by Dushyant
Sitting in Mumbai, I am witnessing Zubeen Garg’s unprecedented farewell, not just because I have a connection with the world of music and songs, which is my profession and passion, too. I feel that Zubeen is the first artiste from Assam to gain such a level of popularity after Bhupen Hazarika. Achieving such kind of popularity is a rare phenomenon. It ought to be the subject of study for researchers in social, political, and cultural fields. The Government of the day in Dispur have also done their bit by being in sync with the people and times. The love and respect they have bestowed on one of its most illustrious sons thus far is unprecedented in modern Indian history.
I’m originally from Rajasthan, and in my living memory, I don’t recall or have heard of such a farewell for any artist or for that matter anyone from or in Rajasthan. This is larger than life. This should be a legitimate aspiration for anyone, to experience such an opportunity in their lifetime or in death, as Zubeen Da has.
I recall an incident, a few years ago, when I was in my early days in Mumbai. I had to meet a music composer as part of my networking process. He called me to his studio on Veera Desai Road in Andheri West, saying that he had a recording session and we could meet afterwards. I reached the studio, and was in the waiting lounge for the recording to finish. The recording ended, and a couple of people rushed past the lounge, leaving the studio with the speed of wind. The composer called me inside the café area, and we exchanged greetings. I asked him about the recording and the singer. He replied, “It was a special song, sung by Zubeen Garg. He just left, didn’t you see him?”
I rewind the energy and aura that had just passed by with the speed of wind. This will remain the only incident in my life where I was in the vicinity of Zubeen Da. Later, there was a proposal to get a song recorded by him with me as a lyricist. Unfortunately, the project got shelved, and the opportunity to work with him remained a dream. A historical opportunity to work with a living legend slipped away.
Later, one day, I heard that Zubeen Garg has received his first (and perhaps only) National Film Award as a composer for a non-fiction film by a filmmaker friend Reema Borah, which made me feel even closer to him.
Whenever the name Zubeen Garg came up among the musicians in Mumbai, I found them filled with love and respect for him. I have rarely seen such love and respect for anyone in the Mumbai entertainment industry, not just in public but also behind the scenes, throughout my limited career.
I’ve always liked Zubeen Da because he was a person with a ‘spine’. His sensitive political understanding had set him apart and above his contemporary famous artistes. I think that’s why he had a deeper and longer-lasting connection with the people! Such strong connection that artistes would be envious of, but such a connection is only possible with honest political courage, which not all artistes can claim to possess. It is in this sense that the Government of Assam deserves our compliment for not shunning him for his political stand but embracing him for his humanity.
Actually, Zubeen had truly become a people’s person. He cherished this role with all dignity and responsibility. In general, we’ve seen many fall from such great heights of public love and respect. Zubeen was not only the inevitable voice of his language, culture, and region, but also a source of pride and inspiration for people like me, who are his distant compatriots.
A poet-lyricist’s son achieving such a milestone in music is always a welcome development for the next generation, which we also see in the case of Vishal Bhardwaj, son of Shriram Sharma. The heartthrob of Assam was not only a worthy son of a poet, but also proved to be the most worthy son of his land. He made his mark as an artiste, and more importantly as a humane being thereby bringing pride to his family and his roots.
May every land be blessed with such a son! It’s my heartfelt feeling that the mountains of Meghalaya, Zubeen Da’s birthplace, will continue to call out to him for centuries, and the waves of the Brahmaputra will keep blessing their beloved son, wishing him to be reborn on the soil of Assam!
(The author is a former academic, a novelist, a newspaper columnist and a lyricist)
