KHUMTAI, May 1 – His name was synonymous with Zikir and Zari songs. Zikir, Assamese devotional folk songs based on teachings of Koran Sharif and Zari are compositions based on legends associated with the Karbala. He was late Rekibuddin Ahmed of Balibat village near Negheriting, who devoted the whole of his life to popularise Zikir and Zari songs.
Ahmed endeavoured to Zikir and Zari songs from rural areas in Golaghat district like Nahorani, Majgaon, Baruahadhap, Gohaimer, Batiporia etc. He roamed around places like Konowarpur, Zengonikotia of Sivasagar, Kakojan of Jorhat, Jajori of Nagaon, Sensowa of North Lakhimpur and Garigaon of Guwahati and recovered many about to be lost Zikir songs.
Needless to mention here that Shah Milon Ajan Peer, the saint who came to Assam from far-off Baghdad during early 17th century with a view to propagate Islam, along with his followers composed Zikir and Zari songs on the line of Vaishnavite holy songs that were prevalent in contemporary Assam, so that the simple local rustics were easily attracted towards them.
Rekibuddin closely observed Zikir and Zari songs which were openly recited by flocks of rural artistes. He learnt all about Zikir from one Gam Phakir (Piarotddin Ali Ahmed) and sang it on public stage for the first time at Dergaon High School in 1952 and at the Asam Sahitya Sabha’s Digboi session in 1962. His Zikir renditions were broadcast by Guwahati and Dibrugarh radio centres since 1964, thereby earning Zikir immense popularity. Rakibuddin and his team sang Zikir in Kolkata in 1981 and in Delhi in 1986. Unfortunately for the fate of Assamese folk culture, Rekibuddin untimely breathed his last in a tragic motor accident on January 14, 2001, along with his wife Khaleda Begum and his accompanists Kutubuddin and Nekibur.
Rekibuddin Ahmed, was not only a Zikir-Zari singer but an active worker in the field of communal harmony and an organiser of Moina Parijat. Though he had been awarded Ajan Peer award and Assam Silpi award by the State government and at present a government award is given after his name, his dream still awaits fulfillment.
He has a dream to set up a Zikir training institute at Dergaon with a view to impart Zikir and Zari songs among upcoming generations which has not materialised till the date. He wrote up Zikir-swarlipis in a book form which remains unpublished after passing eight years of his demise. His son Nekibur has already donated two kathas of land to establish a cultural complex in memory of his father at his birthplace, but our public representatives have not yet sanctioned money for this noble cause. In this situation it is expected that people from all walks of life come forward to materialise the dream of Rekibuddin and to conserve Zikir and Zari songs and keep them from getting lost.
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