Mourning Never Before: Assam Comes To A Standstill As Lakhs Bid Farewell To Music Icon Zubeen Garg

India’s northeast is witnessing an unprecedented outpouring of grief and admiration, unlike anything seen before in the farewell of an artist. Assam has virtually come to a standstill since news broke of the beloved singer Zubeen Garg’s passing.

The Limca Book of Records listed Garg’s funeral as the fourth-largest public gathering worldwide, alongside historic farewells for Michael Jackson, Pope Francis, and Queen Elizabeth II.

Over his 52 years, Garg won the hearts of people across the world with his charismatic personality, philanthropic spirit, and his bold, trailblazing contributions to Assamese culture, particularly his role in bringing the state’s cinema and music to global audiences.

Garg, the celebrated Assamese singer and Bollywood playback artist, tragically passed away on 19 September 2025, in Singapore following a swimming accident (currently under investigation).

He was 52 years old. The cause of death was confirmed as drowning, as per the death certificate issued by the Singapore High Commission. The Assam government is awaiting the post-mortem report to ascertain further details.

To honor his immense contribution to music and culture, the Assam government has declared a four-day state mourning period, which includes the day of his funeral on 23 September.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that Zubeen Garg will be cremated with full state honors at Kamarkuchi NC village, near Guwahati.

The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 7:30 AM, with an estimated 5,000–6,000 people expected to attend the venue, with lakhs of followers waiting to offer their prayers outside.

To accommodate the public, LED screens will be set up in various locations for people to pay their respects from a distance.

Lakhs of fans have poured into Guwahati to bid an emotional farewell to the musical icon. According to the Chief Minister, many who arrived to pay their respects have stayed on, leaving the tribute site packed with mourners.

His body was kept at the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex for public tributes before the funeral. Emotional scenes were witnessed as fans sang his popular songs and paid their respects.

In line with his family's wishes, the government has decided to build a memorial in his honour on a 10-bigha land parcel in Kamarkuchi.

Additionally, his ashes will be taken to Jorhat, where another memorial will be constructed to honour his connection with the historic town. Fans of Zubeen Garg reportedly blocked the national highway in Assam’s Jorhat for several hours on Sunday (21 September), urging that the late singer’s mortal remains be brought to the city where he spent his early years.

The Assam Chief Minister stated that the singer’s body was not in a condition to be transported to Jorhat and then brought back to Guwahati for cremation.

Expressing his dissatisfaction about the national media’s coverage of the incident, popular poet Dr Kumar Vishwas said, “I can say with certainty that I have never seen such madness, such love for any artist as there is for Zubeen in Assam and the Northeast. For the past two days, the entire state seems frozen in grief — streets, lanes, and squares are packed with his weeping, heartbroken admirers. From the Chief Minister to mothers standing on the roadside with infants in their arms, all are singing his songs through their tears.”

Zubeen Garg's legacy as a versatile artist who sang over 38,000 songs in 40 languages continues to inspire. His passing has left a void in the music industry, but his contributions will be remembered and celebrated for generations to come.

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