Guwahati: A month after the tragic death of Assam’s cultural icon Zubeen Garg, the outpouring of grief shows no sign of waning. From Guwahati to distant districts, thousands continue to pay homage to the singer-composer whose music defined a generation and whose sudden demise has left a void in the state’s cultural landscape.
Garg, 52, died while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19. Even as fans mourn, questions continue to swirl around the circumstances of his death. His wife, Garima Garg, said the family, along with the people of Assam, is waiting to know what happened in his final moments, expressing faith in the ongoing investigations.
Hundreds thronged Garg’s cremation site at Sonapur, on the outskirts of Guwahati, since early Saturday morning to offer prayers. Fans also visited his Kahilipara residence and his beloved studio on Zoo Road, where the family held Vedic rituals marking one month since his passing.
“The studio was dear to him. Since the initial rituals were performed at our residence and Jorhat, we decided to perform the Vedic rituals on completion of one month here,” Garima said. On the probe into her husband’s death, she added, “We have faith in the investigation. Whom do we trust if not our own legal system? Zubeen was a straight-forward person and we want straight-forward investigation. We are all waiting peacefully to know what happened. People of Assam are waiting to know what happened in his last moments.”
The state police’s CID has formed a 10-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case, with seven persons arrested so far. The Singapore Police are also conducting their own investigation, and a team from Assam is expected to visit Singapore soon as part of the inquiry.
Italian opera singer Gioconda Vessichelli, who had collaborated with Garg for his upcoming film, travelled to Guwahati to pay her respects. “Zubeen da used to say that she (Garima) is his tigress, who stood by him in good and bad times. And he was right,” she said. “There is so much love in the family. I feel Zubeen da is here. I already feel the gods have done justice to Zubeen Garg.”
Fans from across Assam and neighbouring states continued to pour in, bringing gamosas inscribed
with his song lyrics, photographs, and lighting earthen lamps at his memorial. Groups arrived in buses and private cars, chanting “Joi Zubeen” and “Justice for Zubeen,” as naam (Vaishnavite prayers) echoed through the air — a fitting tribute to a man who remains, even in death, the heartbeat of Assam.
SIT working to hide Himanta’s relation with accused in Zubeen death case, alleges Gogoi
Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on Sunday alleged that the investigation into the death of the state’s icon Zubeen Garg in Singapore is not moving in the right direction.
He alleged that the state government constituted the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to save Shyamkanu Mahanta and Siddhartha Sharma, currently in judicial custody, as they have “close ties with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the BJP”.
Gogoi was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a memorial organised for the singer-composer by the opposition parties here.