Durga Puja in Assam observed with sobriety following Zubeen Garg’s death

The Durga Puja festivities in Assam this year have been notably subdued following the sudden demise of popular singer-composer Zubeen Garg, with many organisers opting to cancel cultural programmes while continuing only the essential rituals.

Officials from several puja committees told PTI that the timing of Zubeen Garg’s death made it difficult to celebrate the festival fully. 

“We did not want to celebrate at all, but the annual rituals related to Durga Puja are important for us, so we are just observing those,” they said.

Rajib Kalita, organiser of the Geetanagar Durga Puja Committee, said the loss of the singer had shocked the entire state. “We had already started making arrangements for the festivities, and almost 80 per cent of the work was completed. The budget was Rs 1 crore, and the marquee was designed on the theme of a Buddhist temple,” he added.

Similarly, the Maligaon Kalibari Durga Puja Committee, celebrating its platinum jubilee this year, had grand plans for the festival. However, in light of Garg’s death, all scheduled cultural programmes for the four-day celebrations were cancelled. The organisers of the Guwahati Sarbojanin Durga Puja in Latasil said they were conducting only the rituals associated with the festival.

Tributes to the late singer were evident across the city, with pictures of Garg displayed in pandals and his songs being played in his memory.

Visitors to the pandals expressed their grief. School teacher Aninidita Bhattacharya, offering ‘pushpanjali’ at the Chandmari Durga temple on ‘Maha Ashtami’, said, “The goddess visits us only once a year, so I have come to offer my prayers, but Zubeen's death has created a vacuum in our lives and we don’t want to be part of any celebration.” College student Tridisha Goswami shared, “This is the first Durga Puja when I have not bought any new clothes,” adding in a choked voice that the news had dampened her festive spirit.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been visiting puja pandals in and around Guwahati since Monday, offering prayers. The Assam government has also extended financial support, providing Rs 10,000 each to 7,817 Durga Puja Committees to ensure that the festival is observed in a befitting manner despite the subdued mood.

This year’s Durga Puja in Assam, while continuing the tradition of devotion, stands as a somber tribute to one of the state’s most beloved cultural icons.