Thousands bid farewell to Assam’s music icon
NEW DELHI: The mortal remains of Assam’s most popular singer, Zubeen Garg, were brought to his hometown Guwahati on Sunday, drawing tens of thousands of grieving fans who lined the streets to bid a final farewell.The 52-year-old musician died in Singapore on Friday after a swimming accident. His body was flown to Delhi and later transported to Assam on a commercial flight that landed in Guwahati at around 7am. At the airport, Garg’s wife Garima Saikia Garg broke down as she placed a traditional Assamese gamosa and flowers on the casket. Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and senior state officials were also present to receive the body.
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From there, a flower-decked ambulance began the slow journey to Garg’s residence in Kahilipara, accompanied by police officials, family members, and musicians. Tens of thousands of mourners clogged the roads, showering petals on the coffin, holding banners and cut-outs, and singing his songs in unison. The singer’s 85-year-old father and close relatives were given private time with the body at the family home before it was moved to the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex in Sarusajai, where it will remain through the day for public homage. Many fans had camped outside the venue overnight, with crowds swelling further as the day progressed.Shops and markets were closed in parts of Assam as the state mourned a performer who recorded more than 38,000 songs across 40 languages and dialects in a career spanning three decades.The Assam government is scouting for a suitable site in and around Guwahati for the cremation of popular singer Zubeen Garg, and will place the options before his family to take the final call, state minister Ranoj Pegu said on Sunday.For many in the region, Garg was more than a musician — he was a cultural icon whose songs became the soundtrack of everyday life. His final journey home has turned into one of Assam’s largest public gatherings in recent memory.