Dr Bhupen Hazarika, the legendary musician got a rich tribute from the Google Doodle for today. Hazarika was an accomplished Assamese-Indian singer, composer, and director who contributed music to hundreds of motion pictures, on the occasion of his 96th birthday. Bhupen Hazarika, the eldest of Nilakanta and Shantipriya Hazarika’s ten children, was born on September 8, 1926, in the Sadiya district of Assam.
Bhupen Hazarika was raised by songs and legends about living beside the powerful Brahmaputra river. Later, he also acquired the moniker “The Bard of Brahmaputra.” One of the foremost sociocultural reformers in northeast India, Dr. Hazarika’s works and compositions brought people from all backgrounds together. The piece of art honours Hazarika’s efforts to popularise Assamese movies and folk music and is illustrated by Mumbai-based guest artist Rutuja Mali.
Google Doodle pays rich tribute to Dr Bhupen Hazarika 96th birth anniversary
Young Hazarika caught the attention of famed Assamese lyricist Jyotiprasad Agarwala and director Bishnu Prasad Rabha, two titans of the state’s vibrant cultural past. At the age of ten, they assisted Hazarika in recording his debut song, which began his musical career.
By the age of twelve, Hazarika had already written and recorded the music for two Indramalati movies, Kaxote Kolosi Loi and Biswo Bijoyi Naujawan.
Hazarika over time produced a large number of compositions, with a preference for using songs to express stories of people’s joys and sorrows, bonds of friendship and bravery, love and loneliness, and even struggle and resolve.
Sharing her thoughts about Dr Hazarika, Mumbai-based guest artist Rutuja Mali said she dived “deep into the life and work of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, to understand his brilliance in the field and his contribution to Indian music and cinema.
The idea of celebrating someone’s art, their story, and legacy is always so special and inspiring.” Feeling honoured to have been given an opportunity to do Doodle, Mali said that she went through a few of Dr Hazarika’s songs, photos and videos to try her best to reflect his charm in the doodle.