Tributes to ' Kalaguru Bishnu Rabha on ‘Bishnu Rabha Divash’

 Time to time across great personalities were born in undivided India also in present India who are still remembered and events are held as tribute to them. On 20 June 1969, a great human being, patriot, also an artist, actor, painter, music composer, poet and writer of Assam left for heavenly abodes, popularly known as Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha. Such a talented person left for heavenly abode at the age of 60 years at Tezpur, Assam. In commemoration of his death, 20 June is celebrated in Assam as 'Bishnu Rabha Divash (Bishnu Rabha day)'.  Kalaguru (meaning Master of the Arts) was born on 31 January 1909 in ST family in Dhaka (now in Bangladesh), then Bengal Presidency of British India.

Bishnu Rabha’s schooling started at Tezpur Government High School, Assam and later on he went to Calcutta now Kolkata for pursuing higher study. From a young age he proved his talent through his writings. He was in the freedom movement and was influenced by leftist ideology  and ardent supporter of the Communist Party of India. However, when Germany attacked Soviet Union during the Second World War, the leaders of Indian communists decided to support the British Government which antagonised a section of the communist leaders and subsequently they formed the Revolutionary Communist Party of India (RCPI) in 1945 where he joined.    He was a multifaceted artist and revolutionary singer of Assam. His music today is known as Bishnu Rabha Sangeet.

He was associated very closely with theatre movement in Assam and there were many live performances at the Ban theatre in Tezpur which is famously connected to Kalaguru Bishnu Rabha.

     Kalaguru was a genius in creative activities and undoubtedly his enormous contribution no Indian can forget. His work Bano Kobang portrays the life of many indigenous Assamese communities. His other publications inter alia are Missing Coneng, Sonpahi, Axomiya Kristir Hamuh Abhakh, and Atit Axom. He had given music to most of his songs. He was a visionary, and through music, dance, acting, writing, etc., he endeavoured to realize his dream of a greater, prosperous Assamese society with every ethnic group as equal partners. He acted in a mobile theatre group of that time named 'Ban Theatre'. He directed an Assamese film 'Siraj', where he also composed the music. Further, he acted in the movie 'Era Baator Xur'. It may be mentioned  that he was awarded the title 'Kalaguru' by Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan at Varanasi for his enthralling ‘dance of Lord Shiva’. Kalaguru actively worked to popularize Vaishnavism initiated by Srimanata Sankardev (Saint and scholar) in Assam in 15^th century. Kalaguru painted portraits of both Sankardev and Madhavdev with water colours. He was a great human being also and always had feelings for the underprivileged and poor echelons of the society. It is pertinent to mention here that he had given about 2500 bighas (1 bigha is approximately equal to 0.40 acre) to the peasants. He popularised a slogan “Haal Jaar Maati Taar" means "those who cultivate, should own the land".

He passed away on 20 June 1969 but he will be in the hearts of millions for his brilliant activities.

Dr Shankar Chatterjee, 20 June 2021, Hyderabad