Assam celebrates Durga puja with tributes to legendary singer Zubeen Garg

A CORRESPONDENT

DIBRUGARH: This year’s Durga puja will be celebrated across Assam without legendary singer Zubeen Garg. The sudden demise of Garg has cast a pall of gloom over the entire state. Every puja committee of Assam has decided to pay tribute to the singer at their puja mandap.

The Jyoti Nagar Sarbajanik Shri Durga Puja Samiti in Dibrugarh has adopted ‘Tribal culture’ as the theme of this year’s puja. It is one of the crowd pullers in Dibrugarh town and huge gatherings can be witnessed during the three-day festival. They are celebrating their 32nd puja.

“This year, we will celebrate Durga puja without Assam’s heartthrob Zubeen Garg. Every year, his songs resonate during the puja. We have already placed his photo at our puja mandap where people will pay tributes to him,” said a member of the committee.

Durga puja is one of the biggest festivals of Assam after Bihu. Every year, it has been celebrated with great enthusiasm but this year the enthusiasm is less due to the sudden demise of Zubeen Garg.

“Zubeen da was a trendsetter for the young generation and his songs have always created a lively atmosphere during Durga puja. His songs are still with us but without him in person,” said one of the active members of the puja committee.

“We grew up listening to Zubeen da. His music was the heartbeat of Assam,” said a young volunteer at one pandal. “For us, Durga Puja without Zubeen’s songs feels incomplete. Paying tribute is our way of thanking him for what he gave us,” the member said.

The pandal also includes a dedicated tribute to the Late singer who passed away on September 19. A photo collage tracing Garg’s journey in the entertainment industry has been installed, allowing devotees to remember his contributions.

Special corners dedicated to Zubeen Garg will be set up at many mandaps, where his songs will play softly in the background. Some committees plan to organize shradhanjali (tribute) sessions to celebrate his contributions to Assamese music and culture.

Also Read: Gautam Adani says ‘true legend’ Zubeen Garg’s music became heartbeat of Northeast

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