Rahul Gandhi and chief minister Tarun Gogoi with Tez Hazarika at Nizarapar on Wednesday. Picture by UB Photos

Nov. 9: Bhupen Hazarika’s Nizarapar residence will be preserved, just like those of Shelly and Shakespeare.

“The Bhupen Hazarika Trust will look after Bhupenda’s residence at Nizarapar. It will be preserved like the homes of Shelly or Shakespeare in England. His admirers and fans can come here to have a look at where he lived,” said sister-in-law Manisha Hazarika.

The residence was today visited by many VIPs, including Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, chief minister Tarun Gogoi and others.

Rahul, clad in a white kurta, was returning from Nagaland and dropped in almost unannounced, hours after mutterings of complaints that no Congress leader had come for the funeral.

Entering the premises, he headed towards the maestro’s photograph and paid his tribute with folded hands.

He then greeted the family members and spoke to his son Tez for about 30 minutes, looking relaxed as he sat with them.

“We talked of usual things. I asked him about his education and association with the Northeast. He also asked abo-ut my father. We even discus-sed Buddhism and about my interest in Buddhist monasteries. It was very nice,” Tez said.

Tez, who described his feelings like a New Yorker yesterday, was a transformed man. From a person who reacted to the massive homage that his father received as being “blown away”, today he bowed to the crowd like an Indian, or rather, like an Assamese stee-ped in tradition and culture. “I learnt the bowing in Buddhism. But the respect that people showered on my family today was magical,” said Tez.

A turnout of 50,000 to 60,000 people at a cremation is, after all, not commonplace.

During his visit to Nizarapar, Rahul Gandhi did not say anything on the issue of Hazarika being honoured with Bharat Ratna, a long-pending demand of the state’s people.

Kalpana Lajmi later told reporters how awards were being “politicised”.

“Bhupen Hazarika being honoured with Bharat Ratna has been discussed earlier. It’s sad how great artistes are deprived of such honours. These awards are now politicised,” said Lajmi.

The residence was a picture of gloom. In the afterno-on, the family members, after returning from Jalukbari, buried the asthi (mortal rema-ins) near the bokul tree in the front yard.

Hazarika’s sister Sudakshina, who broke down at the crematorium ground, was rushed back to Nizarapar on a stretcher.

The ashes from the cremation ground were brought in 12 containers wrapped in red cloth and kept carefully at the sotal.

“Many have requested us for the ashes from his cremation. Some also gave us jars at home to preserve the ashes for them,” said Samar Hazarika, Hazarika’s brother.

The ashes will be distributed to places like Tezpur, Koliabor, Arunachal Pradesh and others.