Some songs,some stories

                                                                                                              Ankur Bora

We don’t read poetry or sing songs because they are cute, we recite poetry and listen to music because we are human being and as a member of human race we are imbued with passion. Medicine, engineering, business, these are professions necessary for day to day life. But Poetry, songs and music are the higher manifestation of the man, they are the preview of life’s past and coming attractions and they are what keep us alive and throbbing. And it is the melody, rhythms, songs of music which, every time, evokes a feeling of nostalgia, delight, hope and brings all of us, whether Muslim or Hindu, Bengali or Assamese together in a common thread of oneness.

Assam Tribune , Horizon , Ist June 2018

We love music because most of us can’t really express our real feelings in words and thus music becomes the only medium which help us to unwind- by listening to songs, by posting or writing part of the lyric or simply by singing aloud.  Occasionally, as we unravel, they uncover to us- It is said that behind every song there is an untold story. Ravindra Jain was an irreplaceable song writer who left behind scores of evergreen and soulful music. Beautifully rendered by the legendary singer Yesudas, his songs illustrates the prowess of a musical composer. Unknown to most of us, late Ravindra Jain was born blind. Although he composed songs that created magic all over, he never got to see this beautiful earth and though the stellar lyrics of his songs depicted the village life in all its moods with fields, fairs, harvest and celebrations, his own world was devoid of colors!  

Generations of Assamese have grown up hearing the legendary voice of Jayanta Hazarika. For every itinerant Assamese who sets out from state to make out his fortune, there is a cassette of the singer which he carries because he knows that he will be incomplete without the voice of Jayanta. In a small corner of the new world, amidst struggles, he sustains by the music and these songs composed by another legend Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi. These songs are reflective of a great lyricist who captured the every emotion in Assamese life , ‘Akou natun prabhat hobo’ – the hope a new beginning , ‘Tumar Morome Mur’ - a fond remembrance of first love or ‘Sita Banabash Kiman Sabanu’ – lets fight the great battle called life. Dr. Bordoloi contributed immensely to Assamese literature producing scores of scholarly articles, academics essays and research works of high value. But for common man, she is eternally remembered as a song writer who added color to their life. I happened to know Bordoloi as my maternal grandmother’s house in chandmari Guwahati was located just across the road from the legendary writer. While I was a child, I heard those stories of this singer writer duo– when, while the singer would produce a tune, the writer, like a magician pulling out rabbits from a hat, would produce a song - when, while she would churn out a melody, he would render them in his golden voice.

It was early sixties, the introduction of the long playing disc produced by HMV and musical recording at the All-India Radio, revalorized Assamese music. The trendsetter was one timeless classic – ‘Agali Batahe Kopale Kalare Pat’ and there is a fascinating story behind. Both Nirmalprabha and Jayanta happened to attend a wedding party when noted poet Hiren Bhattacharyya offered a pack of cigarettes if they could compose a song within three minutes. The story goes, as everyone watched, Nirmalprabha completed composing the song within three minutes which  then was set to tune by Jayanta  in equal time. “We used to call him Rana Bhaiti” I remember another story narrated by Bordoloi “One day he walked into our house whistling as I was taking shower. He wanted a song but I needed to get ready for my university classes. So, both of us boarded the city bus- Rana set beside me while I began writing as the bus headed for Guwahati University, he was whistling continuously throughout till I completed and handed him the song ”  

The life story of Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi is a story of exemplary courage and determination who rose from her own ashes to walk her own path. It was year 1943, when her parents, compelled by the prevailing custom of ‘Bal Vivah’, married her off at the tender age of eleven to a man twenty three years older. At her thirteen, she became the mother of girl child. Nirmalprabha was not willing to leave her education incomplete and when she was not permitted to have her education, she left her husband's home with her little daughter forever. It was a moment of her rebirth, with support of her parents she completed higher study and finally established herself among the most influential writers and one of the best known Assamese public intellectuals.

The songs and the melody have a healing power. It brings people peace, let them know there are others who are going through the same. For every emotion in Assamese life there is a song from Nirmalprabha which hits a chord that cuts right through and goes right to the soul. For every unreal peak of joy and every despairing depth of sorrow there is a song by the legend which let us break free. "I shall die tomorrow, Let me alive today" - Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi still rings alive in the strains of her creation. Today, as we recall, let’s celebrate the anniversary, not in black and white but to the colors of rainbow so pretty in the sky.    

                                                                                                            ankurbora@hotmail.com

Feedbacks

Dear Bora,

I have gone through your article published in Assam Tribune today. It was really nice.

Thanks for your endeavour.

Swapna Devi baideo

Daughter of Dr. Nirmal Prabha Bardoloi

Guwahati

Phone 986426xxxx

Dear Mr. Ankur,

I am writing to you in appreciation of your article," Some songs,some stories" published in The Assam Tribune's , Horizon page today. I especially enjoyed reading your article about your tribute to illustrious writer- poet- lyricist Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi who is a contemporary artist and philosopher of my father's times, Shri Mihir Bordoloi, popularly known for lending his voice to one of Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi's lyrics, " Muk Eti Xur Kori Tula".

My contact # : +91708601xxxx

Yours sincerely,

Pronti Bordoloi( d/o Sri. Mihir Bordoloi)

 Ankur, very nice of you doing this. I sing songsDr. Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi in our community gatherings . I have tracks of  those Jayanta Hazarika songs. Bhupen Uzir made me those tracks. They are always alive in our hearts. We even did it at AC-2014 in NJ.

All the best.

Binoy Bardoloi , USA