"When I die, Assam should sing this song," Zubeen Garg had said about 'Mayabini' when it was released as part of the 2001 Assamese film Daag. On Tuesday, as Assam's "favourite rockstar" was cremated with state honours and a 21-gun salute, hundreds of thousands of his fans, most in tears, sang lines from 'Mayabini' – the song Zubeen cherished the most amidst his plethora of albums.
Zubeen's cremation was held in Kamarkuchi, on the outskirts of Guwahati, after a second autopsy was conducted to rule out any foul play in his death. A cultural giant in Assam whose songs transcended genres and defined a generation, Zubeen passed away in Singapore on September 19.
On Tuesday, thousands of his fans joined the funeral procession as his body was brought to the cremation ground from the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex, where Chief Minister Himanta Sarma, politicians and other personalities paid their last respects.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, Assam Speaker Biswajit Daimary and former Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal were also present. It was a spectacle Assam has rarely witnessed. It showcased the love and respect Garg commanded across all age groups.
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At the cremation ground, as the priests conducted the rituals, Zubeen's wife, Garima Saikia Garg, was seen crying inconsolably. Wearing a mekhela chador, a traditional Assamese dress, she stood by the pyre throughout with folded hands.
Zubeen's sister, Palme Borthakur, and music composer Rahul Gautam, a protege of the singer, lit the pyre as his fans united in singing 'Mayabini', remembering the versatile singer who gave hits in over 40 languages.
Born in Meghalaya, Zubeen burst into Assam's music scene in the early 1990s. He became a household name after his song "Ya Ali" in the Emraan Hashmi-starrer Gangster (2006) became a massive hit among the youth.
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