Raul Kaushik Nath Foundation releases musical rendition of Nilmani Phookan's acclaimed poem

Raul Kaushik Nath Foundation (RKNF) unveiled the release of 'Topanito Teu Mok Khedi Phurisil' as a captivating song, masterfully recreated by renowned musician Joi Barua. This artistic endeavor pays homage to the celebrated poem by Nilmani Phookan, a revered Jnanpith Award winner.

RKNF, known for its commendable efforts in promoting Assamese culture, music, poetry, and art, has been making significant strides since its inception in 2020. Its pioneering initiative, Mongeet, a residential mentorship program for young musicians, paved the way for subsequent endeavors like Montulika, Monmrittika, Monkobita, and Ahaaror Akholi. These initiatives, operating under the Mongeet umbrella, aim to mentor and nurture the talents of young individuals in diverse art forms such as painting, sculpture making, poetry, and Assamese ethnic culinary traditions.

As part of its Monkobita initiative, RKNF embarked on the task of transforming Nilmani Phookan's poignant poem, 'Topanito Teu Mok Khedi Phurisil' (The Chased), into a musical marvel. The foundation enlisted the creative brilliance of noted musician Joi Barua for this undertaking. Monkobita serves as a platform to rekindle interest in the hidden or forgotten gems of Assamese poetry.

The process of reimagining "Topanito Teu Mok Khedi Phurisil" into a musical composition posed a formidable challenge. However, Joi Barua masterfully translated the essence of the poem into a sublime masterpiece. His composition beautifully captures the profound thoughts and apocalyptic undertones of the poem, which depict imagery of uprooted trees, red rivers, and horsemen. Collaborating with Shankuraj Konwar (piano and additional vocals), Manasquam Mahanta (guitar), Ibson Lal Baruah (mix and mastering), and Samudra Kajal Saikia (Video, Art & Concept), Joi Barua expertly infused the metaphors from the poem to create a captivating musical arrangement. The English translation of the poem for the subtitles was skillfully done by Priyankoo Sarmah.

Ibson Lal Baruah, with his linguistic expertise, played a crucial role in engineering the song in a distinctive manner. The resulting composition exists somewhere between a poem and a melody, where its true essence resides. Through the musical rendition, listeners gain insight into the profound emotions that troubled the poet. Joi Barua, alongside the entire team at RKNF, feels immensely honored to have been entrusted with the task of bringing this masterpiece to life.

Interestingly, another poem by Nilmani Phookan, "Iyar Porai Pani," was previously reimagined into a musical composition by Shankuraj Konwar and Maitreyee Pator. The initiative and project under the RKNF umbrella were conceptualized and led by Krishna Barooah, Bipuljyoti Saikia, Nayan Prasad, Prasanta Sagar Changmai, Arindom Borkataki, Kaushik Nath, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, Adil Hussain, and Utpal Borpujari.