Bhupen with his trademark cap

Jorhat, Nov. 11: The man who wore many hats — singer, composer, filmmaker — today had the cap that he donned for nearly half a century named after him.

The Gorkha topi, which had almost become synonymous with Bhupen Hazarika, has a new name.

The All Assam Gorkha Students’ Union has appealed to the Gorka community to call the black embossed spotted vadgawley Gorkha topi worn by the balladeer as Bhupenda Gorkha Topi.

The legend’s biographer, Surjya Hazarika, said the legend had been wearing the cap since 1965 and the khukuri pin that adorned it was a gift from his friends and admirers in Nepal.

Nanda Kirati Dewan, publicity secretary of the students’ union, today appealed to the Gorkha population across the globe to replace the word “vadgawley” with “Bhupenda” and call it the Bhupenda Gorkha Topi henceforth as a tribute to the singer.

Hazarika adored the Gorkhas and their tradition and had sung the song Phut godhulite Kopili khutit kon Gorkhali gabhorure gaijoni heral after watching a Gorkha damsel fetching water in clay pots on the bank of Kopili river.

For the man who loved the waters and invoked rivers and seas across the globe in his songs, it was only befitting that he should also have a boat named after him.

A passenger boat, which was added to the Majuli-Jorhat ferry service today, was named after Hazarika.

The boat, to be called MB (Mar Boat) Sudhakantha Dr Bhupen Hazarika, will run regularly between Neemati and Kamalabari ghats.

The Rs 28-lakh vessel was used today to immerse the ashes of the bard in the river on the outskirts of Jorhat after a procession was taken out from Court Field to Neematighat.

Jorhat deputy commissioner R.C. Jain confirmed that the district administration has decided to name the new passenger boat belonging to the inland water transport department after the maestro. “Hazarika has a deep bond with the Brahmaputra and also with Majuli, where he was first addressed as Sudhakantha,” Jain said.

A procession of over 1,000 people reached Neematighat around 10am, with the urn carrying the ashes of the legend.

A police contingent lowered their guns and offered salute, following which the ashes were immersed in the Brahmaputra.

The xatradhikar (head priest) of Auniati xatra, one of the oldest and largest of Majuli’s xatras, welcomed the decision to name the boat in memory of the legend.

In Silchar, a local organisation called Dalit Sena has decided to set up a stone and marble statue of Hazarika. The organisation’s president, Rupesh Chandra Das, said land for the statue would be bought soon in Silchar.