Image courtesy NYT
If you’ve ever belted out ‘Ya Ali’ at a college fest, or mumbled the words to ‘Mayabini’ on a rainy night bus ride, you already know: Zubeen Garg was that guy, OG multi-genre legend and Assam’s most soulful export. Now, the air is heavy, timelines are looped with old bangers, and honestly, internet pe sab ko full senti aaya hai. But along with the throwback reels, there’s confusion. What happened? How did we lose an icon so suddenly? Let’s get the real story!
1. Bohot Confusion, But Here’s What Actually Happened
There were a lot of wild rumors (kitne log scuba, kitne log bas gossip!). Here’s the legit scoop: Zubeen Garg passed away in Singapore on September 19, 2025. Assam went full respect mode, declaring three days of state mourning from September 20–22.
2. The Official Word: Not Scuba, Not Speculation
Let’s dunk the fake news: Official documents list ‘drowning’ as the cause of death. Authorities ordered a second autopsy in Assam because questions were raised (internet pe sab CID ban gaye suddenly). Zubeen was out swimming at Singapore’s Lazarus Island, no life jacket, just chill sea vibes, when he suffered a seizure, according to his wife. He was declared dead at Singapore General Hospital.
3. The One With The Nation Singing ‘Mayabini’
Image courtesy Wikipedia
Grief hit, but so did the music. Zubeen’s one wish, ‘play this song when I die’, became Assam’s calling: ‘Mayabini’ blasted across the state at his funeral with full honors and even a 21-gun salute on September 23. Roads were lined with fans (some showed up with their pets, main bola, tears incoming), big-name ministers and artists paid respects, and strangers stood shoulder-to-shoulder, humming his tunes.
“From now on, he’ll live in Assam’s soul.”
4. Beyond ‘Ya Ali’: The Relentless Multilingual OG
Image courtesy JioSaavn
Don’t call him a one-song wonder! More than 30 years, 40+ languages, and a vibe shift no matter what crowd you threw him at… Zubeen’s Bollywood breakout came in 2006 with ‘Ya Ali’, but everyone in the North-East knows his real discography: Assamese, Bengali, film, folk, fusion, the man did it all. He was also big on charity, activism, and calling out prejudice against the North-East. Memorials? Already in the works.
5. Internet Ka Mood — ‘Crying in 320 kbps’
Socials right now = one giant Zubeen Garg karaoke. Insta Reels, X threads, and Guwahati’s streets are vibing with acoustic covers, lo-fi remixes of ‘Ya Ali’, and that iconic stadium singalong footage. Fan artists are sketching, content creators are spinning nostalgic mashups, etc! Celebs from across the North-East and Bollywood have all called him ‘the voice of Assam’
The Playlist Never Ends
Legends don’t really die, they just live on with their art!