Skip to main content

Bishnupriya Manipuris recall Pocha Ojha

By our Staff Reporter

Pocha Ojha
GUWAHATI, June 27: The 74th birth anniversary of Geeta Ratna Ojha Brajakumar Sinha was celebrated with a day-long programme at Radha-Madhab Sebashram, Maligaon in Guwahati on Sunday. The programme was organized by the Nikhil Bishnupriya Manipuri Sanskriti Parishad (NBMSP) and the Bishnupriya Manipuri Writers’ Forum (BMWF). The programmes included songs of Ojha Brajakumar Sinha (Pocha Ojha) and a lively discussion on his contribution in the Bishnupriya Manipuri culture, language and vaishnavite literature.

Former Patharkandi MLA Kartik Sena Sinha who attended the function as the chief guest, litterateur DILS Lakshmindra Sinha, advocate Biswa Prasad Sinha, artist Sunil Sinha, film director Hirendra Sinha, BMDC deputy chairman Banabir Sinha, dance teacher Gopinath Sinha and others spoke on the occasion. Most of the speakers were of the opinion that Pocha Ojha had created a distinct style (gharaana) of his own in the kirtanango songs in the Bishnupriya Manipuri culture.

The former MLA declared that the Bishnupriya Manipuri Development Council (BMDC) would extend Rs 86 lakh for the development of the Radha-Madhab Sebashram at Maligaon in Guwahati. He regretted that instead of putting pressure on the State Government for maximum allocation of funds for the BMDC in the forthcoming annual Budget of the Assam Government, the leaders of a few Bishnupriya Manipuri organizations were putting hurdles before the BMDC. “This is unfortunate,” the former MLA said, and assured the organizers of the birth anniversary celebration of Pocha Ojha that he would take initiative to observe the birthday of the great artiste in a befitting manner from next year. When the president of the function, advocate Bimalesh Sinha, wanted to know about the functioning of the BMDC, the former MLA said: “The Council has a fairly reticulated network of committees and subcommittees at the district, subdivision and other levels so that the benefits can percolate to the grassroots-level people in the Bishnupriya community.”

Taking part in the discussion, Col (retd) Bijoy Sinha was all praise for Pocha Ojha who devoted his life for the welfare and development of the Bishnupriya Manipuri language and culture. Col (retd) Sinha regretted that a large number of Bishnupriya Manipuri Kirtananga singers were yet to shift from the Brajabuli-Bengali lyrics of songs to Bishnupriya Manipuri language, the survival of which is at stake due to prolonged nonuse in most of the religious rites and rituals.

“Though Pocha Ojha passed away on May 18, 2010, he is still alive among the Bishnupriya Manipuris as he could successfully impose ‘life’ in his self-composed kirtanango songs (verses) that are sung by the present day kirtanango singers in the length and breadth of the Bishnupriya Manipuri community in India and Bangladesh,” one of the speakers said, and added: “Among the Bishnupriya Manipuris, Pocha Ojha is immortal, and should remain so.” The capacity crowed was kept mesmerized by singers Bina Sinha, Sarojini Sinha and Kiron Sinha.

Pocha Ojha was born on June 14, 1937 at Krishnanagar in Durlabcherra in Karimganj district. He was brilliant as a student but could go for higher education due to poverty. He was a teacher by profession, and his life was fully devoted for the development of the Bishnupriya Manipuri culture and language. He had received the Geeta Ratna Award from the Nikhil Bishnupriya Manipuri Mahasabha (NBMM).

Courtesy: The Sentinel

Further reading:

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

We all love comments. It is moderated

Popular posts from this blog

Sri Sri Bhubaneshwar Sadhu Thakur

By Ranita Sinha, Kolkata Sri Sri Bhubaneshwar Thakur, the great saint of the Bishnupriya Manipuri Community was born on 26th October, 1871, in a remote village of Cachar district called Baropua in the state of Assam. He was born to a Xatriya Manipuri family. His father Sri Sanatan Pandit was a Sanskrit teacher and mother Srimati Malati Devi, a house wife. Sadhu Baba from his childhood was indifferent to all worldly happenings. He was engrossed in chanting the name of Lord Krishna. Along with other students of his age, Sadhu Baba started taking lessons of grammar and other spiritual literature from his father. At a very young age he lost his mother but he was brought up with utmost love and care by his step mother. At the age of eighteen, Sadhu baba lost his father, so, to continue his spiritual education under the guidance of Rajpandit Mineshwas Swarbabhwam Bhattacherjee, he went to Tripura. But within one year he made up his mind to visit all the holy places and as such he took permis...
9 comments
Read more

The 'Star' Krishankant Sinha of Space City Sigma

By RK Rishikesh Sinha, New Delhi It is a myth that the all-knowing Internet knows everything. One such myth relates to old television stuff aired on Doordarshan before 1990. Search in Google “Space City Sigma”, the search engine would throw up reminiscent results from the people who still long for those days. Those days were really golden days. Krishankant Sinha in the role of Captain Tara in Space City Singma For those who have watched Doordarshan some 15 to 20 years back, am sure they will have nostalgic memories of it. The days when possessing a now ubiquitous looking television set was a luxury. It was a neighbour’s envy product. It was a visual product to showoff, to flaunt that we have a television set . Those were the days when black and white, locked television was rarely found in homes. The days became immortal for teleserials like Ramayana, Mahabharata, Swami’s Malgudi Days (Ta-Na-Na-Na…), Ek-Do-Teen-Char (Title song: Ek do teen char, chaaro mil ke saath chale to ...
26 comments
Read more

Bishnupriya Manipuri Development Council: Few Pertinent Questions (Part I)

By Rebati Mohan Sinha On last 25th March 2010 there was an announcement in the floor of the House that the Government of Assam has agreed on principle to form three separate Social Economic Development Councils for Bishnupriya Manipuri, Nath Yugi and Maimal. And now the Cabinet Committee has given its nod. It will be placed in the House (not yet placed) and once it is passed, then a Ministerial Committee would consult the stake holders i.e. these three communities, regarding their aspirations and would send its recommendation accordingly to the Central Government for further action within the next two months. The two months time since been elapsed, even then the bill is yet to show its face in the House. The Ministerial consultation is quite far away. Why am I repeating the same thing now is because of a section of Bishnupriya Manipuri started quarreling for the share of so-called power, from now on, without knowing the outcome of the development which is taking place in the...
34 comments
Read more