Zubeen's farewell draws record-breaking sea of grief

Singer Zubeen Garg’s body was cremated with full state honours in the sylvan surroundings of Kamarkuchi on the outskirts of Assam’s Guwahati Tuesday amid chanting of Vedic hymns as thousands of mourners gathered to bid farewell to the popular crooner.

- AGENCIES

His sister Palme Borthakur and music composer Rahul Gautam, a protege of the singer, lit the pyre, amid gun salutes.

‘They went around the pyre seven times as priests guided them, and all present at the site, most with moist eyes, stood up to pay their last respect to the singer who mesmerised people with his more than 38,000 songs over three decades.

‘Zubeen’s wife, Garima Saikia Garg, was sitting on the side of the platform where his last rites were performed, and was seen sobbing all through the rituals as the singer’s friend and Union Minister Pabitra Margherita consoled her.