Over the last one and a half years, the nation
has lost some of the doyens in the field of Culture and Cinema. The Legends
whose absence has created such a void that can never be filled. The latest to
leave us was the first Superstar of the Hindi Film Industry, our most adored
‘Kaka’, Shri. Rajesh Khanna . What was so extraordinary about all these individuals?
Apart from their gifted talent and expertise in their respected fields, it was
their willingness to think and aim big and obviously their assiduity .Yes they
were sedulous and tenacious. Its one thing to be blessed with a skill or to
have the potential, but not many can transform it in to performance. These
great personalities were precisely able to do that and got boundless success so
much so that they have made their golden imprints on the history books. Charismatic
Rajesh Khanna, effervescent Shammi Kapoor, indefatigable Devanad, the man who
took Ghazals to the masses,Ghazal Samrat Jagjit Singh,the bard of Brahmaputra Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, the
Symbol of Strength of India, Rustam –E-
Hind Dara Singh, the literary genius Indira
Goswami better known by her pen name Mamoni Roisom Goswami and a poet par
excellence Hiren Bhattacharya, our beloved ‘Hiruda’. These distinguished people
were indeed possessed with exceptional qualities and though they are not with
us now, there legacy is timeless and will be eternally with us. With Rajesh
Khanna people associate the height of Stardom that he had enjoyed, Shammi
Kapoor will be remembered for his panache and animated dance moves and no one
can forget Dev Sahab’s mannerisms, élan and flair. Besides, they were all outstanding
thespians. Jagjit Singh’s and Bhupen Da’s musical heritage is amaranthine. In
fact Bhupen Da’s impact on the Socio-Cultural Environment of Assam and his
contribution to the World of Music can itself be a very elaborate and intricate
area of research and analysis. Dara Singh’s rendition of ‘Lord
Hanuman’ in Ramanand Sagar's ‘Ramayan’ was undeniably divine and
beatific, no other actor was as convincing
as Hanuman, as he was. Indira Goswami’s greatness as a writer can be manifested
from the fact that she has modified the tradition of Assamese Literature, and brought
it to the World Stage.Hiru Da will always be remembered as Prem aru Rodalir
Kobi (Poet of Love and Sunshine) whose poetry reflected varied hues of
human emotions like love, loneliness,patriotism, rebellion, and so on. Celebrating
their birth and death anniversaries will not be enough to pay them homage,
actual reverence in my humble opinion
lies in appreciating and preserving their work for the generations to come.
