AASU members pay tribute to Bhupen Hazarika at Dighalipukhuri on Sunday. Picture by UB Photos

Dec. 4: Bhakats from different xatras in Barpeta today organised a 10-hour thio naam near Dighalipukhuri to mark one month of the demise of music maestro Bhupen Hazarika.

Under the initiative of the All Assam Students Union (AASU), the bhakats started their thio naam at 9.30am to pay tribute to Hazarika, which continued till 7pm. Hazarika, the greatest ever balladeer from the state, died on November 5 leaving his countless fans grief-stricken.

Thio naam is a religious song performed by people standing at a place. Bor taal (cymbal) is the main musical instrument in thio naam. The songs are mostly taken from the Kirtana Ghoxa by Sankardev and Naam Ghoxa by Madhabdev. They are sung mostly for peace of the soul of a dead person or in any tithi (a religious occasion) for the peace and prosperity.

Singing songs from Naam Ghoxa and Kirtan Ghoxa and playing cymbals, the bhakats, under the leadership of burha bhakat of Barpeta xatra, Bashista Dev Sharma, and deka bhakat Naba Das Pathak, paid tribute to Hazarika. People also paid floral tributes before their singer’s statue a few metres away from where the bhakats were singing thio naam.

Hazarika’s long-time associate Kalpana Lajmi, who was in the state since his death and left today, paid tribute to Hazarika this morning at his statue near Dighalipukhuri.

“The bhakats will also perform thio naam tomorrow at the same place for 10 hours. Besides, the local units of our organisation will organise prayer meets and light diyas in their respective areas to mark one month of the demise of Hazarika,” AASU leader Bipul Rabha said.

Praxad was distributed among the people who thronged to pay tribute to Hazarika and see thio naam. Burha bhakat Dev Sharma said there were several stories about the origin of thio naam. “There is no limit to the number of people to perform thio naam. But the number should be such that they can form a pattern like the letter U,” Dev Sharma said.

A month ago when the body of the singer was brought to Dighalipukhuri, countless people had thronged the place to see their beloved singer for the last time. A few years ago AASU had set up the statue of Hazarika.

“It is one month now that he left us. We still find it difficult to believe that he is not among us,” Anup Gogoi, a resident of Kahilipara, said.