Assam comes together to remember Zubeen Garg on his 53rd birth anniversary; 20-kilogram cake brought to the legend’s house |

Assam embraced a wave of nostalgia and tribute as it marked Zubeen Garg’s 53rd birth anniversary, the first since his departure. Fans passionately celebrated by congregating at his residence for heartwarming midnight cake cutting sessions and singing his iconic tracks.

Fans across Assam turned mourning into remembrance on Tuesday, November 18th as the 53rd birth anniversary of singer and cultural icon Zubeen Garg was observed for the first time since his death.

Midnight tributes in Kahilipara

The observance began just after midnight on Monday, when admirers gathered outside Garg’s Kahilipara residence. They cut a cake and placed it before his photograph as his wife Garima Saikia Garg and sister Palmee Borthakur watched. Supporters sang the birthday song and some of his popular songs. On Tuesday morning a 20-kilogram cake was brought to the house, where a bust of the artist was unveiled by his father Kapil Borthakur and Garima.

Since Monday night, people have been visiting Zubeen Kshetra, the site of his cremation, offering gamosas and flowers, lighting lamps and singing. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma paid tribute on a micro-blogging site, writing, “Some presence fades from sight but shines brighter in memory.” In another post he said, “Today, we honour the enduring legacy of an artist who was, will and forever be our heartthrob. That of our #BelovedZubeen. Forever in our hearts.”

Parties and groups turn grief into service

Across the state, organizations marked the day with programs. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is organizing 53 blood donation camps. The Opposition Congress scheduled an evening event in Panjabari titled ‘Kanchanjunga – Sanskriti Houk Maitreyir Mantra,’ described as an occasion of “remembrance, reverence and collective reflection,” with Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi expected to attend.NDA ally Asom Gana Parishad is observing the day as ‘Jatiya Swabhiman Diwas,’ holding a blood donation camp, renditions of Garg’s songs and sapling plantation at its headquarters. The All Assam Students’ Union has launched a program with art camps, cycle rallies and tree planting, while the All Assam Zubeen Garg Fan Club has lined up events across Assam. Members of the Gauhati Press Club paid floral tributes and highlighted Garg’s journey in their coverage, from his birth in Tura in 1972 to his death in Singapore this year after he traveled for the North East India Festival under circumstances many regard as mysterious.