TRIBUTE TO BABU LALAN JEE

TRIBUTE TO BABU LALAN JEE

28-JULY-ENG 5

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA--------------------------A tribute event was organized by the Bhikhari Thakur Social Research Institute, Ara, at the local Sardar Patel Bus Stand in Ara, marking the death anniversary of Rai Bahadur Bhikhari Thakur—often hailed as the 'Shakespeare of the Bhojpuri language.'

The program was presided over by theatre artist Preeti Kumari, while the proceedings were conducted by Narendra Singh, a senior journalist and the President of the Bhikhari Thakur Social Research Institute.

At this gathering, tributes were paid not only to Bhikhari Thakur but also to the internationally acclaimed Pandavani singer and Padma Vibhushan awardee, Teejan Bai.

While paying his respects, Ravi Prakash Suraj—a young poet and researcher of the Bhojpuri language—remarked that, much like Bhikhari Thakur, Teejan Bai also wielded folk art and folk language as her instruments of expression.

He urged the Bhojpuri-speaking community to declare Bhojpuri as their mother tongue in the upcoming census.

Addressing the gathering, senior theatre artist, playwright, and director Krishna Yadav 'Krishendu' demanded that Bhikhari Thakur be honored with the 'Bharat Ratna' award.

Krishendu noted that Bhikhari Thakur used his creative works to challenge the social ills and distortions prevalent in his time.

Dr. Sheelbhadra, the Bihar State President of the Rashtriya Bhojpuri Sansthan, stated that the Bhojpuri community must launch a movement to secure constitutional recognition for their language.

Senior theatre artist Sanjay Pal discussed the play *Gabar-Ghichor*, noting that through this work, Bhikhari Thakur highlighted the profound maternal affection of a mother.

Actor and social media influencer Om Prakash Kashyap paid tribute to Bhikhari Thakur, emphasizing the need to preserve and archive his literary works.

Vinod Singh, National Spokesperson of the Bhojpuria Jan Morcha, paid his respects and criticized the step-motherly treatment meted out to the Bhojpuri community by both the central and state governments. He pointed out that while the central government has withheld constitutional recognition for Bhojpuri, the state government has also failed to grant it the status of an official state language.

Vinod Singh asserted that the Bhojpuri community should launch a movement against both the central and state governments. While conducting the proceedings, Narendra Singh—a senior journalist and President of the Bhikhari Thakur Social Research Institute—stated that this year marks the Institute's 25th anniversary; therefore, he intends to organize a grand event to commemorate Bhikhari Thakur's birth anniversary, with preparations already underway.

Presiding over the event, Priti Kumari remarked that while the group performs various types of plays, staging the works of Bhikhari Thakur evokes a unique and distinct feeling.

The tribute meeting was attended by numerous literary figures, journalists, artists, and theatre practitioners, including senior theatre artist Sarfaraz Ahmed, Dr. Kiran Kumari, journalist Vijay Kumar Singh, poet Raj Kavi, senior theatre artists Anil Pratiksha and Amitabh Kumar, senior theatre artist Ambuj Kumar, Suman Kumar Singh, Krishna Pratap Singh, Kushal Kanti, Dr. Anil Kumar Singh, Swami Vikramaditya, naturopath Nandkishore Ram, Sunny Kumar, and Suresh Bhojpuri (Secretary of the National Bhojpuri Institute).

At the conclusion of the event, floral tributes were offered to the portrait of Pandavani singer and Padma Vibhushan awardee Teejan Bai, followed by a collective tribute paid through a two-minute silence.