Zubeen Garg: His Tryst at Senduri Ali Digi Music and ZG

Mita Nath Bora

(mitanathbora7@gmail.com)

In the landscape of Indian music, few names shine as brightly as the legendary Zubeen Garg. For over three decades, he was more than a singer—he was a composer, lyricist, instrumentalist, actor, director, producer, philanthropist, and above all, the cultural heartbeat of Assam.

His first Assamese music album, Anamika (1992), which he produced at the age of 19, was a super hit that gave him early recognition. Since then, he never stopped singing. His music—ranging from soulful ballads to electrifying Bihu songs—captured the pulse of the people. Over the years, he recorded more than 30,000 songs in multiple languages, including Assamese, Bengali, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, and Nepali. What made Zubeen extraordinary was not just his technical brilliance but also his emotional range. He created songs that captured every emotion, every feeling, every situation. Whether it was the carefree energy of Bihu, the melancholy of love lost, the fire of protest, or the serenity of devotion—Zubeen had a voice for it all. This ability made him timeless.

His music transcended age, mood, and generation – grandparents, parents, and children could all find themselves in his music. His art was not bound by norms, class, or place; it was human and universal. Zubeen also mastered several instruments—dhol, tabla, dotora, guitar, keyboard, and mandolin—and created music that transcended boundaries and beyond. Music was never just a career choice but a way of life for Zubeen.

His life story, along with music, fame, and fans, is also associated with belonging and the unbroken thread that tied him to a famous studio named Digi Music and a famous lane in Guwahati called Senduri Ali. Senduri Ali, which means “beautiful lane” (senduri meaning “beautiful”, and ali meaning “lane”), holds deep emotional significance in Zubeen’s journey. Senduri Ali has been central to Zubeen’s growth and music career since the early 1990s. This is the place where his early career started with recording songs in the NK Production Digi Music Studio, and he recorded most of his songs herein. This is where the seeds of his career were planted. It also gave us a chance to see and meet him frequently. Him wearing his long coat and hat and loitering around in the lane in the late hours was a scene from a different world. Digi Music in Senduriali is witness to several magical creations and forever memories.

In 2006, he broke into Bollywood with the gangster movie’s superhit song ‘Ya Ali’ that got him the Global Indian Film Awards (GIFA)’s Best Playback Singer (Male) and the Stardust Awards’ New Musical Sensation (Male). He also received several other awards, like the National Film Award, BFJA Award, Kalakaar Awards, Assam State Awards, Prag Cine Awards and many more. He once publicly announced not to bestow him with any more awards but to give them to newcomers to encourage them more. He, however, never enjoyed Mumbai and preferred to live for Assam and hence left Bollywood.

For the people of Assam, Zubeen is more than a celebrity—he is a cultural icon. His concerts attract tens of thousands, creating festival-like atmospheres. Fans see in him a reflection of their own pride and aspirations. By embracing his roots while achieving global fame, Zubeen has given Assamese youth a reason to celebrate their identity. He has shown that regional culture can thrive on the world stage without losing authenticity. He revived folk traditions like Bihu, blended them with modern soundscapes, and carried Assamese musical culture to global platforms. He was a bridge between Assam and the wider world. He acted in Assamese cinema and directed projects like Mission China, which furthered the reach of regional cinema. He produced songs that carried the personal feeling of every individual.

Born on 18 November 1972 in Jorhat, Assam, Zubeen Garg grew up in a musical environment. His mother, Ily Borthakur, was a singer; his father, Mohini Mohan Garg, a lyricist; and his late sister, Jonkey Borthakur, also a singer. Zubeen was immersed in melody from early years. Though Zubeen Garg was born in Jorhat, much of his formative childhood was spent in Karimganj, a small town in southern Assam. It was here, amid the quiet riverside charm and close-knit community life, that Zubeen’s creative instincts began to blossom. Long before he became a celebrated performer, Zubeen was a voracious reader. Karimganj nurtured his love for books and reading. The town’s library gave him an opportunity to explore books of all genres, feeding the sensibilities that later shaped his songs. He was deeply drawn to Bengali literature, world poetry, biographies, and philosophy. Books gave him an inner world that ran parallel to his music—a space of reflection, imagination, and inspiration. This love of reading enriched his songwriting. Friends recall him spending long hours buried in novels, poems, or magazines, often jotting down ideas for lyrics in the margins of his notebooks. His lyrics were not just catchy but layered with emotion, imagery, and meaning. From themes of longing and rebellion to reflections on identity and love, his songs carried a literary sensibility that set him apart. Decades later, while still basking in the success and adoration across the world, he returned to Senduri Ali, building his new home and studio inscribed with ZG—his initials. For him, Senduri Ali was not just a place—it was memory, music, and belonging. He built a beautiful greenery in his Senduriali residence. His success and peace of mind, he believed, resided in the same lane where his dreams had first taken flight.

On 19 September 2025, shocking news came from Singapore. Zubeen Garg, who was invited to the Northeast Festival, had a medical emergency while swimming in the sea and subsequently lost his life. He was only 52. His death sent shockwaves not only across Assam but also among his fans worldwide. Unable to accept his sudden demise, millions of his fans walked alongside his body when it was flown to Guwahati, from the airport to the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex, where it lay for 2 days, allowing the public to pay their respects. A 30km journey which would otherwise take 40-50 mins turned into a 7 hr pilgrimage. Citizens from across all districts of Assam and nearby states rushed to Guwahati for a last glimpse of Zubeen Garg, their hero, their idol. His song Mayabini became an anthem sung by all the mourners on all the days following his death at his funeral. The funeral procession and the public turnout were extraordinarily large, where millions of people joined to pay their last respects. Streets formed queues that lasted hours; many waited through the night to catch a final glimpse. On 23 September 2025, his final procession commenced early from the sports complex to Kamarkuchi NC village in Sonapur on Guwahati’s outskirts, surrounded by more than 1 million mourners, considered to be the 4th largest gathering in the world. He was cremated with full state honours.

Zubeen Garg’s legacy is not confined to his thousands of songs or his many films. His real gift was the way he made people feel: proud to be Assamese, proud to be connected through music. He carried Assam’s identity to the national stage and beyond, without ever losing his authenticity. As he once said, “My songs are my diary. Every joy, every tear, every dream I ever had lives inside them. And Assam, my home, is the rhythm behind it all.”

Yesterday, 18th October 2025, on the one-month anniversary of Zubeen’s passing away, Digi Music organised a prayer (naam) for peace of Zubeen’s soul. It reminds us that Digi Music and Zubeen’s new residence in Senduri Ali remain more than just a lane in Guwahati. It is a symbol of how art and identity can intertwine. For in every note, in every verse, and in every silence left behind, Senduri Ali lives on—as much a part of Zubeen as Zubeen is a part of Assam.