Wahkhen, Aug 9: Roget Buhphang would be taciturn when anyone asked him about his achievements and awards. But he could talk incessantly when asked about Khasi music and Seng Riti Academy. He preferred to stay away from the media glare and work quietly.
On Wednesday, as Buhphang’s friends and well-wishers remembered him at his funeral and spoke about his works, my mind travelled back in time when I first met him in 2019 in his village Wahkhen. What struck me the most about him was his humility and simplicity. I remembered how passionate he was about the music academy in the village and his plans to take Khasi music to the pinnacle. It was difficult to believe that the dreams remained locked inside a coffin.
Buhphang passed away on August 7 at Bethany Hospital after a prolonged illness. He was in his early fifties.
“He was a man with a vision. Bah Roget was a man of action and not words. He would never do something that he did not believe in,” said Rida Gadpoh, who worked closely with Buhphang and collaborated with him on a music album.
He was indeed a man with a vision. Besides dedicating his life to music, he also played a crucial role in putting Wahkhen on the tourism map of Meghalaya. Babu Kular Khongjirem, another resident of Wahkhen, remembered Buhphang’s contributions to popularising the Mawryngkhang trek in the village.
Buhphang was loved and respected by all, including the children in the village, and it was evident from the large gathering on Wednesday. There were well-wishers from the nearby villages of Massar and Dymmiew too. As the funeral speeches progressed, emotions welled up.
“I still cannot believe that he is gone. We hoped that he would be fine. He was like an elder brother to me,” said Dmuising Khongjirem, who is from the village.
Khongjirem and Buhphang were working on a book on music. “It is a guidebook for amateur musicians. Since there is no book on Khasi music and musical instruments, Bah Roget thought of penning down a few books. We completed the book and were planning to send it for publishing,” said Khongjirem as he tried to hold back the tears.
Buhphang was a self-taught musician and played almost all the instruments. He was also a renowned musical instrument maker with many students from the village and outside. His demise leaves a void at Seng Riti Academy and in the sphere of Khasi music. It will be a mammoth task for his young students and members of Seng Riti to take up the gauntlet and take the legacy forward.
~ NM
