Zubeen Garg's Final Journey: Ashes of Beloved Assamese Cultural Icon Immersed in Brahmaputra River

Guwahati: The ashes of beloved cultural icon Zubeen Garg were immersed in the Brahmaputra River on Wednesday by his wife Garima, marking a solemn conclusion 37 days after his cremation which had drawn lakhs of mourning followers.

For the ceremony, a special ferry transported Garima, along with Garg's sister Palme Borthakur and other close relatives and friends, from Lachit Ghat toward the middle of the river in Guwahati.

Following brief traditional rituals, Garima, visibly overcome with emotion, immersed the ashes contained in two clay pots into the flowing waters of the Brahmaputra.

After completing this poignant ritual, Garima shared her feelings on X, writing in Assamese: "Assam's land, sky, wind and now the vast Brahmaputra... You are the only one in the hearts of people and nature." She continued with a touching promise, "See you again one day soon... I'll talk about reincarnation, I'll write new stories for you and me. But now, we need to know what really happened to you on that cursed day. #JusticeForZubeenGarg."

In a parallel ceremony, Arun Garg, the singer's close associate whom Zubeen had considered family and who was one of four individuals to light his funeral pyre, immersed portions of the ashes in the Brahmaputra in Jorhat, the singer's hometown.

The celebrated artist died under mysterious circumstances while swimming in Singapore on September 19. He had traveled to the Southeast Asian nation to participate in the 4th edition of the North East India Festival.

On September 23, Garg's body was cremated with full state honors in the serene surroundings of Kamarkuchi village in Sonapur, on the outskirts of Guwahati, as thousands of devoted fans sang his songs in a moving farewell tribute.

Prior to the cremation, his body was placed for public homage at the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex, where more than 10 lakh people gathered to pay their final respects to the beloved cultural icon.