Guwahati: In a resounding tribute to legendary Assamese bard and Bharat Ratna awardee Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, the soul-stirring musical production “Ganga Behti Ho Kyun” will take center stage tonight at Mumbai’s Tata Theatre, National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA).
The grand musical evening marks the launch of a year-long global centenary celebration of Hazarika’s birth.
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The event promises to blend the timeless melodies of the Brahmaputra with modern resonance, drawing music lovers from across the city.
Acclaimed folk singer Kalpana Patowary, one of the featured performers, shared her excitement on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday evening:
“Celebrating Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika through the soul-stirring production ‘Ganga Behti Ho Kyun’ – The Bard of the Brahmaputra Orchestra live today at NCPA, Mumbai.”
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Her post amplified the cultural buzz, emphasizing the live orchestra’s role in honoring and immortalizing Hazarika’s humanistic legacy.
Widely revered as the “Bard of the Brahmaputra,” Dr. Bhupen Hazarika was a singer, composer, poet, filmmaker, and statesman. Though he passed away in 2011, the Government of India awarded him the Bharat Ratna in 2019, recognizing his unparalleled contribution to Indian music and culture.
Born in 1926, Hazarika composed an oeuvre that ranged from deeply philosophical to socially conscious songs, including the evocative title track “Ganga Behti Ho Kyun”—a critique of injustice and a call for unity. He bridged folk traditions from Northeast India with both national and global audiences.
Violinist Sunita Bhuyan of the Suraj Foundation, in collaboration with the Great Manager Institute, curated the 6 pm tribute to revive Hazarika’s spirit through music and philosophy.
The event features a stellar lineup of performers, including,
- Usha Mangeshkar
- Anup Jalota
- Suresh Wadkar
- Mahalakshmi Iyer
- Zubeen Garg
- Kalpana Patowary
- Debojit Saha
- Mayukh Hazarika (Bhupen Hazarika’s son)
The evening will open with a traditional Gayan Bayan dance by Krishna Barbayan from Assam’s Majuli island, followed by vocal performances accompanied by an 18-piece live orchestra led by Grammy-nominated conductor Ajay Singha.
Reflecting on Hazarika’s legacy, Suresh Wadkar further noted, “His compositions appear deceptively simple, yet are rich with classical grandeur and folk beauty.”
Usha Mangeshkar added, “Bhupen-da distilled the pulse of the people into his music.”
She recalled his collaborations with her sisters, Lata and Asha Mangeshkar.
The tribute also includes the release of a coffee-table book curated by Assamese media pioneer Sanjive Narain, with tributes from Lata Mangeshkar and A.R. Rahman, and an academic paper by think tank SHARE on Hazarika’s philosophy of cultural assimilation.
As Mumbai joins the global centenary celebrations, Assam also gears up for its official programs, highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned release of a commemorative coin in Hazarika’s honor.
This evening’s tribute not only celebrates Hazarika’s musical genius but also reaffirms art’s enduring power to heal and unite.
Tickets for the event are available on BookMyShow, ensuring Hazarika’s voice continues to flow like the Ganga.