India bids tearful farewell to maverick musician

Tens of thousands of mourners thronged the streets of India's north-eastern Assam state on Tuesday to bid farewell to a flamboyant artiste, celebrated as much for his music as for his irreverent persona.

Zubeen Garg, 52, died by drowning in Singapore last week, triggering a massive outpouring of grief among his millions of fans in Assam, where he enjoyed a cult-like status. "Zubeen's voice had an unmatched ability to energise people," Assam's Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

"His music spoke directly to our minds and souls," he said in a statement. "Assam has lost one of its favourite sons. He has left a void that will never be filled."

As news of his death broke, hundreds of thousands of people poured onto the streets across the state, breaking into his popular numbers. Legions of people also turned up to pay their respects at a stadium complex in Assam's biggest city Guwahati where his embalmed body was kept for two days.

Garg was cremated on Tuesday, with full state honours and accorded a 21-gun salute. Assam has declared four days of state mourning. His death brought the state of over 30 million people to a standstill, with businesses shuttering and the government suspending all non-emergency services.

Garg died on September 19, while swimming in the sea without a life jacket. He was administered CPR and rushed to Singapore General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead in the intensive care unit around 2:30 pm.

The death certificate issued by the Singapore authorities listed the cause of death as drowning. Several FIRs were filed against his manager and the festival organiser alleging negligence and lack of safety measures, including reports that Garg had declined to wear a life jacket.

His wife, Garima Saikia Garg, later appealed for withdrawal of cases against his manager. Following public demand, the Assam government ordered a second post-mortem in GMCH with the consent of Garg's family members.

Garg, who rarely ever shied away from speaking his mind, largely eschewed the popular world of Bollywood and chose to sing primarily in Assamese and other local dialects. He was also a gifted actor, having won several accolades for his performances in Assamese cinema.

He identified himself as an atheist and was a vocal critic of Hinduism's deeply entrenched caste system. "I don't have any caste, religion or God," he once said, one of his many proclamations rejecting tradition.

Garg's extensive influence on Assamese music and culture is reflected in the efforts of fans and archivists to preserve his work. Vishal Kalita of Guwahati's Hatigaon has reportedly compiled over 33,000 cassettes and CDs of Garg's recordings, including a signed copy of the album Chandni Raat.

His efforts highlight the extent of Garg's fanbase and cultural impact. In addition to physical collections, a digital archive containing approximately 35,000 songs has been created to preserve and make accessible his musical contributions for future generations.