Understanding Assamese Nationalism:

The evolutionary episodes of human civilization have always been instrumental to the beginning of a new reflective medium of emotional and creative expressions. From marking unknown signs and symbols on the cave walls to the birth of printing machine, civilization has witnessed several milestones to identify human rationality. The invention of pen could be considered a landmark in the evolution of human civilization that brought a systematic outlook to recognize human thoughts through different scripts. It plays a vital role to organize our expressions for a utilitarian society highlighting the idea of nation-building and the significance of nurturing the sense of nationalism. Literature has always been one very influencing mode of spreading nationalism among the citizens of a nation. It’s an intangible mode but has the most effective power to unite people with a common vibe. Understanding Assamese nationalism from different literary perspectives is indeed a need of the hour. It’s essential to signify that the perspective of nationalism solely depends on the person who holds the pen. A pen has the capacity to create a unique and fundamental idea regarding nationalistic perceptions transforming a person into a personality. Dr. Bhupen Hazarika and his exceptional literary works exclusively define how we as the representatives of the greater Assamese community should adopt the sense of Assamese nationalism simultaneously while continuing our responsibilities as Indians and also as global citizens.

“শ্ৰীলংকাত থিয় হৈ দেখিছোঁ

কুমাৰিকা, কাশ্মীৰ, কামৰূপৰ ত্ৰিভুজটো।

গোটেইখন যেন

মোৰ জন্ম-ঠাই শদিয়া”

(কবিতা: পাৰ্ছপেকটিভ)

The life of Dr. Hazarika (Born: 8 September, 1926; Died: 5 November, 2011) as a philosopher and social scientist reflects his spontaneous endeavour to spread a world-view through his literary treasures. The bohemian, constantly nurturing the philosophy of human bridge and brotherhood, standing at Sri Lanka discovers the global triangle connecting Kumarika, Kashmir and Kamrupa and interestingly recognizes the whole as his mother land Xodiya. It is his philosophy of three dimensional approaches to establish a liberal identity with an extremely strong base rooted in Assam. Thus, a unique and revolutionary flavour of Assamese nationalism is constantly identifiable in different works of Bhupen Hazarika.

“ব’হাগত জাতিয়ে স্নান কৰে

মলিয়ন বস্ত্ৰ সলায়,

সংগ্ৰামী জীৱনতো

ৰণ প্ৰেৰণা

দিয়ে বৰদৈচিলাই;

ওফৰাই দুখ নাগ পাশ”।।

His understanding of Bohag perhaps goes beyond the ambit of Rongali Bihu and tries to focus deeply on its wider perspective to revitalize the greater Assamese community with novel thoughts and actions following the Assamese New Year. The incredible skill of locating the interrelation between two regional intangible components of our community existing in the cycle of time clearly defines how Bhupen Hazarika is closely associated with the idea of Assamese nationalism in a very constructive manner. The cited lines from one of his evergreen songs constantly highlight his role as a reviewer of the community and thus a true guardian. So, his idea of nationalism is instinctive and not driven by external agents.

“বিশ্বপ্ৰেম বিনন্দীয়া বুলি

অনুভৱ‌ কৰা প্ৰতিজন‌ অসমীয়া

তুমিওতো‌ জানা‌ এটি কথা:

আপোন মাতৃৰ অশ্ৰু নমচিলে‌

বিশ্বপ্ৰেম হ’ব বৃথা

তুমি বিশ্বৰ শৰীৰত পংগু অংগ হ’লে

বিশ্বই জানো‌ ভাল‌ পাব ?”

Hazarika’s philosophy of humanism connects people irrespective of their caste, class, race, religion and nationality spontaneously celebrating cultural relativism and assimilation. A dynamic thinker who crosses national borders and imagines himself speaking about Gorky sitting beside the tomb of Mark Twain, certainly does not fail to energize his concern for the roots every time. The cited lines from one of the most pensive songs of the legend describe the importance of nurturing our Assamese identity first and foremost while promoting genuine and timely efforts for international brotherhood. This perhaps reflects the idea of charity begins at home.

(i)

“মোৰ‌ দেশখন যদি আজি আই হৈ‌ যায়

আৰু আয়ে যদি কান্দি কান্দি বাৰে‌ বাৰে কয়

তই বাৰু মোৰ‌ বাবে‌ কৰিলিনো কি

মই ক’ম কি?

মই ক’ম কি?” (ii)

“অসমী আয়ে মোক তুলিছে তালিছে

কেনেকৈ হওঁ মই পৰ,

চেনেহক নেওচা দি

অসমীৰ সন্মান সদায়ে ৰাখিমে

আৰুনো কওঁ মই কি?”

(iii)

“আই তোৰ মৰমবোৰ নিগৰি

আই অ’ লুইত হৈ বাগৰে,

আই অ’ শান্তি সাগৰলে বুলি

আই অ’ মহা মিলনলে বুলি”

In most of the creations infused with patriotic elements, Dr. Hazarika has applied the word ‘Aai’ (Meaning: Mother) very frequently in two different sense. While the broader sense or meaning represents his Motherland Assam, internally he also recognizes his own mother who gave him birth. This symbolic interpretation expresses his capacity of interlinking situations in mind and meanwhile concretizing the same through words. The cited lines from three of his insightful songs exactly reflect how he has always been equally generous to both of his mothers.

(i)

“লুইত থাকিব, পণ থাকিব

গণ তৰণীও নিতে চলিব,

সমূহৰ কালিৰ বাবে‌,

‘আজি’ ক দিলা বন্ধু”।।

(ii)

“পাহাৰ ভৈয়াম একে কৰা ৰামধনুৰেই দৰে

তোমাৰ ভাষাৰ মৰমবোৰে মিলন সেতু গঢ়ে

লৌহিত্যৰে বহল পাৰক প্ৰণিপাত কৰোঁ

জন্ম ল’লো ইয়াতেই, ইয়াতেই যেন মৰোঁ”।

The mighty river Brahmaputra and perhaps the lifeline of Assam has been an eternal inspiration that significantly influences Hazarika’s philosophy of Assamese nationalism. Despite having individual existence both in time and space, Dr. Hazarika often used Brahmaputra and Bihu with more symbolic expressions. The physical presence of Brahmaputra itself helps him to inspire and nurture his optimistic outlook towards the welfare of Assam. Thus, it is remarkable to take note of his perspective on Brahmaputra that reminds us to cultivate the sense of Assamese nationalism.

Conclusion:

“অসমীৰে চোতালত ৰ’দ কাঁচলিত বহি বহি

ব তোলাই ব তোলে বাটি কঢ়াই কাঢ়ে

আমাৰ দেশৰ চেলেংখনিৰ নতুন ৰহণ চৰে

সজাবলৈ হেজাৰ জনতাক

আনন্দতে পুৱাই উৰিল

হেজাৰ হেজাৰ কপৌৰ জাক

ধিয়াই মাথোঁ ৰঙা বেলিৰ

জীৱন যচা তাপ”I

The sense of nationalism is one vital aspect of nation-building. It’s a culture we all need to cultivate in our thoughts as well as in actions. Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, an architect of modern Assam and a cultural activist, who was deeply inspired by the ideas of Srimanta Sankardev and also by Jyotiprasad Agarwala and Bishnuprasad Rabha, left no stone unturned to spread the importance of work culture among the people of the greater Assamese community. While the idea of nationalism is nurtured in our hearts, it’s truly very significant to concretize the same by our works. Otherwise, nationalism would be left only as an emotion without proper channelization. Thus, the purpose of self-reviewing and internalizing nationalism will be successful with the assurance of cultivating work culture and empowering one’s own self.