The state of Assam is mourning the loss of its beloved cultural icon, Zubeen Garg, who tragically passed away in a scuba diving accident in Singapore on September 19. The singer-composer was in Singapore to perform at the North East India Festival. His death has sent a wave of grief across the region, culminating in an immense public outpouring of love and respect.
After his passing, Garg’s mortal remains were transported back to India. In a powerful display of affection, thousands of his fans in Jorhat reportedly blocked the national highway for hours, demanding that his body be brought to the city where he spent his formative years. Jorhat Police issued a traffic advisory on X (formerly Twitter) about the highway blockade, highlighting the deep emotional connection fans had to their hero.
When his remains finally arrived in Guwahati on Sunday, the scene was one of immense grief. Thousands of fans, many of whom had waited through the night, queued for hours to catch a final glimpse of the artist. His body was displayed in a glass casket draped with a traditional Assamese ‘gamosa’, a symbolic farewell to a man who was a pillar of Assamese culture.
This massive gathering of mourners has made history. A report by Moneycontrol stated that the public funeral for Zubeen Garg was recognized by the Limca Book of Records as one of the largest in history. The farewell was reportedly the fourth-largest public gathering worldwide, putting it in the same league as the monumental tributes for Michael Jackson, Pope Francis, and Queen Elizabeth II.
The emotional impact was palpable. Many fans were seen openly crying, and Garg’s wife, Garima Saikia Garg, was seen visibly breaking down upon the arrival of his remains at their Guwahati residence.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the singer’s final journey to the cremation ground would begin on Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. from the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex, where his body was kept for public viewing. In a final tribute, the Assam Police will serve as pallbearers and accord a gun salute to the popular singer before he is laid to rest.