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Assam folk singer sings over phone to boost mental health of Covid-19 patients
Many of them don’t just listen to his songs but also share their experience, fear, anxiety and battle with the coronavirus disease.
Bikramjit Bauliya, a 33-year-old folk singer from Malugram area in Silchar, Assam, sings for Covid-19 positive people over the phone to boost their mental health. A few days back, he shared a post on social media and started getting calls. Over 200 people have so far called him from various parts of Assam and other states to hear him hum and sing.
Talking about his reason behind the campaign, Bikarmjit Bauliya said, “Last year I also tested positive and it was a tough time I went through, mostly because of the pressure I faced. I have struggled with depression at one point in my life and I know how tough it is to fight with our own mind. I am a singer but I have to work for my father’s medicine shop to earn my bread and butter. Music is my passion and I gain positivity from music. With this campaign, I am getting a chance to connect with people and listening to their stories. This is making me more positive and optimistic.”
Many of them don’t just listen to his songs but also share their experience, fear, anxiety and battle with the coronavirus disease. An 82-year-old lady calls him every day. On Saturday morning she informed that she tested negative. The lady claimed that she recovered quickly due to the positive energy she generated within because of Bikarmjit’s songs.
Bikarmjit started his campaign inspired by Bengali singer Lopamudra Mitra. So many singers, including Lopamudra Mitra and Shilajit Mazumder, have called and appreciated his gesture.
“Some people are criticising me by saying that it is just another publicity stunt. But these people are not ready to discuss mental health. I got calls from various singers and they appreciated my initiative. No matter how people criticise me, I am going to continue this because I believe, we need to work on mental health.”
Bikarmjit’s actual surname is Kar but he writes Bauliya which is inspired by the Bauls (Bengali folk singers). He once auditioned for Saregamapa Bengali where he couldn’t manage to get into the top-12 because of his folk accent. But he continued his passion for music after that. He sings almost everywhere, be it a friend’s wedding or when someone is feeling upset. “There is no shame in singing. If I can make someone happy, I can do it anywhere, anytime,” he said.
Requests for Bikarmjit’s songs pour in not just from Assam but states like Tripura, West Bengal, Chattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharastra, Delhi and Panjab. “I sing Bengali folk songs mostly but people from other languages are also requesting me to sing in their languages. Music can be a therapy for people in distress. In this situation, we need to be kind towards each other. I am happy that people are responding,” he said.
Chattisgarh resident Mihir Purkayastha has his roots connected to Assam. His ancestors lived in Karimganj district decades back. A friend told him about the folk singer’s Facebook post and shared the number. Mihir said, “I feel connected to my roots through folk music. I felt excited to talk to a folk singer and called him. His positive energy helped me get more energy inside me. I hope I’ll recover from covid soon.”
82-year-old Nazima Begum from Hailakandi district said, “When my test report came positive, I had to stay at home isolation. It was tough because I was feeling abounded. My family members were not coming close to me, I had nobody to talk to and share my feelings. My granddaughter informed me that there is a singer who is willing to sing for me if I call him. I am a music lover, so I called him. Now I feel he is my grandson. He is so positive, he encouraged me to be positive and fight the virus. Today my reports came negative and I feel his positive energy helped me recover faster.”
Sweta Roy, a school teacher from Silchar feels the mental health of Covid-19 patients is not being addressed properly. She recovered from the virus after fighting for two weeks but feels weak mentally. Talking about her experience of listening to Bikarmjit Bauliya, she said, “Music has the power to boost mental strength. But listening to someone live is a different experience. I spoke to him about his works and I feel thankful to people like him.”
Bikramjit Kar (Bauliya) supports his father’s medicine business. In his spare time, he supplies medicine and important items to Covid-19 patients. He wants to inspire the young generation. “We can see that the young generation in places like Kolkata, Delhi and other parts of the country are supporting each other in this situation. They are using social media platforms to connect and address the issues faced by victims of Covid-19. I want the young generation in my city to come out and do this. It is our chance to show humanity and a sense of responsibility towards society.”
He is also a dog lover. He calls his pet ‘Laleshwar’ which stays with him all the time. He also feeds the street dogs at night and provides them with medical support when they get injured.
