Assam Bids Emotional Farewell to Cultural Icon Zubeen Garg in Historic Funeral Procession

GUWAHATI – Thousands upon thousands of mourners lined the streets of Guwahati today as Assam’s beloved singer-songwriter Zubeen Garg was cremated with full state honors, marking the end of an era for the Northeast’s music landscape.

The procession, recognized by the Limca Book of Records as the fourth largest funeral in the world, saw lakhs of fans, celebrities, and dignitaries gather to honor the 52-year-old artist, whose voice had defined generations.

Zuneen, who tragically drowned during a scuba diving accident in Singapore on September 19, was laid to rest at Kamarkuchi village, about 20 km from the city, amid chants of his iconic songs and a resounding 21-gun salute.

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from Singapore on September 20 following a second post-mortem at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), ordered by the state government to rule out any foul play. The initial autopsy in Singapore confirmed drowning as the cause of death, but family consent and public outcry led to the additional examination, conducted jointly with doctors from AIIMS-Guwahati.

Accompanied by his 85-year-old father, and wife, acclaimed costume designer Garima Saikia Garg, the remains were first kept in state at the Sarusajai Sports Complex from September 21, where endless queues formed as admirers paid their respects.

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The funeral cortege, a flower-decked ambulance flanked by police and supporters, wound through Guwahati’s bustling roads, with fans walking alongside while singing “Mayabini” – a poignant track Garg had once expressed a wish to have performed at his farewell.

His sister lit the funeral pyre at the riverside site in Kamarkuchi, as emotional breakdowns rippled through the crowd, including from Garima, who clung to memories of their shared life. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and other dignitaries, including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, joined the throng, underscoring Garg’s status as a “heartbeat of the state.”

Also Read- Assam CM receives mortal remains of iconic singer Zubeen Garg at IGI Airport in Delhi

Born Zubeen Borthakur on November 18, 1972, in Tura, Meghalaya, to an Assamese Brahmin family, Garg rose from local folk roots to become a pan-Indian sensation. Adopting his stage name in the 1990s, he debuted with the album Anamika in 1992 and went on to record over 38,000 songs in more than 40 languages, earning him the title of Assam’s highest-paid singer.

His Bollywood breakthrough came with the soul-stirring “Ya Ali” from the 2006 film Gangster, followed by hits like “Dil Tu Hi Bata” from Krrish 3. In Assamese cinema, he was a multifaceted force – actor, director, composer, and philanthropist – with films like Tumi Mor Matho Mor (2000) cementing his legacy during a turbulent era of regional unrest.

Also Read- Tragic End to a Melody: Assamese Icon Zubeen Garg dies in Singapore

Assam declared three days of state mourning from September 20 to 22, canceling official events and prompting tributes from across the spectrum. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Garg’s renditions “very popular among people across all walks of life,” while Home Minister Amit Shah hailed him as an “iconic singer” whose music wove “threads of unity.”

Fellow artists like Papon likened the loss to “losing a brother,” and Pritam Chakraborty, who collaborated on Gangster, expressed devastation. Bollywood stars Vishal Dadlani and Harshdeep Kaur shared heartfelt condolences on social media, with fans worldwide echoing the grief under hashtags like #JusticeForZubeenGarg, amid calls for a thorough CID probe into the accident’s circumstances.

Garg’s death, just days before his scheduled performance at Singapore’s North East India Festival, has left a void, but his family and the state vow to preserve his spirit. The Assam government announced a memorial at Sonapur, and a 20-foot statue unveiled in his lifetime at Digboi’s Nazirating Tamuli Tourism Festival stands as a testament to his enduring influence. As the pyre flames rose, one fan whispered, “Zubeen da isn’t gone – he’s in every note we hum.” In Assam, where his melodies bridged joy and sorrow, that voice will echo forever.