Jayanta Hazarika

Jayanta Hazarika (20 September 1943 – 15 October 1977) was an Indian singer and composer associated with Assamese music. He wrote lyrics for a few songs and composed music for several movies. He was the younger brother of Bhupen Hazarika.

Popularly known as Rana-da, Jayanta Hazarika was the younger brother of Late Dr. Bhupen Hazarika. He started his musical career accompanying his brother and later made his name as singer and composer in his own right. Jayanta was the first Assamese composer to fuse western musical forms such as rock and roll, jazz and Western Classical with traditional Assamese melodies and created a new sound. He was a pioneer in introducing several western instruments in his compositions.

Personal life Jayanta Hazarika was born into a famous musical family of Assam. He was the ninth amongst 10 children of father Nilakanta Hazarika and mother Shantipriya Hazarika. Bhupen Hazarika, 17 years his senior, was his eldest brother. On 20 September 1943, Jayanta was born in Mangaldai. Jayanta grew up in an environment full of music since his early childhood. All his brothers and sisters were deeply involved with music. At the age of nine, Jayanta composed the melody for a song written by his elder brother, Nripen Hazarika. Jayanta Hazarika studied high-school in the Sonaram High School of Guwahati. He failed in his matriculation examination in 1962 and went to Calcutta, where he recorded two songs with His Master's Voice.

Returning from Calcutta, Jayanta Hazarika assisted his brother Bhupen Hazarika as music director of the film 'Maniram Dewan'. Then onwards, he continued singing and worked as a music director for several films. In 1969, Jayanta married Manisha Hazarika from Calcutta. Mayukh Hazarika is their only son born on 13 January 1971. Both Manisha Hazarika and Mayukh Hazarika are established singers.

Jayanta Hazarika went to Calcutta in 1977 to record music for the movie 'Natun Asha'. There he fell suddenly ill and died on 15 October, aged 34. Thereafter, Jayanta began full-time singing and music composition. Jayanta Hazarika worked as assistant music director for Bhupen Hazarika's movie 'Loti-Ghoti' and 'Chikmik Bijuli'. In 1971, Jayanta Hazarika began as an independent music director with the movie 'Bonoria phul'. Later on he gave music to 'Niyoti', 'Brishti', 'Dharmakaai' and 'Natun asha'. Music for Natun asha was complete by Manisha Hazarika following his untimely death. In an interview to given to AIR, Guwahati he said, "I enjoy more creating music for stage-plays"' ("মঞ্চ-নাটৰ সংগীত পৰিচালনা কৰি মই বেছি ভাল পাওঁ..")

Jayanta Hazarika created music with a sophisticated mix of Traditional Assamese tunes along with Western instruments. His deft fusion of western tunes gave his music a uniqueness not associated with Modern Assamese songs until then. He also used unconventional preludes and interludes. Jayanta Hazarika said about Xur Bahini: "Now I will speak. I will speak with my melodies, my songs. I shall come out to sing in the streets, not on the stage. The goal of Xur Bahini is to stand with the people during trying times. Xur Bahini will prevent the rise of evil with melodies and songs." ("মই এতিয়া কথা ক'ম। কথা ক'ম মোৰ সুৰেৰে, মোৰ গীতেৰে। মই গীত গাবলৈ ওলাই আহিম আলিবাটলৈ, মঞ্চলৈ নহয়। মোৰ এই সুৰ বাহিনীৰ উদ্দেশ্য হ'ল ৰাইজৰ বিপদৰ সময়ত, দুৰ্যোগৰ সময়ত সুৰ বাহিনীয়ে ৰাইজৰ কাষত সদায়ে থিয় দিবগৈ। সংস্কৃতিৰ নামৰ দুষ্কৃতিৰ পোহাৰ মেলাসকলক সুৰ বাহিনীয়ে বাধা দিব সুৰেৰে গীতেৰে।")

Works

Playback (Movies) Maniram Dewan Loti-Ghoti Phaguni Chikmik Bijuli and more

Music Director (feature film) Jayanta Hazarika worked as assistant music director with his brother Bhupen Hazarika for Maniram Dewan, Loti-Ghoti and Chikmik Bijuli. In Chikmik bijuli, he also composed a background score. Banaria Phul, (1971, dir: Atul Borodloi) Brishti, (1975, dir: Deuti Barua) Niyoti, (1978, dir: Indukalpa Hazarika) Dharmakaari (1977, dir: Bhaben Das) Natun Asha (1977, dir: Probir Mitra; Manisha Hazarika completes this movie after his Jayanta's untimely death)

He was composing music for a few more films, but could not complete them: Ronga Megh (dir: Atul Bordoloi) Enajori (dir: Gouri Barman, completed 5 songs) Pohar (dir: Manik Bora, completed 2 songs) Upapath (dir: Hemanta Dutta; Manisha Hazarika completed this movie.)

Music Direction (Documentaries) Flora and Fauna of North-East India Wheels and the Horizon Xonman Jyoti Chitraban

Music Direction (Stage-plays) Siraj (dramatist: Phani Sharma) Baan (dramataist: Prafulla Bora) Jinty Janma Juddha Ghoxonaar Din Jerengar Xoti 5 plays for Lakhimi Theatre