Bishnu Rabha: The dawn is too far

 Chandramohan Kakati

One of the most celebrated Assamese icons of the 20th century was born on January 31, 1909, in Dacca. By dint of his versatile and multifaceted talent as an artist, singer, lyricist, music composer, actor, and litterateur, he helped Assamese culture reach new heights and thereby made the nation ever grateful to him. He was none other than Bishnuprasad Rabha, the worthy son of Gopal Chandra Rabha, a competent and famous Eastern Frontier Assam Rifles official who held the post of aide-de-camp to the Governor of Bengal. Rabha’s mother, Gethi, was also a popular and ideal lady, best known for her hospitality in the residential area of Pilkhana, Dacca, where the headquarters of the Rifles unit was based.

Bishnu Prasad had his early education in reputed schools, plus he learned the lessons on music, dance, etc. under the tutorship of renowned classical musician of that time, Ustad Motty Miyan, and other talented teachers of Dacca. Gopal Rabha desired that his bright son Bishnu become proficient in both education and music, as the former was a connoisseur of art and music. But the happy, joyful moments of the family did not last long following the sudden demise of Gopal Rabha due to a massive heart attack while he was travelling in his own Tom-Tom pulled by a horse in the Bazar area. That tragic incident brought misfortune to the Rabha family. The wife of Gopal Rabha came back to Tezpur with her nine children, where her late husband built a big heritage house. Gopal Rabha’s premature death left his family in great misery, and it was very difficult to make both ends meet for the surviving family. The once affluent family had to sell the major portion of the big house to clear the land revenue due to the government.

Bishnu Rabha, a doyen of art and culture, is one of the pioneers of Assamese art and music in their varied forms, which include dance, recital, etc. Versatile genius as he was, Bishnu Rabha once mesmerised the audience in the meeting hall of Benaras Hindu University by performing Tandava Nritya. Being inspired by his superb recital of Tandava Nritya, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Vice-Chancellor of the University, bestowed the title Kalaguru on Bishnu Rabha. Since then, he has been known as Kalaguru Bishnu Rabha. Even the all-time great classical dancer Uday Shankar was fascinated by his performance and expressed his willingness to learn that dance form from Kalaguru Rabha. Rabha joyfully responded to his request and taught Uday Shankar Tandava Nritya with different mudras. In fact, the Tandavawas were deeply ingrained in him. Truly, Rabha wished to demolish all the evils in society, which was reflected through his Tandava Nritya.

Bishnuprasad was also known for his acting talent. Natasuryya Phani Sarma was his intimate friend, and he helped compose a song for Sarma’s famous cinema, Siraj. One who watches Dr. Bhupen Hazarika’s movie Pratidhani will never forget Rabha’s memorable performance in the role of Khasi Siem. Rabha also stood behind Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, helping the latter in the making of the first Assamese movie Joymati in 1935, which earned the distinction of being the 5th Indian film when the heyday of celluloid was yet to come. It is worth mentioning that Rabha, who himself was a recognised film director, assisted Phani Sarma in his movie Siraj. Multifaceted talent Rabha directed the choreography of Rohini Barua’s film Manumati.

Rabhahad never compromised in the field of art and culture to get cheap publicity and commercial benefit. He used his talent only to uplift the Assamese culture in its varied forms—drama, movies, etc. Despite having a very good rapport with the art worlds of Calcutta and Bombay, Rabha never left Assam to achieve his personal goal. Even during the days of struggle, the squarely talented Rabha moved around the whole of Assam, both in plains and hills in disguise, only to educate the masses and convince them to raise their voices against the exploitation of British and local lords.

Bishnu Rabha was closely connected with the theatre movement in Assam, and sometimes he acted in mobile theatre groups, which were then confined to lower Assam areas only. Dharani Barman of Suradevi Theatre thankfully appreciated the help he received from Rabha. Tezpur, best known for Ban Stage, is fondly connected to Bishnu Rabha. Ban Stage got financial help from his father, Gopal Chandra Rabha. It needs mention that the Set of Ban Stage was designed or sometimes altered by the renowned architect of the time, Upendra Kumar Baruah, especially for Rabha’s plays. Rabha had composed many beautiful songs for films and dramas too. He is still remembered for his evergreen songs like Xurore Deulore, Bilote Halise, etc.

Apart from being a well-known poet, dramatist, musician, and actor of great repute, Bishnu Rabha was a serious academician and anthropologist of proven calibre. His book, Bano-Kebang, is a nice piece of anthropological study based on extensive field work. His other contributions include Missing Coneng,Sonpahi, Axomiya Kristir Samu Abhas, Atit Axom, etc. Mainstream critics of Assam ignored both Bishnu Rabha and Jyotiprasad Agarwala during their lifetimes. With revolutionary ideas and living a bohemian life, Kalaguru Rabha fought tooth and nail against injustices meted out to the peasantry during the British regime and after independence by the Swadeshi government. Dauntless patriot and revolutionary singer Kalaguru Rabha has always been alive in the psyche of the Assamese people.

Though Rabha is known for his communist leanings, he was initially inspired by Gandhi’s non-violent ideology and actively involved in the freedom movement led by Gandhiji in 1930. But his fear was that India’s freedom would only get transferred from the British elite to the Indian elite. In his words, “I am fighting for a revolution from the realm of necessity to the realm of freedom.” He wrote the following famous lines on the wall of Coochbehar:

Raijye ache duitipatha

Ektikalo, ektisadha

Raijyer Jodi Mongol Chao

Duiti patha boli dao.

(There are two sacrificial goats in the state—one black, the other white; if you want the best for the people, then sacrifice both.)

Being not satisfied with communism, Rabha took active part in the armed revolutionary movement of the RCPI and, of course, went underground while being a member of the CPI and RCPI, along with his dedicated and faithful compatriots like Phani Bora, Gobinda Kalita, Kamini Sarma, Sailen Medhi, and others, to free India from the yolk of the British and the local lords.

Being stuck to his principle “Hal Jar Mati Tar” (those who cultivate should own the land), he strongly felt the need to donate his ancestral landed property measuring about 2000 bighas of land to the needy and oppressed cultivators of Tezpur area, where Central University stands now. Such magnanimity from a revolutionary freedom fighter is rare now.

Bishnu Rabha’s entire life was characterised by restlessness to work for the people and keeping on moving like a nomad, caring less for his family. An excellent mass mobilizer, Bishnu Rabha’s speeches could touch the hearts of the masses. As a true organiser, Rabha’s indomitable courage and selfless services during and after independence are matchless. Bishnu Rabha took over the mantle of the Assam Branch of the Indian People’s Theatre Association (ITPA) after the premature and tragic death of Jyotiprasad Agarwala in 1951.

Like a wandering minstrel, Bishnu Rabha, a man of mass leadership, constantly mingled with the downtrodden to know their grievances as well as to avoid his possible arrest by the Britishers after independence by the Swadeshi Government. One could find no language as to how to describe that great personality who could donate vast landed property to the peasants despite being afflicted by domestic problems. Bishnu Rabha’s political struggle was never pregnant with individual power-seeking motives; it was only to give power at the hands of the proletariat, which is why he participated in politics too and got elected as an independent MLA from Tezpurin in 1967, but the untimely death of Bishnu Rabha deepened the night. The dawn is too far!