Describing the legendry Dr Bhupen Hazarika as a “true artist” worthy of emulation, Meghalaya Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary today said, the revolutionary artist transcended religion and region for oneness and peace through his undying art.
Mooshahary pointed to the phenomenon of the “spectacular footfall of huge multitude of people,” to pay their last respect to Dr Bhupen Hazarika after his demise, being unparalleled in the music world, and goes to prove that the singer “touched people’s consciousness” through his undying art.
The Governor said the quality of a true artist, is in being first and foremost, a peaceloving man, just as Dr Bhupen Hazarika. The Governor said that “unnecessary intolerance” has been created around the world as people do not want to reach each other by simply trying to understand the other person’s point of view. But, a true artist, like Dr Bhupen Hazarika, is someone who believes in reaching out to the masses though the doctrine of peace, integration and learning.
“After the singer’s demise there was an upsurge of emotion and uncountable people visited to pay their last respect. Such a spectacular footfall was never heard anywhere in the music world,” Mooshahary said in his inaugural address at the four-day Shillong Calm literary festival here. The festival would also feature motivational speeches from personalities like Chetan Bhagat, MJ Akbar and others besides art, photography exhibition, etc.
Mooshahary added that “art and culture can help reduce misunderstanding” and the “North East is a treasure house of art, culture and tradition” with “music being its forte.”
Touching on the literary scene of the region, the Governor lamented that the North East has several talented writers in the regional language, who do not get the kind of exposure that writers in the English language gets.
On the overall scenario of the North East, he said some of the problems of the region have accentuated as people believe in living in isolation, due to insecurity of being overwhelmed and exploited by “outsiders.”
“Art and culture,” he stated, has the capacity to liberalise people from this sense of insecurity and take them forward in the path of liberty.
Earlier, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said the Meghalaya Government wants to partner with the people through various modes and the recent creation of the district-level arts and cultural societies is an effort in that direction.
No comments:
Post a Comment