| CEC helps Gunasindhu It is a welcome gesture on the  part of CEC, a Guwahati-based multi-educational institute covering the North East, to have come forward to help filmmaker Gunasindhu Hazarika, who is presently in distress and leading a hard life. Dipankar Dutta, the founder president of CEC, announced a monthly amount of Rs 3000 to the filmmaker at a function in Guwahati on October 31. The filmmaker was also felicitated with a sarai, eri chador, japi and a walking stick. The felicitation was offered by AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya, Apurba Kumar Das, Kapil Bora and Rameshmalla Deka of the Sirdi Sai Socio-educational Trust. Deka also announced an amount of Rs 1,500 per month and other provisions to the filmmaker whenever needed. Incidentally, Hazarika’s personal story is extraordinary. He left for Mumbai at an early age to learn filmmaking. After continuous struggle in Mumbai and Kolkata, he became involved in Assamese filmmaking with Maniram Dewan, Lolita, Adalat, Moromi and Toramai as assistant director. He made a successful children’s film Abuj Bedona. Unfortunately, he lost his eyesight while making a feature film Nayanmoni. Finding no way out, he opened a PCO at DC Court in Guwahati and led a hand to mouth existence with his wife. The PCO was completely damaged in the bomb blasts on October 30, 2008. Thereafter, he left no stone unturned to reopen it, but failed. His electricity connection was cut off due to non payment of dues. He has also not been able to pay rent to the Assam State Housing Board for several months and was in great tension, fearing that he would be thrown out of the premises. |
| Bhabananda’s recital A festival of arts was held  recently at the India International Centre, New Delhi, where Assamese artistes presented various items. An enthralling Satriya recital was presented by Bhabananda Barbayan, an accomplished dancer, khol player, singer, choreographer, and a teacher. Bhabananda was inducted into the fold of the Uttar Kamalabari Satra at the tender age of four, where he received training from the Gurus of the Satra. A recipient of various awards and holder of post-graduate degrees in geography and Assamese literature, he is now doing his PhD at Rabindra Bharati University on tala patterns of Satriya dance. He has a few publications in the Brajawali language to his credit. He has been teaching in various institutions and is presently involved with the Satriya Dance Academy, established by the Assam Association of Delhi at the Srimanta Sankardev Bhawan, where students from other parts of the country are learning this classical art form.Earlier, before the performance by Barbayan, members of the Assam Association Cultural and Educational Trust of Delhi presented a number of Borgeets by Dibakar Das, Rimi Pathak, Gitimoni Hatibaruah and Sozichallen. |
| Aaimoni releasing soon After gaining popularity for the first and second part, the third part of Aaimoni, a Bihu-based video film has been completed and is to be released next month. Director-dramatist Munin Barua has written the story, screenplay and dialogue of Aaimoni. This romantic social film is directed by Jadumoni Dutta, with planning and concept by Nurul Sultan. Ravi Sarma and Aaimee Barua have portrayed the lead roles, while another romantic pair has been played by Prasenjit and Munmi Kalita. They are supported by Arun Hazarika, Dilip Ranjan Dutta, Dulumoni Deka, Srimanta Madhab Bora, Jayanta Phukan, Ankita Saikia, Nazrana Sultana, Minu Baniya and Jadumoni Dutta. The film will be released on December 1. |
| Bohagor Mitha Sur An audio CD titled Bohagor Mitha  Sur, containing eight modern Assamese songs written and sung by Bipin Handique, was released recently. It has been produced under the banner of JH Productions in memory of martyr Kanaklata Barua, who breathed her last on September 20, 1942 at Gahpur police station when British police fired to disperse the agitators of the Quit India movement. Handique is a reputed singer living in a very interior village Garudhoadubi under Gohpur subdivision. |
| Tribute to Rudra Barua Rudra Anneswan, a programme which was a musical tribute to legendary Rudra Barua, was held recently at Rabindra Bhawan, Guwahati, under the aegis of the Directorate of Cultural Affairs, Assam in collaboration with Luit Konwar Rudra Barua State Music College. The songs of Rudra Barua were presented by Dimbeswar Das, Gitanjali Hazarika, Jayanta Das, Indrani Phukan, Pranita Baishya Medhi, Govinda Baishya, Madhusmita Bhattacharya, Sada Gogoi and Apurba Kumar Das. The presentation was conducted by Ramen Choudhury. Dances on Barua’s songs were performed by the students of the college, which also included a part of the Rukmini Haran Bhaona led by Ramkrishna Talukdar and Moromi Medhi. At the outset, Sankar Prasad Kakati Bora, director, Cultural Affairs, Ratna Ojah, Krishnamurty Hazarika and Arati Barua spoke on the manifold qualities of late Barua. |
Apurba Kumar Das