Moni Dutta
THE news of the sudden and unexpected death of Zubeen Garg in Singapore thundered through the people of Assam on a normal, busy afternoon on September 19, 2025. The bewildered people, without knowing why, started to crowd the streets of Assam. Normal life came to a standstill. People refused to believe that their beloved Zubeen Garg, the fearless artist of Assam, was dead. Zubeen Garg went to Singapore to perform in the North-East festival, and he died in mysterious circumstances.
The mystery and suspicion surrounding the tragic event that snatched the golden voice of Assam drew people from all corners, and the world saw a historic gathering in Guwahati to mourn the death of an artist. Lakhs of people from all walks of life, fans and followers of Zubeen, artistes, intellectuals, workers, riksha-drivers, wielders, shopkeepers, housewives, youths and even people of older generations who occasionally disapprove some of Zubeen’s non-conformist attitudes, also spent sleepless nights, cried, screamed, voiced their anger and rallied in the streets demanding proper investigation of the incident leading to his death.
Zubeen sang about 38000 songs in about forty languages and dialects. He was a singer, a lyricist, a poet, a composer, a music director, and a film-maker. He was called the king of humming who could play more than ten instruments. There are instances when he wrote, composed, sang and recorded five songs in one day! He had a record of recording 36 songs in one day!
During the eighties, when the popularity of Assamese songs was fading and Hindi songs were increasingly occupying Assam’s cultural space, Zubeen’s ingenious compositions of Assamese songs, capturing different moods and sentiments of common people, and with rich literary quality, his unique style of presentation, blending of folk and rock, brought about a resurgence. Traditional folk tunes and devotional songs got a new lease of life through his mesmerising voice. Zubeen sang some of the old gems of modern Assamese songs. His songs touched the hearts of millions. His voice could soothe the disheartened. People, particularly the new generations, embraced these songs in their hearts. Assamese songs were starting to be played aloud in shops, buses, marketplaces, public places and not only in Assam, but throughout the northeast and beyond.
But what gave Zubeen unparalleled popularity and love from the people was not only his golden voice and beautiful songs. People also loved Zubeen, the man. He was a rebel artist with a fearless heart filled with the warmth of love for the common people. He was a philanthropist who shared his earnings with the poor. Lines from his songs like,
“Dhumuhar xote mor
Bohujugore nason”
(My heart dances with thunderstorms for ages!)
made people fearless to face (dance with) adversities (thunderstorm), gave courage to the young generation.
A SOCIALIST
Zubeen believed in an equal and just society, where there is no exploitation, where people are not treated based on their caste and religion. When the ruling party was brazenly inciting communal frenzy, when divisive and chauvinist forces were spreading hatred among the people, and many celebrities were silent, Zubeen stood firm by his principles and beliefs. He gathered the courage to criticise the anti-people policies of the government. He used to describe himself in the following way:
“I have no caste
I have no religion
I have no god
I am free
I am the Kanchenjunga”
At a time when the whole world is being swept by anti-socialist, anti-communist propaganda, Zubeen dared to call himself a socialist, a leftist, and declared his love for communism. Zubeen was a follower of Bishnu Prasad Rabha, a legendary revolutionary artist of Assam, a communist and also once the president of IPTA, Assam. Zubeen participated in the birth-centenary celebration of Bishnu Rabha by composing and dedicating a song to Bishnu Rabha’s memory. In 2008, Zubeen rushed to Guwahati from Mumbai to participate in a cultural rally organised by IPTA, Guwahati, against terrorism after the incident of a bomb blast in Ganeshguri, Guwahati. He also considered himself a disciple of Che Guevara. Zubeen embraced Che’s spirit and tried to inspire his fans and followers with the spirit of socialism, though he was not a member of any left party. He was also influenced by Assam's renowned poet Hiren Bhattacharya, who was also a communist, and he turned some of Hiren Bhattacharya’s poems into beautiful songs.
A NONCONFORMIST
Zubeen was, at times, seen with a tattoo of a picture of Charlie Chaplin on his arm, where it was written “I can fall but never fail”. He was a critic of authority and, like Chaplin, he wanted to become the voice of the people against autocracy. There are many instances where he showed the courage to revolt against existing customs. Although he was born in a Brahmin family, he denounced his Brahmin identity by discarding the sacred thread. He also refused to address the Satradhikar (the head of a Vaisnava monastery) as “Prabhu Iswar” (God) in a ceremony he had attended as a guest. He denied, in his last interview, the existence of the soul.
Zubeen actively participated in the anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) protest. He stated that the CAA is against the interests of the people of Assam and remained firm in his stance against it.
Replying to a question about Bhupen Hazarika, Zubeen clearly said that Dr Bhupen Hazarika was “biswa barenya” (world-renowned) because he was a progressive writer and, like Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger, he wrote and sang for the common masses. Zubeen dared to lambast the corrupt politicians from the ruling party.
A NATURE LOVER
Zubeen loved nature. For him, nature was god. When the government of Assam, refused to heed arguments from environmentalists, public intellectuals and engineers against unbridled construction making Guwahati uninhabitable and forcefully cut down a large number of grand old trees near Dighali Pukhuri (an ancient heritage pond in the heart of Guwahati city) to construct a flyover, Zubeen participated in the protest rallies, lamenting that it would make that heritage place lose its scenic beauty.
A Genius abused by commoditization: Every common person, including a celebrity like Zubeen, is insecure in the present profit-driven society, where values like genuine love and compassion are growingly becoming insignificant. Zubeen expressed his disgust and anguish in an interview, “I am not a machine”. After his death, people are asking many questions: Is Zubeen the victim of an evil system that turns an artist’s talent and popularity into a mere commodity? Why was he taken to Singapore despite his illness? Why was he taken near water despite the doctor's strict prohibitions? Why did the people who took him there not take proper care of his health? Why did the state government not send a medical team with Zubeen, who is an invaluable asset of the state?
Grief and indignation united people: The untimely, tragic death of Zubeen made people from different communities and religions rush to Guwahati to have a last glance at the great artist. A tune of sadness, humming with his song “mayabini ratir bukut” (In the mystic night's embrace), filled the air. His death once again made the world see the true spirit of unity amidst diversity in our land at a time when divisive forces are constantly trying to infuse hatred. Offering flowers and lighting earthen lamps and candles alone are not enough to pay homage to the rebel king Zubeen. We must strengthen our resolve to maintain unity and amity amongst us and raise our voices against all kinds of injustice and perpetrators of hate. That will be a tribute true to the spirit of the rebel artist.
