave in his tone as he began, “Culture is a tremendous thing. Here one merges with another. Creation undergoes re-creation. Let me present a verse again. It was taught to me by my father when I was very young— kakasya chanchur yadi hemayukta / ekeika-pakshe gajaraja-mukta— Do it this way.” He recited the sloka a number of times. The whole atmosphere reverberrated with his pronunciations as we lost ourselves in wonder and amazement. How astounding his Sanskrit was! Perhaps it was primarily his pronunciation and presentation that contributed to his virtuosity in music. Whether folk or Sanskrit, Bhupenda’s pronunciation had no parallel!

All of a sudden Bhupenda gave us a jolt as he said, “From what I’ve sung just now, it’s from here that I made the song, Eiti ba kon ulale, xinha keni lukale...kauri xajau jodi gajaraj mukutare and used it for the Assamese film, Maniram Dewan (1964). Nobody had any scent of it. Do it in this way. You’ve got to pave your path yourself. In the world of art, this breaking and making goes on. I Indianised Paul Robson’s Old man river. I just took the idea of it and made it anew. This is the actual fusion. Fusion is needed everywhere— between people, between languages, between melodies.”

Blessings to my humble effort, Tejpur, 2005
(Certificates of appreciation by Dr Bhupen Hazarika)

September 13, 2005. Tezpur, eleven in the morning. Bhupenda had come to participate at the centenary celebrations of the famous Baan Theatre and was now a guest at Dr Lakhi Goswami’s place. After receiving the information, I rushed to meet him accompanied by my friend Ranjit Bhatta of Kaliabor. Bhupenda was slightly unwell, but his eyes lit up as we entered the room. Amidst our conversations the great man enquired about my perseverance with singing. He studied carefully every word of my Sanskrit translations and began to speak— “Something must be done with these translations. First, let them appear in my collections of works. Surjya Hazarika and Ratimohan Nath are doing very well with the compilation. (Later, in 2008, they had entered eight of these translations in the third volume of the complete works of Bhupen Hazarika— Dr Bhupen Hazarika Rachanawali). What more can I do? With an archival recording I’ll have these Sanskrit versions of my songs preserved. After that interested and competent people will perform them at suitable moments…( with a little smile) well, you too can sing them or say, Lata Mangeshkar too; and if unable, this Bhupen Hazarika may even be left out. What is important is that we all have to excel in our vocal quality and pronunciations. These Sanskrit songs will have to gain acceptance from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. I guess, this time I won’t have any problem in the south. I’ll travel the world over with more confidence.”

Bhupenda went on— “You see, I used to love Sanskrit. I made my film Sakuntala (1961) with a lot of hope and enthusiasm. Most of my lyrics abounds with Sanskrit. With the Sanskrit words I’ve been able to express a lot of things. My father knew Sanskrit very well. I was a student of Dr Banikanta Kakati at Cotton College. He spoke about Sanskrit literature. At Benaras, I came across a grand world of Sanskrit. I attended Dr Radhakrishnan’s Philosophy classes. These experiences heightened my regard for Sanskrit and Indianness greatly.”

We said, “Your songs are multi-hued and variegated. They encompass the entire country of India. Though Assamese in origin, your songs are Indian in overtone and universal in appeal. They are replete with the elements of folk tune and classical literature. Bhupen Hazarika’s songs, after all, imply the wonderful conglomeration of folk art and punctilious culture. For the rare excellence of lyrics, tune and sonority, this genre of music is considered to be ‘classic’. This epic grace and elegance ought to be imbued in their Sanskrit representations.’’

In between our conversation, Bhupenda picked up his writing-pad and jotted down in his prized hand two certificates, one in Assamese and the other in English, as a recognition on his part of my endeavour—“Ranjan Bezbaruah of Nagaon has been popularizing my Assamese lyrics in Sanskrit very successfully…”

Finally, Bhupenda showered upon us his blessings asking us to remain immersed in our mission. We, too, paid our obeisance by touching his feet and departed. We returned with an overflowing expanse of gratification within us of having spent some blissful moments with the grandest of personalities. It was akin perhaps to the sense of benediction and piety experienced in a pilgrimage.

At Gauhati University, 2012

In midst, between 2008 and 2011, two of my audio-albums titled Manomohini and Mriganayana with music arrangement by flutist Pranjal Borah were released at the Guwahati Press Club. The CDs contained my Sanskrit translations of a number of songs from Borgeet by Srimanta Sankardeva to Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s compositions as well as a few of my own Sanskrit songs. The songs began to gain popularity and certain organizations even outside the state, associated with the propagation of Sanskrit took the initiative of networking and marketing. I also came to know about the global exposure of the songs through the internet.

Eastern Regional Literary & Cultural Conference, Farakka, 2010

Many enthusiasts of music and literature participating at a translation workshop, organized by the Sahitya Akademi at Kolkata in 2006, encouraged me to go ahead after listening to my renditions. The cultural programme at New Delhi organized by the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sangsthan, Sanskrit Bharati and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations were also very inspiring. After participating at the Eastern Region Literary and Cultural Conference held at the Rabindra Bhavan of Farakka, West Bengal in 2010, I was invited to the 150^th Birth Anniversary Celebration of Rabindranath Tagore held at Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata in March, 2011. There I rendered my Sanskrit versions of the songs of Rabindranath, Lakshminath and Bhupen Hazarika along with a number of folk melodies both from Assam and Bengal. The inspiring words of the Vice Chancellor, Dr Karunasindhu Das and members of the select audience shall remain imprinted on my mind forever. The University also decided to preserve copies of my audio-CD Mriganayana at their archive which included my rendition of a Rabindra Sangeet.

Music workshops based on my renditions

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From 2012 onwards various workshops on music and dance based on my translated and original songs have been organized at Nagaon, Sivasagar, Tezpur, Guwahati and other places to generate the interest of the new generation. In this regard, I remain thankful to Pronoti Baruah of Sivasagar, Elora Borah, Pradip Borah of Nagaon, Ramkrishna Talukdar, Samragyee Kashyap, Mallika Kandoli of Guwahati, Arun Nath and Krishna Das Nath of Tezpur, Jonmoni Devi of Dergaon, Sudeshna chaterjee of Kolkata, Indrani Singha of Vardwan University, Dr Bhaskr Mukhopadhyay of Kolkata, Manisha Bhatt of Almora, Kishore Saralkar of Washington DC and Sangeeta of Sydney, Hari krishnan Ganapathy of Dlubi, Mohan MVSK, Al Khaimah, UAE and so on, for their sincere attempts and undertakings to widen the horizons of my music. I recall the contributions of Udit Bhanu Barthakur, a tourism professional who helped in spreading my music among the foreign tourists with much enthusiasm.

At the 150^th Birth Anniversary Celebration of Sahityarathi Bezbaroa at Nagaon in 2013, my Sanskrit version of our state anthem, O mor aponar desh (O my enduring motherland) was performed successfully by a group of over a hundred student-singers along with the rest of the twenty-nine troupes representing different language and ethnic groups.

A Tribute to Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, 2011

After presentation of a few devotional songs at the Purbottar Sanskrit Sanmelan organized at the Uttar Kamalabari Satra, Majuli in 2006, I was invited to the Bhaona Samaroh organized at the Aoniati Satra of Majuli in 2014. The very same year I was invited to join a National Seminar organized by the Society for Sankardeva (presided over by Dr. Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti at Madhupur Dham, Coochbehar, West Bengal, where I presented my Sanskrit versions of two famous Borgeets of Sankardeva— Suno suno re sura (Srinu srinu, re suraveirin) and Pawe pori hori (Padou prapannoham) along with Sankardeva's original Sanskrit composition Madhudanava-darana.

In November 2013 I had to deliver a speech at the Lakshminath Bezbaroa Memorial Lecture arranged by the Indian OIL Corporation at India Club, Digboi. My presentation of some Sanskrit slokas in the national award-winning Assamese film, Yugadrashta produced by Srijani production in 2014 was well received by the viewers.

Here, I recall with gratitude every respectable artists, litterateurs, journalist, my parents, teachers, friends and well-wishers who have extended their helping and inspiring hands to me, in one way or the other, to advance with my ventures in Sanskrit rendition of Assamese and Indian songs.

I was unable to meet Bhupenda since 2005 for a long period. In midst, the great man had to overcome numerous jolts of misfortune. At last, in April, 2009 I found the opportunity to spend some moments with Bhupenda at the S. H. Studio at Guwahati during the dubbing of Surjya Hazarika’s Assamese feature film Srimanta Sankardeva. I was to lend my voice for the guide-track of slokas to be rendered by Bhupenda (later I had to be associated with many more verses and the voice of senior Sankardeva). Flashes of the depth and brilliance of the maestro stuck me with wonder and amazement. However, being enfeebled by a number of ailments, Bhupenda, that day, was not his normal self brimming with his characteristic ebullience.

My last memorable meeting with Bhupenda was on 25^th January, 2011 at the Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, Guwahati during the inauguration of the Dr Bhupen Hazarika Museum. That day I had the great fortune of performing publicly before him my Sanskrit rendition of one of his songs—Bistirna-pratire / Asnkhya-nrikrite / hahakare hyapi / nisshavdan nispriham / Louhiya katham / Louhitya ((Bho Gange katham / nu Gange) vahasyanisam? Bhupenda’s face seemed to glow up with a little bit of contentment. The great man may not have been able to lend his voice to any of my translations, but the very thought of his listening to one of my renditions amidst a distinguished audience still lifts me high with emotion and ecstasy.

That was the last time I came across Bhupenda in person. It seems to have been a farewell from my part in song, bidding farewell and taking farewell. On seventh November, 2011. I couldn’t propel myself forward for a last look at his mortal remains. He remains within me as an immortal force of inspiration, forever young. On the day following his demise, I performed at a programme organized by a TV channel to bid adieu to the legend with a shattered heart and tormented soul. On the day of his ‘Adya Sraddha’, I paid my homage at the Aircel office in Guwahati by releasing a new audio-album in the presence of poet Hiren Bhattacharyya, Surjya Goswami, Dr Anjanjyoti Chaudhury, Sankar Prasad Kakoti Borah and Dibyajyoti Khaund among others. The CD titled Sagara-Sangamah (In the confluence of seas) consisted of my Sanskrit rendition of ten select numbers of Dr Bhupen Hazarika.

Bhupen Hazarika's Ganga Behti Ho Kyun: Sanskrit

Receiving Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Memorial Integrity Award, 2014

The fifth day of November, 2014 shall remain most memorable in this musical journey of mine. A socio-cultural organization of Jorhat announced their ‘Sudhakantha Dr Bhupen Hazarika Memorial Integration Award’ to me in recognition of my humble contribution to the promotion and propagation of Bhupendra Sangeet. I accepted the award as a form of blessing from the illustrious icons of Assam from Srimanta Sankardeva to Dr Bhupen Hazarika as well as the loving and sympathetic people. Such instances of love and care have possibly been offering me a tremendous boost to strive on with my projects and add to my modest contributions e.g. Yasoda-Nandana, Anandini and so on.

Performing in All India Oriental Conference, G. U. 2015

In January, 2015, Gauhati University organized the 47^th session of All India Oriental Conference. At this grand conglomeration of scholars and luminaries from the country and abroad, I had to perform a few memorable Assamese songs in their Sanskrit versions. The strength of our songs, particularly Bhupen Hazarika’s, proved to be overwhelming. A Sanskrit scholar from Jammu University had an emotional outburst— “As long as the Brahmaputra, the Ganges and the Godavari remain, Bhupen Hazarika, too, shall remain. Bhupen Hazarika is immortal!”

In September, 3, 2016, during an interview telecast by the DDNews, Doordarshan, Delhi, I concentrated primarily on Bhupendra Sangeet. Along with his immortal numbers, Buku hom hom kore, Manuhe manuhar baabe, I also rendered Rabindranath’s Ekla cholo re and Sir Iqbal’s Sare Jahan Se Accha in Sanskrit. The programme was received well all over the country and abroad and I haven’t a pint of doubt that the underlying reason behind the popularity of the programme was the magical impact of Bhupenda’s music. Similar things happened when Mayukhi, an upcoming dancer from Assam danced Bharatnatyam based on Bhupen Hazarika's 'Ganga' in Sanskrit version in Global Harmony, Pune, Maharastra in may 31st, in the same year.

The feedback has been convincing enough to believe that it wouldn’t be an insurmountable enterprise to launch Bhupen Hazarika songs and its inherent culture successfully in the global arena. Even little ventures undertaken at regular intervals can add up to establish Bhupen Hazarika’s creativity in its true essence some day.


    (Translated into English by Krishna Dulal Barua)

Interview in DDnews, Delhi Doordarshan, 2016

*Ranjan Bezbaruah Yotube Channels
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW2niQvT1irTwpWXTfbSAFw

* Ranjan Bezbaruah Yotube Channels
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9jS8IL9w1cRh6Ms8_v10z

Sare Jaha Se Accha in Sanskrit

Sare Jahan Se Accha in Sanskrit in DDNews

The Youtube links to Sare Jaha Se-Sanskrit :
1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv_iZMjGjCY

2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMFMuKX4RlE

contacts: 9401210402.7002956966,
ranjanbezbaruah@gmail.com
# https://ranjanbezbezbaruah.blogspot.com/
# https://www.facebook.com/ranjan.bezbaruah.5
# https://twitter.com/bezbaruahgmail?lang=en

Jahan Dal Dal Par in Sanskrit in DDNews

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FRESH WORDS, FAMILIAR MUSIC : ASSAM'S SANSKRIT BAND 'PRACHYA' : A Band to perform songs in Sanskrit to promote language

Smita Bhattacharyya
The Telegraph, Jorhat, Jan. 6, 2017

In a region that abounds with bands, Prachya's venture stands apart. A band where the musicians will belt out songs in Sanskrit, Prachya will present original and translated versions of folk and semi-classical songs of the region.

Formed by Ranjan Bezbaruah, who translated ‘Saare Jahan se accha’ a National TV channel that was aired on Independence Day, Prachya will have its first stage show at the Sri Tirupathi Balaji temple auditorium in Guwahati on January 28.

"I have been translating and singing the songs of Bhupen Hazarika in Sanskrit for several years . My performances have featured several musicians playing different instruments. Around 11 of us have come together to form Prachya," Bezbaruah said.

On the name of the band, Bezbaruah said it meant the oriental as well as the eastern part of India, which included the Northeast.

"Unlike other bands, we will not indulge in fusion music. Ours will strictly retain the purity of the classical language. In the beginning we will concentrate on translating and singing as many folk songs and semi-classical songs that this region has produced and is popular among the people. Through this medium we would like to take it to a wider audience," he said.
Ranjan said promotion of Sanskrit and songs of the region was the main reason to form the band."We will also sing Vedic hymns and Sanskrit rendition of Hindi patriotic and devotional songs," he added.

Bezbaruah, a Sanskrit teacher in Nagaon, believes that the classical language may be dead for the masses but being the root of all Aryan languages and also being the root of Indian culture, it needed to be revived and the best way to do this was through songs.
He has translated more than 100 songs, most of them Bhupen Hazarika's, into Sanskrit and has a nuber of music albums to his credit.

His mission is to translate and sing the immortal lyrics of greats like Srimanta Sankardev, Madhavdev, Bhupen Hazarika, Jyotiprasad Agarwala, Bishnuprasad Rabha also the great lyrics of Kabeer and Rabindranath Tagore.

The other members of the band comprise Atul Mahanta , Kulapradip Das on the tabla and khol, Santanoo Bora on the guitar and do-tara, Abhisekh Dhar on the keyboard, Dwipen Das on Dhol and othe percussions, Pranjal Bora on flute and musical arrangements, and singers Pronoti Barua, Krishna Das, Riturani Maushumi. Child artistes Dhritiman Kasyap and Bharatanatyam dancer Mayukhi Bezbaruah, will be two added attractions.

Makhan Sarma, a fan of Bezbaruah, said, "When Ranjan performed, Bhupen da's aficionados, including me, attune ourselves to the changed vocabulary and even if we do not understand every word, we open our hearts to the lyrical notes sung with élan and the intonation of the original in a voice, which has an uncanny resemblance to Assam's greatest bard. I am sure Prachya will be able to achieve its objective of reaching out to a wider audience."