Assam weeps: Zubeen Garg’s final journey draws thousands in Guwahati

Guwahati’s Sarusajai drowned in a tide of sorrow on Sunday, 21 September, as thousands gathered at the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex to bid a heart-wrenching farewell to Zubeen Garg — the voice of ‘Ya Ali’, whose melodies once soared like prayers and still echo in the soul of Assam.

Zubeen's mortal remains were held here to allow for the last public homage, allowing the people whose lives he had touched to offer their last respects.

The mourning had begun a day earlier, as fans from every walk of life gathered outside Garg’s residence in Kahilipara, where a garlanded portrait of the singer was placed in the apartment parking lot. Listeners — including fellow artistes and local leaders — bowed their heads in reverence before it. His wife Garima Garg joined them briefly, her quiet tears speaking the grief of a family shattered by loss — on the very eve of a much-looked-to performance, at the start of the festive fortnight in the state.

Across Assam, shops closed their shutters in spontaneous mourning. Condolence meetings and memorials echoed in towns like Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Nagaon, where people gathered to sing the songs that had once been Zubeen’s gift to them, now transformed into hymns of remembrance. Cultural and sports events were called off for the next three days, to take time to grieve.

Congress state president Gaurav Gogoi, his voice heavy with sorrow, paid homage, saying, “It is still beyond belief that Zubeen-da is no more. Let us bid him a farewell befitting the boundless love and reverence he inspired in the hearts of millions.”

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed profound shock at the untimely demise of the singer-composer who, he said, had etched an indelible place in the hearts of millions. Remembering him as the ‘Voice of Assam,’ Kharge said Zubeen’s enchanting melodies, rendered across regional languages, had elevated him to the stature of a cultural icon at a young age.

“In this hour of irreparable loss, I extend my deepest condolences to his family, his friends, and the countless admirers who drew joy and solace from his music,” Kharge said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi mourned the loss of Garg in a scuba diving accident as well, calling his passing a heartbreaking tragedy and hailing the maestro as a voice that defined a generation.

“His unmatched talent and soulful melodies reshaped the very fabric of Assamese music,” Gandhi said.

Gandhi also recalled with admiration Garg’s resilience in the face of personal trials, noting that his courage and perseverance had left an indelible mark.

“Zubeen-da will forever live in our hearts and minds, his music an eternal echo of his spirit,” he added.

Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recounted the circumstances of the tragedy: Zubeen had ventured into the sea during a yacht trip in Singapore and drowned while swimming without a life jacket. An autopsy was conducted there before his body was flown to first New Delhi and thence brought to Guwahati on a chartered flight.

After meeting the family, Akhil Gogoi, Raijor Dal president, called for a CBI probe into the circumstances of the death, voicing doubts over negligence by the festival organisers even as the CM ordered a CID inquiry. However, the singer’s death in fact did not occur during the festival itself — he never did make it to the weekend performance his fans had been looking forward to.

For many, the loss was not just of a man but of a voice that defined an era. Lurinjyoti Gogoi, chief of Assam Jatiya Parishad, captured this collective grief: “Assam has lost one of its most passionate voices. His songs and creations touched every section of society. It is now our duty to keep his music and ideals alive.”

Veteran singer Anup Jalota mourned the passing of Zubeen Garg with a heavy heart, calling him “a true musical gem whose voice caressed countless souls.” He added, “My prayers go out to him, to his grieving family, and to the legions of admirers who found solace in his melodies. Om Shanti.”

And so, as hymns of sorrow mingle with the melodies of his immortal songs, Assam prepares to lay to rest the bard whose voice will forever echo through its valleys and rivers.