For any cultural values to stay relevant, it’s language requires to be alive. If the language starts dwindling then the cultural and traditional aspects stand at the risk of losing its essence. Assam had faced something similar since last few years where the outstanding culture of Assam has witnessed massive erosion. The most prevalent reason behind this is illegal immigration from Bangladesh which has been a severe concern. But apart from this known reason, there was another angle which many people miss to touch. We live in a time where our youths are obsessed with the western lifestyle and many try to adopt this idea right starting from their language to clothes and food. This is not just the case of Assam, this trend can be seen in entire India. Learning and adopting other cultures is not a bad idea but in Assam, it has become a bad idea because the youths started leaving the Assamese cultural traditions to switch western Ideas. I still recall the time in Assam when speaking English and listening to English songs was seen cooler and progressive. However, listening to Assamese song was sticked with terms like “gawoliya”, means someone who belongs to village and is not modern. This perception had almost bruised the Assamese film and song industry and artists began to keep them away from creating songs or films in Assamese. But this continued for short time and all thanks to Zubeen Garg who transformed this scenario. Zubeen was able to understand the need of the time and he realized that unless we don’t engage youth with Assamese, the revival of Assamese culture including film and song industry is difficult. We can’t expect the modern-day youths to switch to Assamese if the contents remain old fashioned. Zubeen understood this aspect very well and he started working on songs which will appear cool among youths. He voiced many songs like “monore kolpona” which includes modern-day romance and love. This went trending among Assamese youths as they saw something of their type in their traditional language which they had considered outdated. Not only with his songs, but Zubeen also showed that the replica of Bollywood or Hollywood movies can be brought down in Assamese also and he made several Assamese movies like “Mission China” and “Kanchanjangha”. These series of steps has helped in changing the narrative about the Assamese language among youths. Needless to say that Zubeen always behaves and keeps his personality like young age people which has given him a wide range of fan following among Assamese youths across the world. It won’t be wrong to say that today he has made the same youth of Assam who earlier considered Assamese as boring or outdated now finds Assamese a cool language. Zubeen had voiced several songs for Bollywood also but later he focused in Assam to bring the change that we see today in Assam. We have several cultural icons in Assam but Zubeen is someone who can be termed as a modern cultural icon which is the need of today. His outreach is not just limited to the song or films, he is also known for his humanitarian gesture helping the needy and poor. He speaks straight forward which shapes his unique personality in the state.
The recent anti-CAA agitation in Assam which saw a large number of youths taking the lead of these protests was the result of the influence of Zubeen to whom the youth of Assam loves from the core of heart. Zubeen has emerged as the synonym of youths and modernism in Assam. That’s the reason behind Assam weeping and crying after the news came about Zubeen falling from stage in an unconscious manner. He is a man having no substantial haters and more lovers even though in recent times, he voiced against the ruling political party of Assam. Yet, everyone from every political class rushed to Hospital to know about his health conditions which is a testimony to the fact that everyone loves him.
In short, he has refined and defined the Assamese language for modern-day youths which has helped in reviving and holding the language and tradition of Assam to a larger extent.
He is someone who enjoys similar popularity and love same as Rajnikanth in the south.
Comentários