Fans Gather in Guwahati to Honor Late Singer Zubeen Garg

Guwahati: Admirers converged on the Kamarkuchi memorial near Guwahati on September 18. They gathered one day before the first anniversary of the death of Assamese icon Zubeen Garg. Supporters sang his hits and sketched portraits. Others laid hand-woven gamosas featuring lyrics from his songs as tokens of remembrance.

The event, titled Zubeen Divas, runs for three days starting September 19. The state Cultural Department, Kalaguru Artist Foundation, and the Zubeen Garg Fan Club organized the services. His wife, Garima Saikia Garg, attended opening prayers and Naam-prasanga rituals alongside mourners. Performers arrived from across Assam to host tribute shows and showcase personal art.

Garg drowned last September 19 while swimming near Lazarus Island in Singapore. He was supposed to perform at the North East India Festival the next day. His death sparked massive grief throughout Assam. An investigation followed. The Assam Police CID Special Investigation Team charged seven people in December. Four of those suspects face murder counts in a special fast-track sessions court.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told the Assam Assembly in November that the death was a case of "plain and simple murder." Despite this claim, the Singapore Police reached a different conclusion. Their investigation found no evidence of foul play.