Guwahati, Sept 21: Thousands of people thronged the roads of Guwahati to pay their tributes to singer Zubeen Garg, whose body was taken in a 25-km-long procession from the airport to his Kahilipara residence on Sunday.
The convoy took nearly five-and-a-half hours to cover the distance as it crawled through a sea of humanity in an emotionally charged atmosphere with people from all walks of life and ages lining the streets and showering flowers on the ambulance carrying the mortal remains of the iconic singer.
Elderly people, women, children, youngsters and even differently abled persons braved the scorching heat and waited for hours to catch a glimpse of the singer’s coffin as the convoy made its way from Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport to Gauhati University campus in Jalukbari and then on to National Highway 27, also called the Guwahati Bypass, to reach his home.
The road dividers along the highway were chock-a-bloc with people, while many stood atop vehicles parked at a distance from the main road and every balcony and terrace of the buildings along the way were filled with shocked fans, who are yet to come to terms with his death.
People showered flower petals and offered prayers with folded hands, while many wailed and chanted his name.
As the convoy entered the street of his home, where only his family and close friends had gathered, the security personnel prevented outsiders from going inside.
People, including reporters, have been barred from entering the street as family members requested some moments with the singer’s body for one last time.
After being taken to his house, the body was taken out of the coffin and kept in a glass casket, with his face being shown and the rest draped in a ‘gamosa’.
According to the schedule, it was planned that Garg’s mortal remains will be kept at his Kahilipara residence for about one-and-a-half hours for his family members, including his 85-year-old ailing father, to pay their last respects.
It was planned that his body would be taken from his residence to the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex for people to pay their homage from 9 am to 7 pm but due to the delay, officials are holding consultations on making changes.
Earlier in the day, after the flight carrying his body landed from Delhi, the coffin was first taken out from the luggage section of the aircraft and kept near the runway, where his wife Garima Saikia Garg offered floral tributes and placed an Assamese gamosa on it. She broke down and hugged the casket.
The coffin was later placed inside the flower-decked ambulance with people who had gathered near the runaway, including airport staffers and passengers who came in the same flight, breaking down in tears.
Garima and Assam’s Minister for Cultural Affairs Bimal Borah accompanied his body in the ambulance which moved out of the airport through the VIP exit.
The coffin was covered with ‘gamosa’ and flowers, which included marigolds and jasmine.
Besides his wife, senior state government officials were at the airport to receive the body.
Thousands of fans were heard singing his songs and shouting ‘Jai Zubeen da’ as the convoy navigated slowly through the crowd outside the airport.
Wailing, ‘Why Zubeen da, why did you have to leave us so soon’, they were seen holding cut-outs of the singer and the traditional Assamese ‘gamosa’ with the words ‘Z G (Zubeen Garg) Forever’ woven in it.
Assam Director General of Police Harmeet Singh and Guwahati Police Commissioner Parthasarathi Mahanta were seen walking in front of the ambulance to clear the way for the vehicle.
The singer’s favourite vehicle, an open jeep, which he often used to travel to venues where he performed, was also a part of the convoy with his huge portrait positioned in the front. His team of musicians was in the vehicle.
The fans were also seen holding their mobile phones aloft to capture their icon’s last journey home.
People have reached Guwahati from across the state to pay their last respects to their favourite singer, who mesmerised them for over three decades with more than 38,000 songs sung in 40 languages and dialects.
People started gathering since Saturday night outside the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex, where his body will be kept to allow the public to pay their last respects.
Details of the last rites are yet to be finalised, although a team of officials has visited Sonapur near Guwahati to inspect a suitable place, where Zubeen can be cremated and a memorial built in his honour.
The Assam cabinet will meet on Sunday evening to decide on the cremation venue.
Earlier, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said the casket carrying the singer’s body could not be accommodated in any chartered flight and was flown to Guwahati from Delhi on a regular flight.
The body arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi around Saturday midnight from Singapore, where he died a day earlier while swimming in the sea without a life jacket.
CM Sarma received the singer’s body at the airport and paid his tribute.
He was accompanied by Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and senior Assam government officials posted in the national capital. (PTI)
