Singer Zubeen Gargs body arrives at Guwahati airport, thousands gather to pay last respects
Mourners from across Assam have been arriving in Guwahati to pay their respects to the legendary singer, who enthralled audiences for three decades with over 38,000 songs in 40 languages and dialects.
PTC News Desk: The mortal remains of renowned singer Zubeen Garg reached Guwahati on Sunday morning, where thousands of grieving fans gathered to welcome him home one final time. His wife, Garima Saikia Garg, along with senior state government officials, received the body at the airport. A flower-decked ambulance carried the remains out of the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport through the VIP exit. Emotional fans, holding cut-outs of the singer and Assamese gamosas embroidered with “Z G (Zubeen Garg) Forever,” sang his songs and chanted “Jai Zubeen da” as the convoy made its way through the massive crowd.
Assam DGP Harmeet Singh and Guwahati Police Commissioner Parthasarathi Mahanta walked ahead of the ambulance to clear the path. The singer’s favourite open jeep, which he often used to travel to concerts, followed in the procession, carrying his portrait and accompanied by his band members.
Mourners from across Assam have been arriving in Guwahati to pay their respects to the legendary singer, who enthralled audiences for three decades with over 38,000 songs in 40 languages and dialects. People had begun gathering outside the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex from Saturday night, where the body will be kept for public homage.
Before that, the remains will first be taken to his Kahilipara residence for around one and a half hours, allowing family members, including his 85-year-old ailing father, to bid their final farewell. Public tribute will take place at the sports complex between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. The venue for the cremation is yet to be decided, with the Assam Cabinet scheduled to meet Sunday evening to finalise the arrangements.
Earlier, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma explained that the casket could not be transported on a chartered aircraft and was flown on a regular flight from Delhi, which departed at 4:30 a.m. The body had reached Delhi from Singapore around midnight on Saturday, a day after Garg tragically drowned while swimming in the sea without a life jacket.
CM Sarma, accompanied by Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and senior Assam officials in Delhi, received the singer’s body at the airport and offered his tribute.