Zubeen was for all': Singer's death unites India's religiously torn Assam

"For more than 15 years, truck driver Imam Hussain found solace in singer Zubeen Garg's voice and music as he drove his vehicle on quiet and lonely nights along the Himalayan hills and plains of the northeastern Indian state of Assam. It was a period in which Bengali-speaking Muslims the community 42-year-old Hussein belongs to increasingly came under attack in Assam. They've been accused of being outsiders even infiltrators in their own home. Amid soaring Hindu-Muslim tensions, the music of Garg a Hindu served as a rare unifier."

"On September 19, Garg died by drowning near Lazarus Island in Singapore, where he was scheduled to perform at the Northeast India Festival, an event that celebrates the art and culture of the Indian region. The sudden death of the 52-year-old artist, who enjoyed a cult-like status among millions of his fans in and outside Assam, triggered a massive outpouring of grief that further cemented his stature as a public figure whose appeal spanned divisions that have otherwise fractured the state."

"The singer's wife, Garima Saikia Garg, issued a statement, saying her husband suffered a seizure attack while swimming in the sea. While Hussain was mourning Garg's death, so was Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose Hindu majoritarian Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is accused by critics of fanning Hindu-Muslim divisions nationally and in Assam. He will be remembered for his rich contribution to music, Modi said in a condolence message. His renditions were very popular among people across all walks of life."

Zubeen Garg's music provided emotional solace and cultural connection across communal lines in Assam. For more than 15 years, fans such as truck driver Imam Hussain relied on Garg's songs for inner peace while driving through Himalayan hills and plains. Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam faced accusations of being outsiders amid rising Hindu-Muslim tensions. Garg, a Hindu artist, attracted a cult-like following across communities. On September 19, Garg drowned near Lazarus Island in Singapore while scheduled to perform at the Northeast India Festival. His wife said he suffered a seizure while swimming. The death triggered massive grief and public condolences from national leaders.

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