In memory of our beloved Zubeen da
Listening to his soothing, magical songs was a daily habit. I love listening to music at any time of the day or of the night. My playlist is full of all types of songs in English, Hindi, Assamese and many other languages at times (just for the sake of exploring and to calm my wild mind). But Zubeen da’s songs have been a constant. Sometimes as an escape from the doldrums of life, sometimes like a way to find the lost path again, and sometimes like a dash of hope in darkness, Zubeen da’s music has always been with me.
The news of his sudden death was so unexpected. I could not believe the news the first time I read it somewhere in social media. Suddenly I felt all alone in the city thousands of kilometers away from home. I became restless, I wanted to know everything. After that, I became stuck to social media for updates. My feed was filled with Zubeen Garg—photos, reels, videos of his live shows. I started to watch those videos and I was hooked. For next three days, I watched hundreds of clips and new and old interviews by Zubeen Garg. It felt like I rediscovered Zubeen da. Today after 20 days of his demise, I know the beautiful soul in a more wonderful way. From so many posts floating on social media, I have gathered that it’s not just me, almost everyone has newly discovered, recognized Zubeen da after he parted his ways with us.
I saw millions of people coming to offer him last goodbye. The funeral rally made a world record. Some young teens took their lives unable to accept the truth of their beloved brother’s passing. When does this happen? Never. But for Zubeen da, it happened. Doesn’t it sound strange?
The strangest thing is that Zubeen Garg was so much more than a singer with a divine voice. He was a lover of people, a leader with a golden heart who would give away all his earnings to the needy without even thinking twice. Common, poor people came to him asking for help. He didn’t have own kids but adopted 15 underprivileged kids. A lover of nature, he used to pet lots of animals and birds. He started protest rallies to save trees in Assam. He hated politics and he rebelled against the authority without caring for the consequences. He openly challenged, criticized the government pointing their mistakes. He called himself a social leftist—a fan of Che Guevara and Bishnu Prasad Rabha.
Zubeen da was mostly popular because of his funky style of stage presence, his weird yet classy attire, his brilliant sense of humor, witty comebacks and obviously his unparalleled ability to be one with his audience. Obviously, there were many controversies too because of his careless attitude and unfortunate remarks. But, now after he’s gone forever, no one seems to recollect about those times anymore. Maybe that’s how legends change the world.
In his 52 years of vast life, he sang and recorded over thirty-eight thousands of songs in more than 40 languages, he acted and directed lots of movies. Zubeen da was also very skilled in playing many kinds of instruments.
In many of his interviews he said that he wanted to live like a king and he did too. In his last interview with Rita Chowdhury, Zubeen da said that he wanted to be the captain of the ship –the ship of his immense, grand life. And I think that he already became the captain. Now that he has gone, there’s no one to lead the people, young generation of Assam. Assam seems to lose its calm. There is chaos everywhere. People are crying, losing sleep, seeking justice for Zubeen da’s unexpected death in a foreign country under mysterious circumstances. The common people of Assam seem to have lost their direction without their king, their captain.
When I was watching the rally on the TV, I could not stop thinking about Walt Whitman’s “O Captain! My Captain!” It just resonates so much with our beloved Zubeen da. I’m just mentioning a few lines here:
O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.
……………………………………
My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
But I with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.
Zubeen da famously said, “I don’t have any caste. I don’t have any religion. I’m free. I’m Kanchanjungha.” Being a Nihilist, he didn’t believe in any God. He wanted to live a life free of the complexities of religion or any nonsensical social rules.
He believed in people, he loved people with all his heart. He earned love of people by pouring his heart out to the world. He will live on, his legacy will live on for next 2000 years (in his own words). It’s been 20 days and no one seems to be recovered from this tragedy. If someone is participating in candle march for a fair investigation, others are visiting his funeral place to light a diya and incense sticks, others are filling the city walls with Zubeen da’s huge portraits, quotes and songs, some others are busy digitizing and preserving his immense volume of works. Such things happen in once a millennium. It will be ages before someone comes who will be able to fill his shoes. Maybe the soul of Assam will never be the same. A fair investigation of the legend’s death and a lawful trial might bring a form of solace to the bereaved hearts of the people of Assam. And then may be, one day Assam will be able to sleep in peace again.