‘Zubeen was for all’: Singer’s death unites India’s religiously torn Assam
Key Takeaways
- Acclaimed Hindu singer Zubeen Garg died tragically by drowning in Singapore on September 19 while scheduled to perform at the Northeast India Festival.
- Garg's music was a significant source of solace and unity for many, including Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam who face increasing communal tensions.
- His death triggered massive public grief in Assam, with tens of thousands of fans gathering in Guwahati to mourn and pay respects.
- Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma offered condolences, acknowledging his widespread appeal.
- The Assam government observed four days of state mourning, culminating in Garg's cremation with full state honors and a 21-gun salute.
For over 15 years, truck driver Imam Hussain, a Bengali-speaking Muslim in Assam, relied on the music of Hindu singer Zubeen Garg for inner peace amid escalating Hindu-Muslim tensions and accusations against his community as outsiders. Garg's music acted as a rare unifier across these deep societal fractures in the northeastern Indian state. The 52-year-old artist tragically died by drowning near Lazarus Island in Singapore on September 19, where he was set to perform at the Northeast India Festival. His sudden death caused a massive outpouring of grief, cementing his status as a beloved public figure whose appeal transcended divisions. Condolences were issued by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, with the state government declaring four days of mourning. Tens of thousands of grieving fans converged in Guwahati to witness the reception of his body and escort the convoy, singing his songs, highlighting the unity his music fostered against a backdrop of historical linguistic and religious fault lines in Assam dating back to colonial times and subsequent migrations.
