Listeners of an earlier era still fondly recall waiting eagerly for the broadcast of immensely popular plays and serials from the AIR Guwahati Centre. In the 1960s, eminent playwright Dr. Bhubendra Nath Saikia made invaluable contributions along with noted dramatists like Prafulla Bora, Ghana Hazarika, Mahendra Barthakur, Arup Barthakur, Akhil Chakravarty, and the versatile Arun Sarma.
Since my relationship with All India Radio began through modern songs and through my interactions with singers, lyricists, and composers, I would like to briefly discuss the role that All India Radio has played in the creation, development, and popularity of Assamese modern songs.
Thus this way Lakshyaheera earned her nicknames ‘Sanu’, ‘Posaki’ etc. In the wonderful environment of Sualkuchi Lakshyaheera grew up. She spent her childhood in the centre of vaishnavite culture and tradition at Barpeta and the cultural capital of Assam- Tezpur.
Ritha Devi was also the first woman to have been taught the sacred Sattriya Nritya of Assam, and the first dancer to take it out of Assam and out of India. She has also studied some other traditional dances of Assam, like the Deodhani and the Deonati, which were almost on the verge of extinction, and was again the first dancer to showcase them in the international platform.
It was the time of the early nineteen forties when the whole world was ravaged by the Second World War. In the winter of 1941, the Japanese forces attacked Singapore, the foremost naval bastion of the Allies. By December, Singapore had fallen to Nippon. Slowly but surely, the whole of South East Asia started falling to the Axis powers. It was not long before the British and their allies lost their posts in Burma and Indo China.
The then Chief Minister of Assam, Gopinath Bordoloi requested for setting up a centre in North East India. As a result, Assam was included in the plan at the very outset. Accordingly, it was decided that Shillong and Guwahati a radio station each, being the political capital and cultural capital respectively.
দহটা অৰুণাচলী ভাষাত প্ৰচাৰ কৰা বাতৰি বুলেটিনৰ অন্তৰ্গত আছিল – আদি, আপাটানি, নিছি, ৱাংচু, নক্তে, টাংচা. ইদু, মিজো-মিচিমি, খামটি আৰু টাগিন। ইয়াৰ ভিতৰত সাতটা ভাষাত বাতৰি প্ৰচাৰ হৈছিল বিয়লি বেলাত আৰু তিনিটা ভাষাত বাতৰি প্ৰচাৰ হৈছিল পুৱা বেলাত। ইটানগৰত আকাশবাণী কেন্দ্ৰ প্ৰতিষ্ঠা হোৱাত পৰ্যায়ক্ৰমে বাতৰি প্ৰচাৰ কাৰ্যসূচী ডিব্ৰুগড়ৰৰ পৰা ইটানগৰলৈ স্থানান্তৰ হয়।
Back in 2004, a well-read friend of mine had asked me a very unexpected question in Delhi, “Why is Indira Goswami so great a writer?”
The entire history of the Indian freedom movement is replete with the saga of bravery, sacrifice and political sagacity of hundreds and thousands of women of our country.
If human being is the greatest creation of god then music is the greatest creation of human being. Music breaks all divisions of race religion, cast and creed.
Bihu is the staple festival of the Assamese people. Akin to this Bihu are assorted folk habits; assorted food habits (ja-jalpan), dress and attire, song and dance and musical instruments.
An open meadow, a hump – may be a small hillock capped by a huge sheltering tree. A perfect platform for a young man to hum the spring song.
As the airplane circled the sky over Guwahati I peeked down to watch the Luit. Unlike always, this time the sight of the mighty river filled my mind with pity and anger.
Dipali is like my own sister. My elder uncle’s daughter. Starting from her baby cries, I have seen many tears and smiles of her life till date; and even though Neel Pawan - Suni Pawan are not my blood relatives, they too have always treated me as their own elder brother. I have known Neel since he was studying in school.
Dipali had a magic in her voice. I remember quite well – one night while I was walking through a deserted lane, I could suddenly hear Dipali singing in some function. Dipali’s voice in that deserted road created a beautiful atmosphere.
Dipali Barthakur is a name – which is like an everlasting melody, whose voice has mesmerised thousands of listeners and whose melodious voice can create dreams in the minds of people.
Positano, with its vibrant, pastel-hued houses cascading down the cliffs, is another iconic destination
November 5th saw one of the darkest days in the annals of Indian music industry. It lost its last balladeer the dreamwover from the east Bhupen Hazarika. The maestro who had enthralled the audiences across the world took the music of Assam to the world stage.
Lyricist Pulak Bandopadhyay has seen the world of Bengali music very closely for more than a period of around fifty years. In his book Kothai Kothai Rat Hoye Jai where he talks about some of his famous lyrics, depicts his memories with legendary singers, music composers, lyricists, actors, and many potential artists.
Nationalism is an emotional condition or sentiment using which a social revolution is crafted involving cultural, political and economic re-organisation.
In the world of modern Assamese poetry, Hiren Bhattacharyya’s poetry comes across as a refreshing drift of soft breeze. So fresh that it almost intoxicates the young mind.
Instead of rushing through a checklist of attractions, you take the time to connect with
The period between 7th and 12th century in Indian history was one of momentous socio-economic changes. Hitherto considered to be a Dark Age, a period of stagnation and decay, several scholars have however dispelled this notion by asserting in the light of recent research that it was a dynamic period which witnessed some remarkable developments.
Instead of rushing through a checklist of attractions, you take the time to connect with