A memorable evening
UAE Assam Society celebrates New Year the traditional way
dubai — Zubeen Garg’s mesmerising vocals and Zublee Baruah’s infectious energy on the stage stole the show on a night of unforgettable highs as the UAE Assam Society left no stone unturned in making the 2014 Rongali Bihu event in Dubai a success. Rongali Bihu is celebrated in Assam — a north eastern state in India — every spring season to mark the start of the Assamese New Year. It’s that time of the year when nature is at its magical best, turning a beautiful state into a riot of colours.
The Assamese expats in the UAE brought the spirit of the occasion to the desert with a flourish. And the cherry on the cake was Zubeen, Assam’s greatest musical icon after the incomparable Bhupen Hazarika. The Bollywood singer churned out some of his greatest Assamese, Hindi and Bengali numbers as the crowd roared in unison.
Zublee, a popular Assamese singer, also performed in perfect tandem with Zubeen, who was named after the legendary music conductor Zubin Mehta.
“People who live thousands of miles away from their homeland miss Bihu so badly. I have often been invited to perform in Bihu concerts in the USA, Canada and Australia by NRIs. In fact, this is my third Bihu concert in Dubai in the past 10 years. And I have always enjoyed it,” Zubeen told
Khaleej Times.
“What I like about performing in Bihu concerts abroad is that people become more passionate about the festival since they are away from home. As a performer, it gives me great satisfaction when I see the crowd’s energy. That’s a great inspiration for an artist.”
While the two Zs – Zubeen and Zublee – mesmerised the crowd on Friday night, there was also a stunning show by well-known Assamese fashion designer Garima Saikia Garg whose northeast-inspired creations were showcased on the ramp, adding something new to the event.
The evening was also made memorable by a group of Assamese expats who brilliantly performed a ‘husori dance’ – a traditional Assamese dance – attracting loud cheers from the crowd. Assamese music band Sanzone comprising Arindam Baruah, Tandeep Bhagowoti, Deepa Bordoloi, Sumon Bordoloi, Amitangshu Dev Choudhury, Abhijit Bhattacharya, Jyoti, Abhirup Bhattacharya and Bidyut Kumar Saikia was also a big hit with the audience. Soulful renditions of traditional folk songs by Pooja Goswami and Lopamudra Kaushik also impressed the music lovers.
However, it was Zubeen who brought the loudest cheers from the audience. The 41-year- old singer saved his best for the last as he bid adieu to his fans by singing his cult hit Ya Ali from the 2006 Bollywood movie Gangster.