Guwahati: A fresh cultural controversy has erupted in Assam after singer and stage performer Karishma Nath allegedly used the immortal song Porajonmor Subho Logonot by Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha during a Nagara Naam performance.
The move has sparked sharp reactions from several quarters, with Rabha’s family calling it a distortion of cultural heritage and a direct insult to the legendary revolutionary poet, composer, and cultural icon.
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On Saturday, Hemraj Rava, son of Bishnu Prasad Rabha, expressed anguish in a strongly worded Facebook post.
He wrote,” By completely distorting and performing this most beloved song of Kalaguru for her own promotion, Karishma Nath has insulted him. She has stained Assam’s cultural space and her group has taken a special role in this. Authorities must immediately ban her group. Assam’s government should ensure that no form of Naam performance is polluted by such acts.”
Speaking to reporters, Hemraj Rava went further, urging that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma take immediate action and impose a ban on the singer and her troupe, warning that such practices, if unchecked, could irreparably damage Assam’s cultural sanctity.
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Bishnu Prasad Rabha (1909–1969), affectionately known as Kalaguru, is regarded as one of Assam’s greatest cultural icons.
A poet, freedom fighter, playwright, painter, musician, and revolutionary, Rabha dedicated his life to blending art with social justice. His songs and writings remain symbols of resistance, humanism, and cultural pride.
He dreamt of an egalitarian society and used music and literature as powerful tools of awakening. For millions of Assamese, Rabha is not just a historical figure but a living conscience of the state’s cultural and political identity.
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Nagara Naam is a centuries-old Assamese devotional tradition rooted in Vaishnavite culture, typically performed with khol (drum), taal (cymbals), and nagara (a type of large drum). The sessions involve the chanting of hymns, prayer songs, and spiritual verses, intended to uplift the soul and bring communities together in devotion.
Traditionally solemn and sacred, Nagara Naam has remained largely untouched by commercial experimentation until recent years, when modern performers have begun infusing it with fusion elements to attract younger audiences.
Critics argue that in the race for name, fame, and money, certain performers are crossing cultural boundaries by wrongly “mixing” devotional art with unrelated elements of modern performance.
While artistic innovation is welcome, cultural custodians believe that turning Rabha’s revolutionary songs into entertainment props at a Nagara Naam stage trivializes their meaning. “This is not creativity; this is distortion for self-promotion,” said a cultural activist in Guwahati, echoing a growing sentiment.
As the debate intensifies, the controversy underscores the fragile balance between cultural preservation and artistic experimentation.
For Assam, where art is deeply intertwined with identity, the question remains: How far can modern performers go without violating the sanctity of tradition?