Assam's most beloved festival, Rongali Bihu, began on a deeply emotional note this year, as people across the state marked Manuh Bihu — the first day of Bohag — for the first time in the absence of iconic singer Zubeen Garg.
At the historic Kareng courtyard in Gargaon, Nazira, the atmosphere was both charged and sorrowful, with gatherings across Upper and Lower Assam echoing a single, powerful call: "Justice for Zubeen Garg."
Manuh Bihu, traditionally dedicated to human bonding, mutual respect, and the exchange of goodwill, carried an added weight of grief this year.
Zubeen Garg, whose music had become inseparable from the spirit of Bihu celebrations across Assam, was gone — and his absence was felt in every corner of the state, from the smallest village gathering to the grandest Bihu stage.
Also Read: A Silent Bihu: Assam Feels the Void of Zubeen Garg
What began as a day of celebration transformed in many parts of Assam into a moment of collective mourning and demand for accountability.
From Upper Assam to Lower Assam, people gathered not only to observe the traditions of Rongali Bihu but to voice their grief and demand justice for the singer whose voice had defined generations of Assamese cultural life.