Zubeen fans queue up in thousands for last glimpse of their idol

Guwahati: Thousands of people continued to pour into Sarusajai stadium in Guwahati for the second day on Monday to pay their last respects to Assam's cultural icon Zubeen Garg.

Prominent personalities, including Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, singer Papon and a representative of the king of Bhutan, also paid their respects at the stadium.

Many mourners queued through the night, waiting for hours to catch a final glimpse of the singer, whose mortal remains were kept in a glass casket draped with a traditional Assamese 'gamosa'.

Many travelled from different parts of the state to pay their homage, awaiting their turn since Sunday to see their idol one last time.

"I reached Guwahati yesterday and came to Sarusajai. But as the crowd was massive, I could not enter the stadium. I queued up for several hours today and managed to pay my respects," Arindam Buragohain, an engineer from Sivasagar, said, wiping away tears as he came out after paying floral tribute to Garg.

A couple from Nalbari, who also could not enter the stadium on Sunday, returned again this morning and stood in the line under a blazing sun for several hours.

"We have lost a legend, someone who stood for what was right. With Zubeen's death, we have lost the fearless voice that called out whenever he saw anything wrong. We could not have missed the chance to pay our last respects," Makibul Hussain, accompanied by his wife, said.

A father-son duo travelled from Mangaldai, carrying with them a 'gamosa' with the writing 'Zubeen da long live' as they paid tributes to the singer-composer.

From mothers with infants in their arms to elderly people, all waited patiently for their turn to spend a few seconds with their favourite singer.

Many offered flowers and gamosas, while some recorded their farewell moments on mobile phones. Many of the mourners broke down while bowing before the body of their 'Zubeen da'.

The fans also sang his popular songs outside the venue, refusing to leave even after offering tributes. Several people fell ill due to the heat and were treated by medical teams on the spot.

The body would remain at the stadium for public homage through Monday, before the funeral at Kamarkuchi on the outskirts of Guwahati on Tuesday.

The singer's body reached the city on Sunday morning from Singapore, where he died on Friday while swimming in the sea. It was first taken to his Kahilipara residence, with thousands lining the 25-km stretch from the airport.

Crowds had started gathering at the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex in Sarusajai since Saturday evening, and swelled to lakhs by Sunday as they braved scorching heat and heavy showers to mourn their beloved star.

Garg's wife, Garima, thanked them for their "overwhelming love and blessings".