A month on, Assam mourns Zubeen as family, fans seek answers on his death

Even after the passage of a month after the death of cultural icon Zubeen Garg, people of Assam continued to mourn the loss, seeking answers on the final moments of the singer.

Garg died while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19.

Garg's wife, Garima, said the family, along with the people of the state, are waiting to know what happened in his final moments, and expressed faith in the legal system to unravel the truth.

Hundreds thronged Garg's cremation site at Sonapur, on the outskirts of Guwahati, since early this morning, paying tributes to their beloved singer-composer.

Fans and friends of the singer-composer also visited his residence at Kahilipara area of the city and his studio in Zoo Road area to be with his family and join them in remembering him.

A 10-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) of state police's CID is probing his death, with seven persons being arrested so far.

Singapore Police are also conducting its investigation, with SIT officers from Assam set to visit the Southeast Asian nation as part of its own probe.

Vedic rituals related to the occasion were organised by the family at his studio, with Garg's father, wife, sister and others joining it.

Speaking to reporters outside the studio, Garima said, "The studio was dear to him. Since the initial rituals were performed at our residence and Jorhat, we decided to perform the Vedic rituals on completion of one month here."  Asked for her comment on the police probe into Garg's death, she said, "We have faith in the investigation. Whom do we trust if not our own legal system? Zubeen was a straight-forward person and we want straight-forward investigation."  "We are all waiting peacefully to know what happened. People of Assam are waiting to know what happened in his last moments," Garima added.

Italian opera singer Gioconda Vessichelli, with whom Garg had collaborated for his yet-to-be released movie, also reached Guwahati to pay tributes to the cultural icon.

"Zubeen da used to say that she (Garima) is his tigress, who stood by him in good and bad times. And he was right," Vessichelli said, standing alongside Garima.

She recalled her earlier visit to Guwahati to shoot with Garg, when she came into contact with his family.

"There is so much love in the family. I feel Zubeen da is here. I already feel the gods have done justice to Zubeen Garg," Vessichelli added, referring to lakhs of people coming out to pay their last respects to Garg's mortal remains and participating in his funeral procession.

Fans came in private cars and buses to be at the final resting site of Garg, which has been drawing visitors by the thousand for the last one month.

"We booked two buses and are a group of over 100 people. We wanted to be here with Zubeen da and pay our homage," said a woman who had come from Boko in Kamrup district.

Another group of women from West Karbi Anglong district arrived with a framed photograph of Garg as a mark of their last respect.

People brought 'gamosas' (Assamese scarf) with lyrics of his songs written, his photographs and other items, besides lighting earthen lamps and incense sticks, in front of his cremation site.

Fans raised slogans like 'Joi Zubeen' and 'Justice for Zubeen' at the site.

'Naam' (Vasihnavite prayer songs) were performed at the site by people from different places, with programmes featuring Garg's songs and others lined up for the day.