Assam's Kokrajhar marks Zubeen Garg's 53rd birthday with memorial park foundation

Kokrajhar observed the 53rd birth anniversary of late music legend Zubeen Garg on November 18, with Bodoland Territorial Council chief Hagrama Mohilary laying the foundation stone for a memorial park that will honour the beloved singer who died in September.

 

The memorial, situated along the banks of the Gourang River at Chandamari, will span 30 bighas of land under the BTC government's development initiative. The multi-crore project will feature a state-of-the-art auditorium and studio designed to preserve songs of legendary singers.

 

The day's proceedings began with Mohilary, accompanied by Minister Charan Boro, District Commissioner Masanda Pertin and other executive members, offering floral tributes to Garg's portrait, followed by a voluntary blood donation camp organised in the singer's memory.

 

The celebrations featured an ambitious attempt to enter the Asia Book of Records, with 25,000 people performing 'Mayabini' in both Assamese and Bodo languages. The mass performance of one of Garg's most iconic songs represented a collective expression of affection from admirers across the region.

 

Mohilary also planted Nahor saplings, described as a symbolic gesture reflecting respect and commitment to preserving cultural heritage. A total of 53 Nahar plants were planted on the occasion, marking each year of the singer's life.

 

Beyond the park, Mohilary announced several other cultural development plans across the Bodoland Territorial Region, including a statue of Dr Bhupen Hazarika in BTC, a building named after Srimanta Sankardeva in Gossaigaon, and infrastructure upgrades in schools attended by Garg in Bijni and Tamulpur.

 

Garg died on September 19, 2025, whilst swimming in Singapore, where he had travelled to perform at the North East India Festival. His death at the age of 52 sparked widespread mourning across Assam and the Northeast region, with the state government declaring four days of official mourning.