Zubeen Garg Tribute – More Than a Singer

🎵 Zubeen: More Than a Singer

(Originally written in September 2025, posted today)

Frankly speaking, Zubeen was a sensation way back in my Salt Brook Academy days in 2006. Higher secondary life — first time away from family, stepping into a new world. It was the time of many “firsts”: first freedom, first confusion, first taste of growing up. We had borrowed Walkmans, cheap batteries, and Zubeen songs on repeat till the batteries died out. Those were crazy days.

Later, during my engineering hostel days, I saw the madness of Zubeen’s fans. People worshipped him. But to be honest, his late shows, his drinking, his blunt words straight to people’s faces — those things didn’t impress me much. His songs were magic, but the man felt… complicated. As days passed and life got busier, the sensation called Zubeen gradually lost that early spark for me.

Then tragedy struck — and suddenly, all those memories came flooding back. In those dark days after the disaster, I sat down and watched all his recent videos and interviews on different channels. And that’s when I realized how little I actually knew about him.

🎤 The Man Beyond the Music

He was so much more than a singer. Zubeen Garg sang in over 40 Indian languages and dialects, making him one of the most multilingual singers in the country. And then there’s me — practically struggling to learn anything beyond English. It made me laugh, and admire him even more. He devoured books, lived humbly, spoke his truth, stood with people, stood with the left. Words fall short.

And when I saw the sea of love from people — it struck me. Titles, positions, money — none of these matter. Living a good, honest life is what truly matters. That’s what Zubeen showed us. Sadly, during his lifetime, controversies often overshadowed his goodness.

🌌 My World of Escapes

You know, I’ve always lived in my own bubble. Fantasy worlds like Skyrim: The Elder Scrolls, Naruto, and Arcane were my escape. Reality often felt dull — except when I had my camera in hand, capturing fleeting moments. I’m not someone who cries easily — except in rare moments, like when Jiraiya died at the hands of Pain in Naruto, or that night when my 3-month-old daughter was sick and I felt completely helpless.

I’m not a bad person — just someone life has hardened over time. There was a time I’d stand up every time I saw a lady, or pray innocently, just like my parents taught me. But that’s no longer me. Courtesy has vanished around us. There’s little civic sense, no care for neighbours, no love for the environment. Everyone is just running behind material things. Slowly, that reality hardened me too.

💔 The Day Assam Stopped

But this time, it was different. I cried — not just for the man, but for the whole sensation called Zubeen. The atmosphere, the grief, the silence in every corner of Assam — it felt like losing a close family member. The closed markets, the empty roads, the sad faces all around… everything was a reflection of his absence.

And then I felt this pull — I had to see him one last time. On the 22nd, we tried but failed. On the 23rd morning, we went again. This time, mission completed. I got that one last glimpse of our living God.

🔥 Keeping His Legacy Alive

But the question remains: what about his legacy? How do we keep him alive?

Maybe the only way is for each of us to try to be a little better than we were yesterday. That’s the real tribute.

For me, it started right away:

1. On the 23rd, I entered through the general line. I didn’t misuse my emergency department ID for entry. That’s unusual for me — but it felt right.
2. Just outside the venue, we were holding plastic glasses. Normally, we’d have just thrown them. But this time, we kept them in the car. Two fewer pieces of trash — less microplastic for future generations.
3. And right after that, I decided to donate platelets to a child fighting cancer. Office work can wait — human life is bigger.

Moving forward, I want to restart my learning, my hobbies, maybe do some volunteering. I want to raise my voice against wrong things — even though in government jobs it’s not always easy. And one big lesson from Zubeen’s life: take care of your health. Don’t ignore it. Be wiser with money. And most importantly — be mindful of the friends you keep.

That’s how I want to keep him alive — by carrying forward bits of him inside me, every day.

💫 Forever in Our Hearts

Let’s be honest: Zubeen da is gone. But if every Assamese lives better, dreams bigger, stays true and humble — then Zubeen is not really gone. He’ll keep singing through us, and together we can make our state proud.

Rest easy, da. Your songs will never stop playing in our hearts. 🎶

— Amaljit
Somewhere between nostalgia and new beginnings ✨