Assam To Bid Final Farewell To Zubeen Garg With State Honours On September 23 - VIDEO

Guwahati: Assam will bid a final farewell to beloved singer and cultural icon Zubeen Garg on Tuesday, as his last rites are performed with full state honours at Kamarkuchi NC village, near Sonapur on the outskirts of Guwahati.

The mortal remains of the 52-year-old artist, who passed away in Singapore on September 19, will be taken in a solemn procession from Sarusajai Stadium at 9:30 AM to the cremation site, accompanied by his wife, Garima Saikia Garg and close family members. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the procession will remain private, with only family following the ambulance, and no other vehicles permitted.

The schedule of the last rites has been revised as the state government has decided to conduct a fresh post-mortem on the body of the singer at 7.30 am on Tuesday.

Police will escort the cortege along the National Highway before guiding it into the cremation grounds. A ceremonial gun salute will precede the last rites, which will be performed by priests in accordance with tradition.

To facilitate the farewell, the National Highway from Jagiroad to Guwahati—including the Meghalaya route—will remain closed until 2 PM. Schools in Guwahati will stay shut, and September 22–23 have been declared dry days across Assam.

Union Minister Khiren Rijuju will be present to pay floral tributes as representative of Govt of India.

Chief Minister Sarma, who has urged mourners to maintain calm and watch the funeral via live broadcast, confirmed that only two ministers, Ranoj Pegu and Bimal Borah, will represent the government at the site. “No VIPs will be allowed entry as VIPs; they must come as common mourners,” he said.

The Chief Minister also appealed to the public against crowding the venue, citing safety concerns: “We are doing everything as per people’s demand. The entire ceremony will be video recorded. Watching on television is the best way to bid him farewell.”

The mourning has already brought Guwahati to a standstill for three consecutive days. From Sunday, lakhs of grieving fans queued at Sarusajai Stadium to pay their respects, with businesses and markets across the city voluntarily shutting their doors despite appeals to reopen ahead of Durga Puja.

“This voluntary shutdown shows the bond Zubeen shared with the people,” said Pranjit Hazarika, working president of the Assam Chambers of Commerce.

Zubeen Garg’s ashes will later be preserved in Jorhat following a 13-day Maanglik ritual, where portions will be distributed among people so that the artist’s symbolic presence rests in his home state.

A singer, actor, composer, and humanitarian, Garg leaves behind a legacy that transcended generations and boundaries. His songs became anthems for millions, and his death has plunged Assam into collective grief rarely seen in the state’s history.