How a Young Weaver from Tamulpur Brought Zubeen Garg to Life on His Loom

In the quiet village of Barkhopa in Tamulpur district, where the rhythmic clatter of looms weaves the story of generations, a young man named Bijoy Das has found a way to make art breathe — not with paint or clay, but with threads and devotion.

A chemistry graduate by education but an artist by heart, Bijoy’s loom isn’t just a tool of livelihood — it’s his canvas, his sanctuary, his beating heart. And it’s here, between the warp and weft, that he has brought to life the immortal face of Assam’s beloved music legend, Zubeen Garg.

“I started weaving when I was in Class 6,” Bijoy recalls, his eyes gleaming with a mix of nostalgia and pride. “Back then, I never thought I’d create something like this. After passing my HSLC exams in 2018, I first wove the Indian National Anthem on my loom. That piece was later recognised by the state government’s Handloom and Textile Department. It gave me courage — that maybe this humble loom can speak louder than words.”

But his latest creation — a woven portrait of Zubeen Garg — carries something deeper. It isn’t just a tribute; it’s an act of love, of remembrance, and of the profound connection an artist feels toward another.

“When Zubeen Da passed away,” Bijoy says softly, “it felt like a piece of Assam’s soul went silent. I couldn’t sleep for days. One night, I decided that I would bring him back — in my own way — through my loom.”

And he did. Over three and a half days, Bijoy toiled endlessly, choosing each thread as if composing a song, blending shades like melodies. The result? A breathtaking likeness of Zubeen Garg — alive in the folds of handwoven fabric.

“When I completed it, I just sat there and stared,” Bijoy smiles faintly. “It felt as though Zubeen Da was right there, looking at me. I had always dreamt of meeting him, of gifting him my first artwork. But being from a small village, I never had that opportunity. So this is my gift to him — a little late, perhaps, but made from the heart.”

Bijoy’s workshop is nothing fancy — just a small corner of his home, where sunlight filters through bamboo walls and looms hum like companions. His mother watches quietly as he works, proud yet worried about her son’s uncertain path. But for Bijoy, this isn’t just a profession; it’s his life’s rhythm.

“The loom gave me direction,” he says. “It made me self-reliant. It gave me a voice.”

Bijoy now dreams of weaving portraits of other great Assamese icons — Bhupen Hazarika, Bishnu Rabha, and Jyoti Prasad Agarwala — to create a gallery of threads that tells Assam’s story, strand by strand.

His ongoing project? An ambitious one — he’s trying to weave the lyrics of Zubeen Garg’s timeless song “Mayabini” onto fabric, assisted by a few local weavers. “It’s not easy,” he laughs, “but then again, nothing beautiful ever is.”

In an age where art often lives on screens, Bijoy Das’s loom stands as a defiant symbol of patience, passion, and heritage. Every pull of the shuttle, every thread that crosses another, carries not just color — but emotion, memory, and a dream.

Zubeen Garg may have left the stage, but in the tiny home of a young weaver in Barkhopa, his voice still echoes — not in sound, but in silk and soul.

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