Thousands of grieving fans continued to pour into the Sarusajai stadium in Guwahati to pay their last respects to Assam’s cultural icon Zubeen Garg. Mourners queued for hours to catch a final glimpse of the 52 year old singer, whose mortal remains were kept in a glass casket draped with a traditional Assamese gamosa. Many offered flowers and gamosas, while some recorded their farewell moments on mobile phones.
The body was brought to Guwahati from Singapore, where Garg tragically passed away on September 19 while swimming. It was first taken to his Kahilipara residence, with thousands lining the 25 km stretch from the airport. The stadium remained open throughout the night for the public to pay their respects. The funeral is scheduled for Tuesday at Kamarkuchi, on the outskirts of Guwahati.
Prominent personalities, including Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, singer Papon, and a representative of the King of Bhutan, also paid their respects at the stadium, highlighting the deep admiration for Garg’s contributions to music and social causes.
In response to public demand for clarity surrounding his death, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has ordered a second post-mortem, scheduled for Tuesday at Guwahati Medical College. Measures are also being undertaken to digitally preserve his voice, ensuring that his musical legacy endures.
The BJP’s Sribhumi district unit has called for the construction of a memorial in honor of Zubeen Garg in his childhood hometown, aiming to commemorate his influence on Assam’s music scene and preserve his cultural legacy.
