Garg funeral with state honours as crowds mourn iconic Assamese singer

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Guwahati on Monday to mourn Zubeen Garg, the Assamese singer and cultural icon who died after drowning in Singapore on Sept. 19 while on a live concert tour. Garg’s funeral is scheduled to be held in Guwahati on Tuesday with state honours, officials said, after a second autopsy is conducted to rule out foul play in his death. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the cremation would take place once the autopsy is completed. The state has declared three days of mourning, and crowds from across the region have traveled to the city to pay tribute. Prime Minister Narendra Modi mourned Garg on X, saying the singer would be remembered for his rich contribution to music. Garg’s body arrived in Guwahati on Sept. 21.

Garg, 52, rose from a regional star to a national figure over a career that spanned three decades. He sang in more than 40 languages and dialects, creating a versatile portfolio that included rock, regional folk, and spiritual sub-genres. His breakthrough came with his 1992 debut album Anamika, which became a chartbuster, laying the foundation for a career that would propel him into the limelight in Assam and beyond. The national spotlight arrived with Ya Ali, the Hindi-language track from the 2006 film Gangster, which became one of Garg’s defining hits. His popularity coincided with a turbulent period in Assam’s history, but his lively melodies about love, hope and resilience provided a steady counterpoint to the region’s social tensions.

Garg’s rise extended beyond music. He appeared in Assamese cinema, making his acting and directorial debut with the film Tumi Mor Matho Mor in 2000, at a time when his image was already closely tied to the region’s cultural revival. His face lit up billboards, his songs filled markets and buses, and he became a common sight at college events and social gatherings. Among youth in Assam, he was also a fashion icon, known for his sunglasses, edgy outfits and a persona that blended rock bravado with traditional sensibilities. During Bihu, the annual cultural festival in Assam, Garg was among the most sought-after performers, drawing crowds that stretched for blocks and further embedding him in the state’s cultural fabric. His repertoire stretched across generations, appealing to listeners who grew up with his folk-inspired tunes and to younger fans attracted by his energetic stage presence and cross-genre experimentation.

Beyond his music, Garg was known for activism, often speaking out against violence and environmental destruction. Although he did not associate with any political party, he regularly condemned violence by separatist groups in the region. In 2019 he mobilised people against a controversial citizenship amendment law, and in 2024 he joined Guwahati residents protesting against government plans to cut trees for a new flyover. Fans and colleagues alike described him as fearless in speaking his mind while maintaining generosity toward others. “He spoke his heart out. And he was extremely generous,” recalled fan Bimugdha Goswami, who was among the mourners gathered in Guwahati on Monday. In 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Garg offered his apartment to the government for use as an isolation centre, underscoring his willingness to help in times of crisis. Over the years, families across Assam say Garg helped with medical treatment, school and college admissions, marriages, funerals and other needs through his fan clubs and community networks that mobilized around his work.

As the mourning period began and crowds continued to swell, authorities prepared for the cremation on Tuesday while awaiting the completion of the second autopsy. Garg’s supporters and family members have urged restraint as thousands of people travel from towns and villages across Assam to pay their respects. The singer’s admirers have organized tributes and vigils through the region’s fan clubs, which for decades helped coordinate charitable work and community outreach on Garg’s behalf.

The death of Zubeen Garg marks the loss of a figure whom many in Assam described as an emotional touchstone—a voice that connected the state’s languages, dialects and traditions with contemporary forms of expression. While the formal process moves forward, the public response reflects Garg’s enduring influence on music, culture and civic life in the region. In Guwahati and beyond, people continue to reflect on a career that bridged grassroots appeal and national recognition, leaving a lasting imprint on Assam’s cultural landscape.