bhaskar saikia

The massive number of people who have turned up to pay their last tributes to Zubeen Garg has left many outside Assam puzzled.

They wonder: Why does he receive such an outpouring of love?

How could one individual command such devotion, even after his departure?

Among those confused voices, a few have unfortunately turned toxic—using cheap publicity stunts to criticize both the legend and the grieving people. Their bitterness is nothing more than an attempt to draw attention to themselves. Robert Greene, in The Concise Laws of Human Nature, explains this type of behavior well—these are the extreme egoistic narcissists, consumed by jealousy when they see such devotion to one person, and realize that they are not the center of the universe. Their mindless anger only reveals their own smallness.

But let me tell you why Zubeen da is loved so deeply, and why he is more than just an artist for the Assamese people.

It is not merely because he promoted Assamese culture to the world.
It is not only because he tirelessly helped the poor and the voiceless throughout his life.
It is not even because he holds extraordinary records—like singing the highest number of songs, or recording 36 songs in a single day.

No. Zubeen da is cherished because, in Assam—a state often divided by politics, tribes, religions, and regions—he was one voice that united everyone. He was equally respected and loved across all these divides. His music, his presence, and his spirit created a rare harmony that transcended barriers.

In a world increasingly fragmented between left and right, East and West, Global North and Global South, rich and poor, “us” and “them,” Zubeen da represented something almost unimaginable today: a unifying force. He was truly larger than life—a presence so immense that he became a symbol of what it means to belong, to hope, and to dream together.

He was not just a singer. He was not just an artist.
Zubeen da was a phenomenon.
A once-in-a-generation great.
A voice that made an entire state feel like one.

And that is why his departure feels so deeply personal to 36 million Assamese—because when Zubeen da sang, Assam spoke with one heart.