Karbis make way for Zubeen memorial by relocating century-old crematorium | Guwahati News

Guwahati: In a significant move reflecting communal harmony, the Karbi community, on the outskirts of Guwahati, has voluntarily relocated their century-old cremation site to pave the way for a new memorial dedicated to Zubeen Garg.The historic site, which has served as a shared crematorium for various tribal and non-tribal communities for the past 60 years, is being transformed as govt bulldozers dismantle the existing structure. The new memorial, set to span over 7 to 10 bighas, is expected to become a major attraction, with local communities expressing pride in their contribution to this landmark project.“We happily decided to shift our crematorium out of that place where our ancestors were laid to rest for the last 125 years. This was a historic crematorium for the local Karbi community, but later other communities also used it,” said Hareswar Tumung, a leading citizen from the Karbi community in Hatimura, where the cremation will take place.Initially, some elderly residents mentioned that the Karbis used to bury their dead in the location, now adjacent to NH-27. However, as people from other non-tribal communities began to settle nearby, the need for a crematorium arose. The Karbis, being liberal, accepted all communities who wished to cremate their dead.Deben Chandra Das, president of the Kamarkuchi-Hatimura crematorium, said, “When the administration approached us, we immediately agreed to shift out our over a century-old crematorium, with which our emotions and history were associated, to make this area the last place of rest for a great man like Zubeen Garg.”He added that their committee has appealed to the state govt to build a crematorium for the locals in an adjacent location. “Besides Karbis, people from Koch, Kalita, Bihari, and Nepali communities were using the crematorium for the last 60 years,” Das said.The establishment of the crematorium dates back to 1901 as a burial ground, Das said. “For the last 60 years, all have been cremating their dead, as people from other communities started residing in the area. Karbis also began practising cremation instead of burial,” he added.All Assam Tribal Sangha, Karbi Students’ Union, Central Committee, and Dimoria District Tribal Sangha expressed their fortune that the govt and Zubeen’s family agreed to select the govt land adjacent to the Hatimura Karbi society crematorium for the singer’s cremation. They expressed satisfaction after a meeting with tribal affairs minister Ranoj Pegu and revenue minister Keshab Mahanta, who assured them that the Karbi society crematorium would also be developed alongside the Zubeen memorial.“Bestowing faith on education and tribal affairs minister Ranoj Pegu, we appeal to Karbi and other communities to cooperate in the last rites of Zubeen Garg,” read the statement. Pegu said on X that he promised the delegation that the traditional crematorium of Karbis located near the place, where Zubeen will be cremated, along with the traditional memorial “Lang-E”, will be protected and beautified.