GUWAHATI: On the last day of campaign for the final phase of the election, Assamese singer Arupjyoti Baruah, an ardent follower of warrior artist Bishnu Prasad Rava, one of the doyens of Assamese culture and gana shilpi (people’s artist) Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, on Sunday released a song, ‘Bicharor xekh rati (last night of judgment)’, with which he appealed to the people to judge, consider and elect honest and efficient representatives to the assembly to establish a healthier democracy for a good and secure future.
Baruah, who hails from Pathsala, Bajali district in lower Assam, has a music band called ‘Cultivators’ and has been working on the ideologies of Rava, Agarwala and legendary singer Bhupen Hazarika for building a better society.
“In a democracy, people’s experiences get reflected in the choice of representatives. This is the right time and opportunity when people can use the supreme power they have for the sake of establishing a healthier democracy rejecting corrupt politics.”
Appealing to the people to vote without any bias, he said, “Do not let any political party or organization or individual buy your conscience.”
A section of the song penned by Mrinall P Jyoti and composed and sung by Baruah goes like this, “Bisarore aaji xekh rati/ Tejimolar dore hua ei jati/ Dhori rakha amar bheti mati/ bibekere jam aami khupi khupi (Last night of judgment/ the community that has made the fate of Tejimola/ save the hearth and land/ we’ll move step by step with conscience).”
Tejimola is a popular character from ‘Burhi Aair Xadhu’ (loosely translated as Grandmother’s Tales), a collection of Assamese folktales compiled in 1911 by Sahityarathi Lakshminath Bezbaroa, a pioneering literary figure of Assam. Tejimola is a lonesome young girl tormented by her stepmother as her father has been absent from home for a long time. She failed to raise her voice against the torture and finally died.
Baruah, referring to the character created by Bezbaroa, urged the people not to be like Tejimola because it is the people’s responsibility to wisely lead society.
His appeal through the song gained an overwhelming response within hours of release of the song and was accepted by the people as a ‘very relevant’ song at a time when the state, as well as the country, is witnessing a gradual decline in political life.
Sailen Das, a youth from Palashbari constituency and a professional personality development trainer, said, “I would like to urge the people not to make any mistake this time. Baruah’s song conveys an important message that will educate the people as well.”