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OFFTRACK: GUWAHATI, ASSAM
Visual Melody
An extraordinary duo overcome extraordinary adversity.
By Teresa Rehman
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FORTITUDE: Baruah and Barthakur have remained
steadfast through sweet and sour times
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The
most passionate and unpredictable creature on earth is arguably the artist.
And when brush strokes of colour collide with lyrics and melody the result
is sure to be a spectacular blend of sensual energy. This ultimate union
of sight and sound is embodied in Neel Paban Baruah, eminent painter and
Lalit Kala Akademi member, and Dipali Barthakur, legendary singer of the
1950s affectionately known as the "nightingale of Assam". More
specifically in the way the couple has tackled personal tragedy with a
quiet dignity.
The artist became an important lifeline in the
singer's time of need in 1968, when, like an unforgiving thief, chronic
motor neurosis, a nerve degenerating disease, stole Barthakur's voice.
She also lost mobility and was taken to Dublin for treatment with the
help of generous public donations and government assistance but tragically
her melodious voice was lost. The song was gone.
Baruah met Barthakur when she was in Kolkata
for treatment. The bond strengthened over the years and they decided to
marry in 1976. The idea evoked varied responses. Baruah was cautioned
by his brother that in marrying Barthakur he had to rise above day-to-day
considerations. But for the artist this became a new passion. "I
was wedded to my canvas," he says with a sense of responsibility,
"but I now derive satisfaction from serving someone at home."
He curtailed his muse but he has no regrets. "Life is a canvas and
Dipali came my way. In spite of her being unwell, she is a pleasant, sensitive
companion with a good sense of humour."
The couple share the ultimate symbiotic bond.
Baruah attends to his bedridden wife, helping in all her day-to-day tasks,
from brushing her teeth to braiding her hair and bathing her fragile body.
In turn she lends him her eyes and mind. She is the first viewer of his
paintings, the first critic.
Baruah's sketches reveal the unavoidable complications
of urban modern life. Trees-his chosen symbol of this complexity-pervade
his canvases, bits of scrap paper and empty Charminar cigarette packets.
Recently, he completed 2,000 paintings to commemorate the new millennium.
"I could not attain real perfection in painting so I am now running
after numbers and sizes," jokes the artist who once wanted to traverse
the world but now restricts himself to rovings on the canvas.
While her husband paints, Barthakur recalls
her own tragic career. She regaled audiences with her songs in Moinar
Mels, a children's programme on radio, in Assamese films that include
Lachit Barphukan and in innumerable concerts throughout Assam. Between
1962 and 1964, HMV, by recording eight albums, ensured her a permanent
place in the state's musical history. Today, like her voice, they are
gone and she does not possess a single of these albums. In 1998, there
was a belated recognition in the form of the Padmashri for outstanding
contribution to music. "I was happy at the honour," says Barthakur,
"but saddened that I could not sing any longer."
Adversity has dogged the couple. Baruah's responsibilities
increased after the death of their 14-year-old house helper in 1999. There
were financial hardships-overcome to an extent by running a canteen in
the Assam State Museum and by managing a fleet of cycle rickshaws. There
was also the pension given to both by the government. The couple's mental
strength proved a bulwark against adversity. Not tempted by material considerations,
Baruah says, "Things come to us, we do not go hankering for them."
Recently he was appointed visiting lecturer at Vishwa Bharati in West
Bengal and is now engaged in reviving the art of Brindavani Vastra, the
textile painting process associated with Vaishnava saint Srimanta Shankardev.
Amid all this, the two lead a contented life
with a passion that is almost tangible. Baruah describes their life with
the fluency of a poet as, "sometimes sweet, sometimes sour, sometimes
full and sometimes lonely". They hope others look at their life and
learn to undo destiny's tricks.
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