Ukhrul, Sept 21: The mortal remains of eminent singer and cultural icon Zubeen Garg arrived in New Delhi on Sunday, where Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma received them at Indira Gandhi International Airport.
The Chief Minister reached the national capital on Saturday evening to receive the late singer’s body. At around 12.55 am, Dr. Sarma placed a floral wreath and laid a gamocha on the coffin carrying the embalmed body. Union Minister of External Affairs Pabitra Margherita, senior officials of the Government of Assam and the Government of India, along with admirers, also paid floral tributes.
Before the coffin was lifted, the Chief Minister, dignitaries and admirers sang in unison Zubeen Garg’s popular song Mayabini, fulfilling the singer’s wish that it be sung when he was no more.
Also read | Enigma of a generation: Assam mourns Zubeen Garg
The mortal remains were flown in from Singapore by Air India Flight AI 2116 and later transferred to a special chartered flight for onward journey to Guwahati. Garg, 52, drowned on Friday while swimming at Lazarus Island, Singapore, where he had gone to participate in the North East India Festival.
The mortal remains will be kept at Sarusajai Sports Complex on Sunday to allow people to pay their last respects. From Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, the coffin will be taken directly to the singer’s residence at Kahilipara. The Chief Minister appealed to fans and admirers not to gather at the residence so the bereaved family could spend time with the mortal remains. Zubeen Garg is survived by his wife and father.
The Assam government has declared three days of state mourning from September 20 to 22. During this period, all official entertainment, ceremonial programmes and public celebrations remain suspended, while essential service activities under Sewa Saptah will continue and ceremonial or benefit-distribution events are postponed.