SONAPUR (KAMARKUCHI), Sept 19: The morning air at Zubeen Kshetra carried the scent of incense, fresh flowers and the low hum of collective mourning. By mid-morning on Saturday, the memorial site on the outskirts of Guwahati had transformed into a living shrine. Hundreds of devotees, many dressed in traditional Assamese attire and carrying gamochas printed with lyrics from Garg’s songs, stood in quiet lines to offer tributes. Some wept openly. Others sat cross-legged on the ground, softly singing verses from “Mayabini” or “Pakhi Pakhi,” their voices rising and falling like the Brahmaputra in monsoon.
Today marked the culmination of a three-day observance that began on September 17, designated as Zubeen Divas by the late artist’s family and supported by the state’s Cultural Affairs Department. The final day of the programme unfolded with a mixture of solemn ritual and spontaneous celebration of a voice that many still call the soul of modern Assamese music.
Garima Saikia Garg, the singer’s widow, was among those present earlier in the commemorations. She has repeatedly described the gatherings as a continuation of her husband’s lifelong desire to remain among the people. “He loved to stay among people,” she said earlier in the week. “I am sure that he is very happy seeing the people of Assam have never let him feel lonely throughout this year.” On Saturday, that sentiment appeared to find its fullest expression as streams of visitors continued to arrive well into the afternoon.
The day’s formal programme included the establishment of an Asana, morning Bhagawat Path and an evening Bhaona, traditional forms of devotion and performance that blended seamlessly with the modern tributes of young fans holding up phone screens playing Garg’s recordings. Artists sketched his likeness on large canvases set up near the memorial. One woman, Beauty Gogoi, was reported to have woven a special gamocha overnight as her personal offering. Elsewhere on the grounds, groups of young people formed impromptu circles and sang, their voices carrying across the open space that has become a pilgrimage site since Garg’s cremation last September.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma marked the day by sharing photographs of himself with the singer and a simple message: “Miss you Zubeen.” Cultural Affairs Minister Bimal Bora had earlier assured full logistical support from the state government for the three-day events. The Assam State Drivers’ Union arranged low-fare transport so that fans from distant districts could reach the venue without hardship.
Beyond the music and the flowers, a quieter but insistent note ran through the day’s conversations. Many visitors, including leaders of the All Assam Students’ Union, spoke of the unfinished business of justice. AASU Chief Advisor Dr Samujjal Bhattacharya told those gathered that the occasion was not only about remembrance. “Today we are here to pay our respects to Zubeen Garg. One year has passed since the unexpected incident. Zubeen Garg must get justice.” AASU President Utpal Sarma added that future generations must know of the artist who turned even Bihu stages into platforms of protest when the state’s wildlife was under threat.
Zubeen Garg died on September 19, 2025, while swimming off Lazarus Island near Singapore, a day before he was scheduled to perform at the North East India Festival. Singapore authorities ruled the death an accidental drowning and found no evidence of foul play. In Assam, however, a Special Investigation Team of the state police filed a charge sheet against seven individuals, with four facing murder charges. A special fast-track court in Guwahati continues to hear the case. The divergence between the two investigations has kept the demand for clarity alive among fans and family.
By late afternoon, the memorial grounds remained crowded. Some visitors lit oil lamps. Others simply stood in silence, watching the wind move through the trees that now frame the site. The three-day programme has drawn people from across communities and districts, turning what began as private grief into a public affirmation of cultural identity. For many, Zubeen Garg was more than a singer. He was the soundtrack of ordinary Assamese life — the voice that played at weddings, protests, long bus journeys and quiet evenings at home.
As the sun began to dip and the final performances of the day took shape, the atmosphere at Zubeen Kshetra remained both heavy and strangely buoyant. Grief had not disappeared, but neither had the music. In the songs still rising from the crowd, in the sketches left behind and in the quiet determination to keep asking difficult questions, Assam marked the first anniversary of its most cherished cultural figure the only way it knows how: by gathering, by singing, and by refusing to let the memory fade.
The lamps would burn into the night. The songs would continue. And for one more day at least, the voice that once filled every corner of the state still seemed to linger in the air above Sonapur.