Agony and Grace: Zubeen Garg in the Arms of Nature

By Jusica Muni

Zubeen Garg was a multifaceted gem, shining brightly in the hearts of Assamese people. He embodied the spirit of nature- untamed, pure and beautiful. His life was a testament to his compassionate heart, as he lived for others, giving selflessly to society. 

He shared an unbreakable bond with nature. He would pause mid-conversation, mesmerised, as a tiny creature crossed his path. His love for the world around him flowed effortlessly into his music, where every note carried the whispers of Assam’s rivers, the gentle rustle of leaves, and the vibrant heartbeat of its people.

In his songs, the wind sang, the water spoke, and the forests seemed to sway in harmony with his voice—each melody a celebration of life, earth, and the wild beauty that inspired him.

Zubeen Garg was not just Assam’s musical genius; he was a poet of the soul, a soul deeply entwined with nature. Through his poems, he celebrated the rivers, the forests, the wind, and the rain, revealing a profound empathy for the natural world.

 In his poem “Water”, he explored the wisdom of being like water: shapeless, adaptable, and free, and in another poem “, Bhitore Bahire”, he writes, “Have you seen the sea? It’s huge and dark. I love rivers; in directionless life’s green stone, it leaves its agony.” Here, rivers are not mere landscapes; they are mirrors of human emotion, carrying pain and beauty alike, flowing without a fixed path, yet leaving their mark on the world. The fluidity of life, the freedom of rivers, and the uncharted paths of streams that carve their own destiny—“rivers choose their own way, making noises; nobody knows where it starts and where it ends.” These lines reflect not just nature’s independence but also a philosophical acceptance of life’s mysterious flow.

In an almost cosmic coincidence—or perhaps a poetic twist of fate—Zubeen’s life ended in water, as if nature herself had called her child back. The rivers he revered, the waters he celebrated in verse, became the medium of his final journey, as if welcoming its own child back home. His fascination with the movement of rivers, the song of the sea, and the whispering wind was not accidental.

In this sense, he was not merely a lover of nature; he was nature’s child. His songs and poems often echoed the symphony of rivers and seas, celebrating their spontaneity, their music, and their uncontainable spirit. Just as rivers flow unbound, shaping the earth in silence yet leaving indelible marks, Zubeen’s artistry flowed freely, leaving a legacy that will wander through hearts like water through valleys.

Through his words, he taught us that life, like rivers, is unpredictable yet beautiful, fleeting yet eternal. In returning to the element he revered most, Zubeen Garg’s life came full circle—a reminder that those who truly love nature are forever intertwined with its rhythm, its mystery, and its grace. 

And now, looking back, one wonders—was it a signal from the universe? A quiet message that nature had been with him all along, guiding, whispering, shaping his path, while we, lost in our own haste, failed to notice the signs?

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