How Zubeen Garg stopped everything in Assam: Even Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit forgot to deliver

In an unprecedented outpouring of grief, Assam came to a complete standstill on Saturday, September 20, following the sudden demise of cultural icon Zubeen Garg. 

From the bustling streets of Six Mile, Ganeshguri, and Hatigaon to the quiet corners of smaller neighbourhoods, not a single store opened its shutters. 

Even e-retailers like Zomato, Swiggy, and Blinkit paused operations, leaving streets eerily silent as the entire city, and indeed the state, paid homage to the legendary singer.

Amid the unusual stillness, only a few essential services, like medical stores, remained operational. 

Every nook and corner of the city witnessed small gatherings of mourners carrying portraits of Zubeen Garg and offering floral tributes. 

Gradually, these gatherings formed solemn processions, all heading toward Zubeen’s Kahilipara residence, where fans, well-wishers, and citizens from all walks of life had come to pay their respects.

Also Read: Garima Garg seeks withdrawal of FIRs against Siddharth before Zubeen’s last journey

In these quiet, intimate moments of remembrance, one song seemed to hum softly across Assam—“Mayabini”, Zubeen’s soulful creation that had touched millions. 

Residents recounted the unusual scene with a mix of sorrow and reverence. “I tried ordering from Blinkit, but it kept saying, ‘due to bad weather, we can’t deliver now...but the weather was all good today’. Even Swiggy deliveries seemed halted. It felt like the whole of Assam had come together in silence, mourning a voice that belonged to all of us,” said one local resident.

The city-wide pause, the silent streets, the soft strains of Mayabini, and the slow, steady flow of processions toward Kahilipara created a surreal tableau, capturing the magnitude of the loss. 
From the smallest lanes to the busiest avenues, Assam experienced a moment of collective grief, standing still to honour a singer whose songs had defined generations and whose presence had become inseparable from the cultural heartbeat of the state.

Saturday was more than a day of mourning—it was a day when the soul of Assam seemed to pause, paying its final respects to its beloved Zubeen Garg.