Gauhati High Court Announces Holiday For Singer Zubeen Garg's Funeral Tomorrow

Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court has declared a holiday on Tuesday in a touching gesture of respect for Assamese singing sensation Zubeen Garg, whose funeral will be carried out tomorrow. The holiday at the high court was declared amidst an outpouring of grief across Assam, where citizens from all walks of life are paying their last respects to the cultural icon.

Zubeen Garg's mortal remains arrived in Guwahati on Sunday, after being transported from Singapore to Delhi and then to Guwahati. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma personally received the remains in Delhi and accompanied them to Guwahati. The body was initially taken to Zubeen's residence in Kahilipara for family members to pay their respects before being moved to the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex for public viewing.

The Assam government has declared a three-day state mourning period from September 20 to 22, suspending all official entertainment, dinners, and ceremonial functions. The state cabinet was scheduled to meet on September 21 to finalise funeral details in consultation with Zubeen's family and various organisations. 

The Chief Minister hinted at the possibility of declaring a public holiday on the day of the funeral, with the body being kept for public viewing for up to two days based on public demand.

Meanwhile, large crowds gathered at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati. Security was deployed outside Zubeen's residence to manage the swelling crowds. 

Further, multiple FIRs have been filed against the chief organiser of the Northeast Festival, Shyam Kanu Mahanta, and his manager, Siddhartha Sharma, in connection with Zubeen's death, allegedly due to negligence. The Assam police have transferred these cases to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for a thorough investigation.

Public Mourning And Tributes

The massive turnout of people paying their respects to Zubeen Garg has been likened to tributes paid to global icons like Michael Jackson, Pope Francis, and Queen Elizabeth, entering the Limca Book of Records as the world's fourth-largest gathering.

Earlier, thousands of fans poured into the Sarusajai stadium in Guwahati on Sunday to pay their final respects to the beloved Assamese singer Zubeen Garg. His mortal remains were placed in a glass casket at the stadium, drawing an outpouring of grief and love from fans. Zubeen's wife, Garima, was overwhelmed by the support and thanked everyone on behalf of her late husband. "Had Zubeen been alive today, he would have been overwhelmed by this show of love," she said, expressing gratitude for the fans' affection.

Zubeen's body was flown from Singapore to New Delhi around midnight on Saturday, then transferred to Guwahati via another flight around 7 am on Sunday. The singer passed away due to a scuba diving accident in Singapore on September 19. The Assam government is coordinating to ensure a respectful farewell for the beloved cultural icon.