For Rakesh Boro, caretaker of Guwahati’s Bhootnath crematorium, memories of Zubeen Garg are inseparable from the quiet cremation ground. Amid funeral pyres, smoke, rituals and long stretches of silence, Boro found an unexpected friend in one of Assam’s most beloved artistes.
As September 19 approaches, Boro is still trying to make sense of a relationship he never expected to have. “Even today, I cannot understand why he came looking for me.
A person like God came looking for me. I did not realise how fortunate I was at the time,” Boro recalls.
Garg’s visits to Bhootnath were not fleeting appearances. He would spend time there, talk to Boro and, at times, sit down for a meal with him.
“I just eat and sleep. When Zubeen da came, sometimes he would add water to dry rice and eat it.
We would often eat rice together from the same plate,” Boro says. That memory still leaves him amazed.
“People would go looking for Dada or wait for him, but Dada would come looking for me,” he says. A friendship that began elsewhereTheir connection did not begin at the crematorium.
Boro says he had known Garg since 2006, when he worked as an assistant to Garg’s wife, Garima Saikia Garg, in fashion designing. From around 2010, he also became involved in Garg’s musical events, helping arrange musical instruments on stage and handling other errands.
“Zubeen da loved me a lot. I worked with Garima bou as her assistant in fashion designing and, from 2010, I also worked on arranging musical instruments for dada’s programmes,” he recalls.
Over time, the professional association grew into a personal bond. Garg would visit Bhootnath at night and spend considerable time talking with Boro.
Their conversations ranged from songs and films to stories about life. Rakesh Boro at the crematorium, recalling his days and memories with Zubeen da (Photo: AT)“Zubeen da would come to Bhootnath at night and spend a lot of time talking.
He would talk about songs, movies and many other things,” Boro says. Boro also remembers that Garg visited Bhootnath but, according to him, never the Nabagraha crematorium.
“Zubeen da never visited the Navagraha crematorium. He only came to Bhootnath,” he says.
