THE VOYAGE …….

By Bhupen Hazarika

A. State weather these statements are true or false :

1. Bhupen Hazarika had brought his Rolleiflex from home….False
2. The sight of the Egyptian pyramids enthralled Bhupen Hazarika….False
3. Bhupen Hazarika’s companion on the flight from Guwahati to Dumdum was Bhaben Das…..False
4. Bhupen Hazarika had a weakness for Kalmou saak…….True
B. Answer in one or two words :
1. What was the name of the airport situated in Guwahati in 1949?
The name of the airport situated in Guwahati in 1949 is Kanhikuchi Airport. The airport was near
the village of Kanhikuchi and so the airport was named Kanhikuchi Airport, as in those days generally
names were given to places in relation to the nearby areas.
2. Who was the Governor of Assam during the inauguration of the airport in Guwahati?
The Governor of Assam during the inauguration of the airport in Guwahati was Sir Muhammad
Saleh Akbar Hydari. He was the Governor of Assam from 4 May 1947 to 28 December, 1948.
3. How much was the airfare from Guwahati to Dumdum in 1949?
In the year1949, the airfare from Guwahati to Dumdum was 55 rupees.
4. In which country is the ‘Temple of the Tooth Relic’ located?
The ‘Temple of the tooth Relic’ is located in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka.
5. What type of leave did the French sailor avail when he came to the shore?
The French sailor whom Bhupen Hazarika came across in Sri Lanka availed ‘shore leave’, as he was
on a prolonged period in the sea.
C. Answer in a few words each :
1. Name the two locations that Bhupen Hazarika reminisces about in “The Voyage”.
Bhupen Hazarika, in “The Voyage” reminisces various places of his beloved motherland. He
reminisces his beloved State of Assam, including Shillong, Manipur and the Ahom villages. While on his
voyage, he also makes a reference to Bharalumukh and Uzan Bazar. He remembers Sarnath and Bodh
Gaya while being in Sri Lanka and reminisces Bombay while being in Cairo, Egypt.
2. What did Hazarika consider to be his only aim?
According to Bhupen Hazarika, as mentioned in “The Voyage”, his only aim in embarking on a
journey to America was to learn about form in music, as our country does not lack in content but in form.
3. The ship set sail later than the scheduled time. How late was the ship?
Bhupen Hazarika, in his “The Voyage” refers to a thirteen-day sea voyage aboard the SM Samponio
while embarking on his journey to America. The ship set sail later than the scheduled time. It was one
and a half day later than its scheduled departure, though the reason for the delay has not been
mentioned by him.
4. Name the two places associated with Buddhism mentioned by Bhupen Hazarika in “The Voyage”.
Bhupen Hazarika mentions various places in “The Voyage”. The two places mentioned by Hazarika
associated with Buddhism are Buddha Gaya and Sarnath. Buddha Gaya is in Bihar where Lord Buddha
received enlightenment and Sarnath is in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh where Lord Buddha started preaching.
5. Which two Indian states associated with dances, other than Assam are mentioned by Bhupen Hazarika in
“The Voyage”?
Bhupen Hazarika, while going abroad to learn form in music, reached Sri Lanka by air to embark on
a thirteen-day sea voyage from Colombo to America. While on his stopover in Sri Lanka, with the help of
a friend from ‘Ceylon Radio’, Hazarika had an opportunity to attend the performance of a local dance of
Sri Lanka, Yakuma Natun or the demon dance. While watching this dance, here and there, he found
similarities with Garba dance of Gujarat and Rasa of Manipur in India.
D. Answer briefly in your own words:
1. Write a brief account of Hazarika’s stopover in Sri Lanka.
Bhupen Hazarika’s “The Voyage” is an excerpted piece from his autobiographical transcript “Moi Eti
Jajabor” where he recalls his experience of embarking on a journey to the United States of America in
1949. As it was a long time ago, travelling to America directly by air was not possible, so he had the
experience of travelling by all three modes: land, air and sea. While on his journey, he reached Sri Lanka
 by Air India to embark on a thirteen-day sea voyage from Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. Hazarika was
scheduled to stay in Colombo for two days before boarding the ship SM Samponio.
Hazarika writes about his memorable experiences in Sri Lanka, though it was a very short stay.
When he was on the flight from Visakhapatnam to Colombo, from the flight the Indian Ocean gradually
came to his view along with the green leaves of innumerable coconut trees surrounding the city of
Colombo, Sri Lanka. He describes the city of Colombo as a beautiful damsel soaking up the sun after bath
in the Indian Ocean with green locks of hair spread free. Reaching Colombo, he found Lanka to have
become Anglo-Ceylonese, since in the cafes on the foot-paths, he could hear music both in English and
Hindi. He observed rich Parsi merchants from Bombay offering a variety of American dresses and
watches in their stalls. He also saw South Indian porters carrying baggage on their backs talking to each
other in Tamil. When in Sri Lanka, he met a French sailor who was on a two-day shore leave after
spending a prolonged period in the sea. While on the shore, the sailor along with other sailors sang in
different languages and drank together making merry.
He observes that the city of Kandy, known for the Temple of the Tooth Relic, was a lovely place for
the followers of the Buddha. While looking at the saffron-clad monks, he felt that they were sending the
message of peace and non-violence to the world, a bond of love that united many countries of the world.
He felt as if he was in Sarnath or Buddha Gaya in India though he was in far off Kandy, experiencing the
same spiritual ambience which echoes: “Buddham Sharanam Gachchami”. He had the opportunity of
visiting a modern Lankan family there but he recalls that he felt as if he was in Shillong when he sat in
their drawing room. The culture of Sri Lanka was totally absent. With the help of a friend from ‘Ceylon
Radio’, he attended the performance of a local dance ‘Yakuma Natum’ or the demon dance. The beating
of the huge dhols made him feel as if it was the ‘deodhani nrittya’ of Kamrup, Assam. He found the dance
to have similarities with Garba of Gujrat and Rasa of Manipur.
Thus, Bhupen Hazarika writes about his experience in Sri Lanka where he witnessed so much
similarity with Indian cultural traditions. It provided him the scope to reminiscence about his own
cultural traditions even when he was in a foreign country. He reminisced how the thread of culture
create a harmonic bond.
2. Briefly present your view about Hazarika’s experience of visiting a Sri Lankan family home.
“The Voyage” is an extract from Bhupen Hazarika’s transcripted life account where he recalls his
experience of embarking on a journey to the United States of America in 1949. The time in which the
journey was undertaken was quite different from today which is why he had the rare experience of
travelling by all three modes: land, air and sea. In the extract we find that “The Voyage” is not merely an
account of a journey, but also about the experience that he gained. He closely noticed the conversion of
cultures despite having different geographical boundaries.
To embark on his journey, he travelled to Dumdum Airport from Guwahati and then to
Visakhapatnam. His next stop was the Sri Lankan capital Colombo. He writes of his memorable
experience in Sri Lanka and also the rare privilege of having the experience of visiting a Sri Lankan family
home, which according to him was a unique one. He recalls entering the drawing room of the modern
Lankan family where he found the piano and also a Madonna painted by a European artist on top of it.
The children in the family were singing English songs and Hazarika was surprised by the similarities
between this Lankan home and his own experiences in Shillong, in India. He felt a strong sense of union
of two cultures, despite having different geographical boundaries, but he regrets that Sri Lanka has
completely become Anglo-Ceylonese and he sensed the disappearance of the real Lanka after his visit to
the Lankan family home. Despite being far away from Assam, Hazarika felt a sense of familiarity and
connection emphasising the universality of certain cultural aspects.
Thus, we may very well understand that Bhupen Hazarika had a transformative experience that
exposed him to various cultures, languages, landscapes and people during his voyage which helped him
in his personal growth and changed his perspective on life. It made him understand the inter-
connectedness of cultures. From Sri Lanka to Europe, he witnessed the fusion of local traditions with
external influences which broadened his perspective on life.
3. Present your views on the food and flavours mentioned by Hazarika in “The Voyage”.
Food is seen more than just a means of survival. Food is considered to be multi-dimensional as
something that shapes us, our identities and our cultures and in the end, our society. Just as different
 clothes signify different things, food also transmits a meaning. Many scholars have analysed their
relationship between food, identity and culture. One of the most common ways we use food is in the
construction of our personal identities. It is an exploration of culture.
Bhupen Hazarika, a major cultural icon of his times, was Assam’s foremost modern musician.
Hazarika, during the course of his journey to the United States of America to study form in music, recalls
his longing for the traditional foods of his beloved motherland, Assam. In his account in “The Voyage”, he
tells us about a French sailor, whom he encountered in Sri Lanka, who was on a shore leave there, singing
and drinking with other sailors and immediately Bhupen Hazarika’s mind started singing on its own as he
cherished his motherland deeply. He readily recalls the song :
“ Kalmou khaote burha hanumante
Nogori korile chon….”
and he was not sure whether it was site of Lanka or his weakness for Kalmou that his grandmother used
to cook for him, that the thought crossed his mind. He knew that he will not be able to taste the special
food and flavours of Assam in a foreign land, which made him remember ‘khar’, ‘Tenga’, ‘Bamboo shoot’
and ‘Kalmou saak’ while listening to the banter of Indonesian, Burmese, Filipino and Indochinese
merchant sailors. These traditional Assamese food items which cannot be found in America evoked
powerful memories and emotions in his mind as he was travelling to a far-off place from his familiar
surroundings. These references to food and flavours highlights Hazarika’s nostalgia for his native Assam
and his longing for the taste and aromas of home. Traditional food always provides a sense of belonging
to a person with the help of which the individual connects with others who share similar cultural
background. Since he was travelling to the United States of America to learn about music there and
would stay for a long period, he was not sure whether he will be able to return to his native land ever
and so his heart aches. This also highlights the fact that even though he was travelling to a strange
country, he had a strong attachment to his own history and culture, and so he recalls how his
grandmother used to prepare ‘Kalmou saak’ for him when he was a child. This fact reflects his longing to
celebrate the rich and diverse cultures, the food and traditions of his native place Assam.
4. How does Bhupen Hazarika recount his feeling about being an Indian as he moves forward in his
journey? Give a brief description.
“The Voyage” is an extract from Bhupen Hazarika’s transcripted life account where he recalls his
experience of embarking on a journey to the United States of America in 1949. The time in which the
journey was undertaken was quite different from today which is why he had the rare experience of
travelling by all three modes: land, air and sea. In the extract we find that “The Voyage” is not merely an
account of a journey, but also about the experience that he gained. Hazarika also recounts his feelings of
mixed emotions as he departed from his native place Assam and finally from his country India, as he
embarked on his journey from home in Assam to America.
As Hazarika continued his journey, he realised that as he moved beyond India’s boundary, the
tendency arose in him to love all of India, and not just his native land Assam. At such a moment he recalls
that he had a tendency then to forget whether “The Assam Tribune” is Assamese or an Indian as well. He
recounts that at time when he left Visakhapatnam, his perspective broadened completely merging the
distinction between his regional and national identity. As Hazarika continued his journey, he reflected on
his evolving sense of identity, and he saw himself more as an Indian rather than an Assamese. The
experience broadened his perspective and deepened his love for all of India blurring the distinction
between being an Assamese or an Indian. Hazarika’s journey helped him embrace a larger national
identity and he saw himself as part of a diverse and United India. He experienced and witnessed the
blending of cultures in music in the streets of Sri Lanka where British melodies were mixed with Indian
rhythms. It created a unique harmony. This particular experience deepened his love for India and
broadened his perspective which finally reflected in his music after he returned from abroad.
E. Answer in detail :
1. Present an overview of Bhupen Hazarika’s experience during the course of his journey abroad from your
reading of “The Voyage”.

Bhupen Hazarika, a major cultural icon of his times was Assam’s foremost modern musician. A
versatile artist, Hazarika’s forte in different fields is seen in his contributions over several decades across
literature, arts, cinema, theatre and songwriting. Bhupen Hazarika’s journey abroad, as described in “The
Voyage”, which is an excerpted piece from his autobiographical transcript “Moi Eti Jajabor”, talks about
the experiences that he had while on his journey to the United States of America to study form, in the
year 1949.
His exposure to various cultural languages, landscapes and people served as a catalyst for his
personal growth of broadening his perspective of life, identity and interconnectedness of cultures. In the
course of the reading of “The Voyage”, we find that Hazarika reflects on the diverse cultures that he
came across throughout his journey and he also observes their influences in different locations as he
progressed on his journey. From Sri Lanka to Europe, he witnessed the fusion of local traditions with
eternal influences such as European colonial legacies. While on his flight from Visakhapatnam to
Colombo, the Indian Ocean gradually came to his view and Hazarika observes the beauty of the city of
Colombo from his flight :

“Lanka, the beautiful damsel was soaking up the sun after her bath in the Indian Ocean with her
green locks of hair spread free”.

Such is the imagination of Bhupen Hazarika. Reaching Columbo, he found Lanka to have become an
Anglo-Ceylonese maiden. In the cafes, on the footpaths, one could hear music broadcast by Radio Lanka
which had English and Hindi tunes. The rich Parsi merchants from Bombay offered a variety of American
dresses and watches in their stalls. He even heard South Indian porters talking to each other in Tamil
there. In short, it was a mini-India in Sri Lanka. While during his short stay in Sri Lanka, before embarking
on thirteen-day sea voyage to Marseille aboard the SM Samponio, he visited the city of Kandy. It was a
lovely place for the followers of Buddha and the home to the Temple of the Tooth Relic. Though he was
in far off Kandy, yet he felt as if he was in Sarnath or at Buddha Gaya as it had the same ambience and
the same echoes of ‘Buddham Sharanam Gachchami’. He further talks about having an opportunity of
visiting the drawing room of a modern Lankan family there but he felt that the place was more like
Shillong rather than Lanka. The real Lanka had disappeared or rather it had become Anglo-Ceylonese. He
witnessed a dance there which was the traditional dance form of Lanka, Yakuma Natun. It reminded him
of Assam’s Deodhoni Nrittya. He also found the dance to have some similarities with Garba of Gujarat
and Rasa of Manipur. In Sri Lanka, he noticed the coexistence of Lankan and European elements in the
architecture, music and lifestyle. He reflects how the traits of culture created a harmonic bond providing
him the scope to reminiscence about his own cultural traditions even though he was in a foreign
country.
From Colombo, he embarked on a thirteen-day sea voyage to reach Marseille. During his voyage,
they had a water stop at Djibouti, Italian Somaliland. He was surprised to find that there was hardly any
development in the city of Djibouti. He observed that the imperialistic Italians had not brought any
development to the place. The whole place was littered with wine shops and most people seemed to be
very poor. He had a great desire to visit the Pyramids or go and see Cleopatra’s hairclip when he was at
Cairo in Egypt, but the constraint of time didn’t allow him to visit those places.

It seemed Hazarika was well compensated for not being able to visit the pyramids as amidst all
this, he witnessed an incredible incident on the way from Aden to Djibouti before they entered the Red
Sea. He witnessed a very rare sight of the star above the Holy Crescent Moon of Muslims at two o’clock
in the night from the ship. He immediately took a few snaps with his Rolleiflex camera and heard the
captain referring to the great fortune of beholding that site since very few people have ever been blessed
with such a sight. He also witnessed another remarkable sight during the course of his voyage. He saw
thousands of neon lights in the sea and on enquiry was told that they were a herd of phosphorus fish
which were lighting up the sea with dazzling display of lights.

As Hazarika progressed on his journey, he observed a distinct lack of friendship between people
of two different countries despite the cultural affinities. He found that the Lankans were most probably
worried about India’s economic exploitation and also the Lankan government was apprehensive of the
more progressive attitude of Indian Labours. He encountered a convergence of culture on a largest scale
and experienced the vibrancy of multiculturalism where people from various backgrounds coexisted and
 interacted. He came across the gatherings where people from different nations came together breaking
barriers of language and nationality. He also witnessed the blending of culture in the music and found
himself lost in the banter of Indonesian, Burmans, Filipino and Indo Chinese merchant sailors. Though he
could not understand their songs, he could feel the unique harmony presented by it. In conclusion, we
may say that Hazarika’s representation is not merely an account of an individual’s journey; it is also a
narrative about the convergence of life, society and cultures in different locations which enables us to
see things from a new and fresh perspective.

2. ‘Bhupen Hazarika’s representation is not merely an account of a journey; it is also a narrative about the
convergence of cultures in different locations.’ Comment on the statement based on your reading of
“The Voyage”.

The statement: “Bhupen Hazarika’s representation is not nearly an account of a journey; it is also a
narrative about a convergence of cultures in different locations” is quite appropriate according to
me. After reading “The Voyage”, which is an excerpt from Bhupen Hazarika’s transcripted life
account, where he recalls his experience of embarking on a journey to the United States of America
in 1949, It becomes very clear that the narrative goes beyond describing his personal experiences
and observations. It explores the interconnectedness and fusion of cultures that he encounters
during his journey. He comes across different cultures and highlights the adaptability of human
expressions, acknowledging the influences between cultures of different people, since they are not
isolated entities but are intertwined in various ways.

On reaching Columbo from Visakhapatnam, Hazarika found Lanka to have become an Anglo-
Ceylonese maiden because wherever he went, from the cafes on the footpaths he could hear only
music with English and Hindi tunes. The rich Parsi merchants from Bombay offered a variety of
American dresses and watches in their stalls and the porters there conversed among themselves in
Tamil. During his two-day break before proceeding on his thirteen-day sea voyage, he visited the city
of Kandy. He states the place to be a lovely one for the followers of Buddha. He recalls having had the
opportunity of also visiting the drawing room of a modern Lankan family. But what he observed in
the Lankan family was not a picture of Lanka but a resemblance only to Shillong as the children sang
in English and he saw a Madonna on top of a piano reflecting a British touch in the house. The
Lankan culture was totally lost. The author was enthralled in Sri Lanka when he witnessed a local
dance that reminded him of Assam's cultural ethos. In Sri Lanka he noticed the coexistence of Lankan
and European elements in the architecture, music and lifestyle. The Yakuma Natun Dance made
Hazarika remember that Deodhani Nrittya of Kamrup which illustrates the similarities with the
Lankan dance form and shared roots of different cultures. So, he reflects how the threads of culture
create a harmonic bond.

Exploring the quoted statement further, he emphasises the importance of cultural

understanding, respect and appreciation. He recognises that despite cultural differences, there are
shared elements that unite people across borders. His narrative works as a reminder of the beauty
and richness that emerges when cultures converse resulting in a more diverse and interconnected
way. Thus, we can very well agree with the statement that “Bhupen Hazarika’s representation is not
merely an account of a journey; it is also a narrative about the convergence of culture in different
locations”. It also showcases the transformative power of travel and the potential for meaningful
connection between people of different backgrounds, emphasizing on the common link that binds
people of differs places and cultures together.

***********************************