Bihunamar Barpera

Name of the book: Bihunamar Barpera
Writer: Dr Amarendra Gogoi
Publisher: Aank Baak
Pages: 447
Price: Rs 300

The countless Bihu songs, which have been verbally handed down generations and have been evading systematic institutional efforts to be collected and published, have found a worthy place in Amarendra Gogoi’s Bihunamar Barpera.

A collection of 2,095 Bihu geets, Bihunamar Barpera is an outcome of Gogoi’s individual effort to publish them. He himself sang many of the songs in husoris, but the others he collected from different parts of the state.

Travelling down the annals of history, we find that the royal poet of King Rudhasingha, Ram Narayan Chakraborty, was the first person to publish a Bihu song collection — Aligan.

There are a few collections like Aakul Pothik by Dimbeswar Neog (1922), Bohagi by Nakul Chandra Bhuyan (1923) and Bihugeet Aru Bonghoxa by Lila Gogoi (1961) that are also worth mention. Over the years, a few small collections had appeared in the market but they were not comprehensive.

In such a situation, the richness of Bihunamar Barpera will help readers discover the diversity in Bihu songs.

The compiler has classified Bihu geet under different heads: Husorir bihu xorai nasoni gamosa badya (songs sung in husori), Prem-peeriti morom bhalpua (expression of love and affection), Dukh bejar biroh akkhep (sadness and pangs of separation) Gabhoru Bixex (sung by young women), Joranaam (a kind of competitive teasing), Doihik Xoundarya (physical beauty), Xomaj byabasthar ito xito (different aspects of society), Jokowa naam (teasing song), Oitihaxik potbhumit rosito naam (based on history), Bonoria naam (erotic Bihu geet).

The Bihu geet have been published the way they are sung by rural folk. No unnecessary scholarly effort has been introduced to set right the colloquialism integral to the songs. This helps retain not only the originality of the songs but also reflects the true picture of rural Assamese society.

The songs included in the book are rich enough to cover most aspects of Assamese society, including its culture and prevalent beliefs.

There is one song that aptly describes the nuances of the Assamese language:

Salonire saliba kulare jariba
Dhekit diye jaba saab
Tou khuti mariba tolot juye diba
Khuaba axaji bhat … (page 386)

And there is another that reminds one of the historical treacheries of the past:

Keloi anili Maane oi Badan toi
Keloi anili Maan
Dexot jui logali raijok bodhili
Katili Axomor kaan. (page 413)

Some songs are eloquent about the beliefs prevalent in rural Assamese society:

Guruko koriba daan o deuta
Bhokotok koriba daan
Goru bihur dina loba axeerbad
Tehe paba boikunthot sthan(page 56)

Gogoi is now working to release the second part of Bihunamar Barpera, covering the ghoxas sung in husori, pod, lohoria, dhemelia naam, jaat and malita sung during Bihu.
The neat arrangement of songs under different titles in the book can be called a significant push in the direction of preservation of the state’s rich folk culture.

RAJIV KONWAR

Published on July 15; 2011