Should we die with Zubeen Garg or live to fulfil his dreams?

Kalpana Bora

(kalpana.bora@gmail.com)

Ever since we lost cultural icon ‘hiyar amothu’ of Assam, Zubeen Garg, our lives have not been normal, one way or another. During the first few days after the tragic news of the shocking, untimely demise of Zubeen Garg, the people of Assam were not ready to accept it. Then, when we saw his ‘nashwar’ body passing by the side of Gauhati University, we had to accept this harsh reality, all soaked in tears. Still remember that fateful moment! Slowly, we kept on falling deep into the dark vortex of agony. And now, we seem to be confused about how to carry on in Assam without Zubeen, as we seem to be lost in an elusive maze!

The more we come to know about this Mahamanav, the more we have started adoring and respecting him. As a singer, as a philanthropist, as a heartthrob of youth, as a genius, as a talent unparalleled, as a promoter of Assamese culture, youth and their issues and whatnot. He sang songs which people loved, for them, overriding his personal choice. So much he cared for people’s emotions. A singer of more than 38,000 songs in about 40 languages (including those of South India!). Little mathematics says it amounts to singing more than three songs daily on average, continuously, for the last 33 years! These days we have listened to countless of his songs – and can just continue listening, incessantly. All of his songs are so melodious, with evergreen vibrant music that is a perfect blend of folk, classical, rock and pop, and a unique choice of lyrics that knock our hearts with a chime and a splash of freshness and passion. And we started missing him and his noble deeds!

Then we actually started realising, what have we lost in the form of Zubeen Garg? Day by day, our minds and hearts are getting filled with deep appreciation for him. As if death has made Zubeen greater than the greatest. Probably we took him for granted, as an integral part of our lives, and could not recognise him fully deep inside out until he was alive.

Zubeen Garg loved living with people and supported the needy people to an extent that he would even take out a loan to help them, even if he didn’t have money with him. Be it students’ fees, medical expenses, buying a sports cycle for the budding sportsperson, or promoting budding singers. He loved his motherland madly and wanted Assam to progress and prosper with a progressive and futuristic society. That is why Zubeen Garg was so dear to millions of Assamese. That is why he was king of people’s hearts. That is why he was Zubeen Garg!

Deepawali, the festival that celebrates the return of Maryada Purushottam Bhagwan Ram to Ayodhya after victory over King Ravan of Lanka, is round the corner. That Bhagwan Ram, who happily went into exile for fourteen years just to keep the promise of his father, King Dashratha of Ayodhya. People celebrate Deepawali with fanfare and joy that fills them with a fresh enthusiasm and spirit to live life optimistically and start making preparations for Deepawali months before.

The other day we saw on television a small-scale businessman who was almost in tears, saying that some people have threatened him not to sell firecrackers. He said he had already made advance payment of several lakhs of rupees and started these preparations many months ago, and if his firecrackers (Phatka) are not sold, probably he will have to die after Deepawali, as he won’t be able to make up for his financial losses! In fact, the same would be the story of many small-scale businessmen. We need to contemplate – is this justified? Is this what Zubeen Garg wanted?

In Bharat, we celebrate so many festivals in all the parts of the country, in every season.  These festivals carry a lot of importance in our lives – cultural, social, spiritual, and religious – and one of the aspects is also financial. These festivals are a means of keeping our economy boosted and self-sustained, as money flows from one person to another. The living of millions of Bharatiya people depends upon the sale that occurs during our festivals. Even stagnant water stales, so money should flow in an economy to keep it lively and strong. If money keeps lying in the hands of one person only, how will our economy grow? That is one reason for celebrating so many different festivals in the thousands-of-years-old Sanskriti of our ancient nation Bharat, which have other scientific reasons as well behind celebrating them. That’s why our economy was self-sustained since ancient times. Varieties of different items are required in each festival, which in turn supports different sections of workers, small-scale industries, handicrafts, artisans, etc.

When a person dies, the ritual ceremonies Shraddha and ‘Matsya Sparsh’ are performed in our Sanskriti. In ‘Matsya Sparsh’, which marks the end of the mourning period, all the near and dear ones, family members, etc., gather, and after performing the religious and spiritual ceremonies and prayers for peace of soul of the departed person, share the community feast (with fish) in the honour of the departed soul. It is considered a sacred act of purity and completion. It is believed to help the soul’s journey for liberation and allow the family to return to normal life. We remember the departed beloved and her/his good works, celebrate her/his good deeds and virtues, and realise that now we have to move on in the journey of this beautiful life. We cannot die with the beloved person who has died; rather, we have to keep him/her alive by living his/her ideals. That is what keeps life going on. That is how civilisations continue, generation after generation. That is the spirit of life!

So, let’s celebrate Deepawali together in the memory of our beloved Zubeen Garg, not in joy, but in his remembrance. As a mark of respect for him. To celebrate his greatness. To celebrate what he has done for Assam. To support thousands of small-scale businessmen and to support local fireworks industry artisans who prepared firecrackers (Thaluwa-phatka-shilpa) months ago and have invested lakhs of rupees. So that these artisans do not incur financial losses. After all, money is needed to stay alive. If Zubeen Garg were alive, he would have never wished that the livelihood of thousands of Assamese would ever be hurt. On his Samadhi Khsetra in Sonapur, daily thousands of his admirers are visiting to pay their tributes, lighting earthen lamps, and offering traditional Assamese gamosas. Even after his death, Zubeen Garg is supporting the artisans and potters who make gamosas and earthen lamps! Zubeen Garg would never wish that we keep on crying forever – he will be always alive in our hearts and memories, and we must move on to support the Assamese society, to make it more prosperous and progressive. Zubeen Garg himself said in an interview, “Many people smilingly deceived me, but I never look back. Whatever has happened, has happened. I am always progressive and look forward to moving ahead with positive enthusiasm.” So, is it not our duty to give peace to the soul of this departed Mahamanav?? Living up to Zubeen Garg’s ideals is the true respect and Shraddhanjali to this Jan-Pran shilp of ours.

So, the question that arises before us is, should we die with Zubeen Garg? Or, should we live with his ideals and work for the welfare, progress and development of Assam and fulfil his unfulfilled dreams? Leaving impulses aside, Assamese people must contemplate and act accordingly. As wise, patriotic, mature citizens. For Assam. For Zubeen. Because Zubeen Garg immensely loved his Matribhumi, Assam.