GUWAHATI: All roads in Guwahati on Sunday led to Sarusajai Stadium, where the mortal remains of Assam’s heartthrob Zubeen Garg were laid to rest.
The “Ya Ali” fame singer died under mysterious circumstances while swimming in Singapore on Friday. He had travelled to the country to take part in the 4th Northeast India Festival, which was cancelled following his tragic death.
For the second consecutive day on Sunday, the entire state of Assam virtually came to a standstill. Lakhs of grieving people from across the state and beyond visited Sarusajai Stadium to pay their last respects to the hero – a composer, lyricist, music director, music producer, actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and above all, philanthropist.
Noting the unprecedented turnout, the state government decided to keep the mortal remains for one more day on Monday. Earlier, a three-day state mourning had been announced.
“More and more people wish to see our beloved Zubeen one last time, and we deeply understand these sentiments. Therefore, the stadium will remain open throughout the night today for the public to pay their respects to Zubeen. Tomorrow also, the mortal remains of Zubeen will be kept at Sarusajai for people to offer their homage,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
He received the mortal remains in New Delhi on Saturday night and placed a floral wreath on the coffin carrying the embalmed body of the singer. The mortal remains were brought to Guwahati in a special aircraft on Sunday morning.
The body, draped in a traditional Assamese gamosa, arrived in a glass casket at the stadium. Fans began thronging the site from early morning.
Garg’s wife, Garima, accompanied the mortal remains. Thousands of fans of the singer joined her. She thanked his fans, saying, “If he were alive today, he would have been overwhelmed to see such love for him. Since he now cannot express himself in words, I, on his behalf, thank each one of you.”
She attributed this love and blessing to his achievements. “He and his creations will live on,” she further stated.
People across the state organised processions to pay homage to Garg, while hundreds of fans in Guwahati, including at the airport, spent the night without sleep, holding aloft cut-outs of Garg and singing his popular numbers.
The CID of Assam police will probe the death after multiple FIRs were lodged against Shaymkanu Mahanta and Siddhartha Sarma. Mahanta was the chief organiser of the festival, while Siddhartha is Garg’s manager.
