Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s Birth Centenary Celebrated at Jalukbari.Guwahati.CM lays foundation stone for ₹35.37-crore museum; state moves to acquire maestro’s Kolkata residence

Dalim Phukan
Hills Live News, Guwahati, September 8: The birth centenary of Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika was commemorated at Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Samanway Tirtha at Jalukbari here on Tuesday, with Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma paying floral tributes at the memorial and statue of the legendary artiste.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister virtually laid the foundation stone of a proposed Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Museum at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra and launched an ‘Instareel’ competition aimed at introducing the life, works and contributions of the cultural icon to the younger generation through digital media.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Sarma described Dr. Hazarika as a “timeless personality” whose voice carried the cultural spirit of Assam, the depth of the Brahmaputra and a message of humanity. He said Hazarika’s songs, poetry and films gave expression to human emotions, awakened social consciousness and helped establish Assam’s cultural identity on the global stage.
Government moves to acquire Kolkata residence
The Chief Minister said the Assam government has initiated efforts to acquire the specific floor of Dr. Hazarika’s residence at Tollygunge in Kolkata, where the maestro spent an important period of his life and created several of his memorable works.
According to Dr. Sarma, communication with the Chief Minister of West Bengal is continuing in connection with the proposed acquisition.
₹35.37-crore museum at Kalakshetra
The proposed museum at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra will be constructed at an estimated cost of ₹35.37 crore on approximately 3.26 bighas of land. The project will comprise a four-storeyed building and a two-storeyed building connected by a corridor at the ground-floor level, besides roads, landscaping and other associated infrastructure.
The project is expected to be completed within two years.
Dr. Sarma appealed to members of the public possessing memorabilia and other articles associated with Dr. Hazarika to donate them to the museum so that they can be preserved and showcased for future generations.
Samanway Tirtha to get a new look
The Chief Minister also announced plans to give a new look to Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Samanway Tirtha. The government has approached Gauhati University for additional land for developing a Performing Arts Centre that would provide opportunities for research and academic engagement with Hazarika’s legacy.
The Public Works Department has also prepared a plan to transform the Samanway Tirtha with advanced technologies, including augmented reality.
Birth centenary finale in Delhi
Dr. Sarma said the concluding programme of the birth centenary celebrations is proposed to be held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on November 29. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his desire to attend the programme, he said.
The Chief Minister also announced that the Department of Cultural Affairs would take steps to establish a National Theatre named after Dr. Bhupen Hazarika. Steps have also been initiated to establish an academic chair in the maestro’s name at Banaras Hindu University.
‘Instareel’ competition for youth
The newly launched ‘Instareel’ competition seeks to bring Dr. Hazarika’s life and works closer to the younger generation through contemporary digital platforms.
The competition, themed “Celebrating the Life, Works and Timeless Contributions of Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika,” is open to participants aged between 16 and 45 years from India and abroad. Participants can create original videos of up to 30 seconds and upload them on Instagram before submitting them through the designated Google Drive. Cash prizes will be awarded to the winners.
Recalling Dr. Hazarika’s creative journey, Dr. Sarma said the maestro was not merely a singer, composer, lyricist, poet or filmmaker, but “an era, a consciousness and a living history.”
He urged the younger generation to draw inspiration from Hazarika’s life and dedicate themselves to creativity and constructive work, stressing that the joy of destruction is temporary, while the joy of creation is eternal.
The programme featured a collective rendition of Dr. Hazarika’s iconic song Bistirno Parore by a large number of artistes. Students of the Government College of Art & Crafts also participated in a special painting programme depicting various aspects of the maestro’s life and works.
The Samanway Tirtha was artistically decorated to showcase different facets of Dr. Hazarika’s life and creative journey.
The programme commenced with a welcome address by Cultural Affairs Minister Bimal Bora. Eminent litterateur Anuradha Sarma Pujari attended as the keynote speaker.
Finance Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah, Agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika, Handloom, Textiles and Sericulture Minister Biswajit Daimary, Water Resources Minister Sushanta Borgohain, Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Minister Kaushik Rai, MPs Dilip Saikia and Bijuli Kalita Medhi, MLAs Prasanta Phukan, Diplu Ranjan Sharma and Vijay Gupta, Guwahati Municipal Corporation Mayor Mrigen Sarania, Chief Secretary Dr. Ravi Kota, Gauhati University Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Nani Gopal Mahanta and several other distinguished personalities attended the programme.