Assam’s 81-Year-Old Oja-Pali Maestro Keeps Folk Tradition Alive, Still Denied Artiste Pension

A CORRESPONDENT

NALBARI: Veteran Oja-Pali artiste Lalit Bezbaruah of Nijkhagata village under Ghograpar revenue circle in Assam’s Nalbari district continues to preserve the state’s rich folk heritage despite financial hardship and the absence of an artiste pension.

Born to the Late Lekharam Bezbaruah and Sandhyapriya Bezbaruah, Bezbaruah developed a deep passion for music and Oja-Pali from an early age. While studying in primary school at Pathsala, he received training under the Late Kanu Talukdar as his guru and the Late Moniram Deka as his spiritual mentor, dedicating himself to mastering the traditional art form.

For decades, Bezbaruah has been recognised as one of the leading performers of Kamrupi folk Oja-Pali, especially for wedding ceremonies and religious gatherings. He has performed in virtually every village of Nalbari district, including at Namghars, temple festivals, Bhatheli celebrations, Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Jagaddhatri Puja, and Basanti Puja. His performances have also taken him to districts including Darrang, Kamrup, Biswanath (Bihali), Baksa, and Guwahati.

Over the years, he has trained several aspiring artistes from Nalbari, helping keep the traditional folk art alive. He has also earned appreciation for his performances during silver jubilee, golden jubilee, and diamond jubilee celebrations organised across the district.

In recent years, Bezbaruah has established an Oja-Pali troupe at Darkuchi village in Baksa district. Blending traditional performances with classical ragas and devotional folk compositions, he continues to promote the indigenous art form while supporting his family of seven members.

Apart from being an accomplished Oja-Pali performer, Bezbaruah is also known locally as a traditional herbal healer. Even at the age of 81, he remains committed to preserving a folk tradition that is gradually disappearing from Assam’s cultural landscape.

However, the veteran artiste alleges that he has been consistently neglected by both elected representatives and the state’s Cultural Affairs Department. According to him, despite dedicating his life to Oja-Pali since 1967 and repeatedly applying for an artiste pension since 2001, he has yet to receive any assistance. He currently depends on agriculture to sustain his livelihood.

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