Based on a podcast conversation between music composer Anurag Saikia and singer-writer Rahul Gautam, recorded as part of the “Bhoomi” series, reflecting on the life of the late Assamese icon Zubeen Garg and the tribute song written in his memory.
A Song Born Out of Love and Loss
Nearly a year after the passing of Zubeen Garg, the singer, actor, composer and cultural icon of Assam, Anurag Saikia and Rahul Gautam sat down to talk about “Dhumuhar Gaan” (meaning, roughly, “the storm song”) — a track composed specifically as a tribute to him for the Bhoomi project. Anurag admitted that for a long stretch, the song simply would not come together. The emotions involved were too heavy, and no matter how many times they tried, the words and melody kept falling short of what they wanted to say.
At one particularly difficult point, Rahul flew to Mumbai and the two sat and jammed, feeling they had finally cracked it — only for the feeling to dissolve again once Anurag reviewed it from Kolkata. Struggling to finish, Anurag eventually called on Rahul’s father, Gautam, an acclaimed writer, to help shape the lyrics. What emerged after several attempts was a song so full of things they wanted to say that, as Anurag put it, it almost refused to end.
A Bond Going Back to 1999
Zubeen’s connection to Bhoomi is not a new one — he was part of the very first Bhoomi project back in 1999, the same year Anurag was born. That coincidence, Anurag said, has always stayed with him. He described how nearly every musician of his generation was drawn to music because of Zubeen Garg, recalling how, as a young fan, he would jostle through crowds just to catch a glimpse of him performing live near his hometown, or make the trip to the Jonali studio in Guwahati where Zubeen worked, hoping simply to be near him.
Rahul’s history with Zubeen ran even deeper: his association began in the 10th standard, when he started out writing songs for Zubeen’s films, eventually going on to write the story for Zubeen’s last film. Rahul remembered him as far more than a mentor — “a friend, a father figure” — someone who was already a legend by the time Rahul began working with him, yet who gave every young creative person in the room the freedom and space to contribute. If you could convince him of an idea, Rahul said, you could get it done — and there was never a hint of arrogance in how he worked.
“I Am the Moon” — Remembering Zubeen the Person
Both speakers repeatedly returned to how Zubeen carried himself, not just as an artist but as someone deeply rooted in humanity. He was known for telling people, whenever they turned to him in times of trouble, simply: “I am there.” He famously described his own place among his peers with the line that gives the tribute its emotional core: “I am not a star — there are a lot of stars. I am the moon.”
Anurag shared a memory from his time at Cotton College around 2009, when Zubeen — who affectionately called him “Papu” — pulled him aside and told him that a time would come when he would feel very lonely, and that few people would remain close to him. Zubeen promised that even then, he would be there for him. At the time, Anurag said, he was too young to fully grasp what was being said; only now does its weight become clear.
Rahul, in turn, recalled lighter, more personal moments — including an evening at his own home when Zubeen, footballer John Abraham, and cricketer M. S. Dhoni were all present, and Zubeen quietly slipped away to stand alone on the balcony, saying he didn’t care for Bollywood and preferred Assam. Years later, in 2024, the two had an almost identical conversation, with Zubeen insisting Rahul come record with him in Assam rather than Mumbai. The very last photo Zubeen sent Rahul was of the moment he received an honorary doctorate.
Weaving His Legacy Into the Lyrics
The song’s lyrics were deliberately built around the titles of Zubeen’s own albums — among them Hriday Leela, Mukti Leela, and Pakhi Mili Ula — woven into the hook as a way of honouring his musical journey while expressing gratitude for the voice and creative freedom he gave to a generation of artists. The recording also included a Karbi-language segment originally used by Zubeen in a 2004 album; the two only later learned, through singer Shaswati Baruah, that the words had been written by a Karbi poet named Pokhila-ji, and spoke of a promise to visit “the hills of Karbi Anglong, the red rivers and blue mountains” — a promise, poignantly, never kept.
A Nation’s Grief
Both speakers reflected on the extraordinary scale of mourning that followed Zubeen’s death — describing his funeral as among the largest gatherings of its kind, with people across Assam and beyond struggling to process the loss for weeks afterward. Anurag said that even now, working on the song’s final edit, he could still hear Zubeen’s voice urging him: “Keep working. Nothing else matters. Keep working.”
The conversation closed on a lighter note with a rapid-fire round touching on AI in music, independent artists going mainstream, and shared memories of late-night studio sessions — along with fond, informal recollections of McDonald’s runs during long shifts. The episode also carried a short message from Zubeen’s wife, Garima, and acknowledged the partners supporting the Bhoomi series, including McDonald’s, renewable energy company Servotech, Charak Pharma (makers of the Moha and Cofal wellness products), and audio partner Shure.