Making of ‘Mayabini’: How Zubeen Garg’s timeless ballad became Assam’s anthem of longing

Guwahati, Sept 23: “When I die, Assam should sing this song.” These were the words of Zubeen Garg about Mayabini – a song that has now become an anthem of remembrance for the legendary singer, echoing across Assam in the days following his untimely demise.

Originally released as part of the 2001 Assamese film Daag, directed by Munin Barua, Mayabini has witnessed resurgence in popularity, resonating deeply with fans as they mourn the loss of its creator. But few know the intriguing back story of how the iconic song came to be, and how it almost didn’t.

According to Munin Barua’s son Maanash, popularly known as Rijjoo, and an assistant director in the making of Daag, the song’s creation was anything but conventional.

“My father explained the sequence of the film to Zubeen – the mood, the situation, how the actor would react. For days, Zubeen and some of us discussed it during our meetings at DG Music Studio. But he didn’t write the lyrics immediately,” Rijjoo recalled.

Known for his brilliance and spontaneity, Zubeen required creative freedom to work. “You couldn’t pressure him. You will have to give him time, allow him to be free. My father knew that. He had to be in the right mood – only then he can churn out magic,” Rijjoo added.

During one such session, Zubeen, who had appreciated the story line of the film which was unlike typical contemporary Assamese films and which called for some abstract lyrics, spontaneously hummed a few lines and asked Rijjoo to write them down. However, lacking any paper at hand, Rijjoo scribbled the words onto a small piece of foil paper – an improvisation that nearly cost them the song.

“I had forgotten about the chit and left it in my trouser pocket, which I sent for laundry the next day,” Rijjoo said. The matter was forgotten until weeks later, when the team was in Mumbai for production work. Zubeen asked for the lyrics. “I tried to dodge the question at first. When I finally told him the truth, he was furious,” Rijjoo admitted.

Yet, from that lost moment, Zubeen rose again to create. Roughly three weeks later, he presented a new set of lyrics – though it remains uncertain whether they were the same as the original ones or a completely new composition.

“The rest, as they say, is history,” added Rijjoo.

Asked whether the team had anticipated the song would become such a cultural phenomenon, he replied, “No, not really. You never know this during the creation phase of a film or song. But we did feel it was different – something abstract, apt for the film’s setting, and emotionally powerful.”

He also highlighted Zubeen’s musical ingenuity. “He introduced the English flute and piano into the composition, which wasn’t common in Assamese music at the time. That gave it a unique soundscape.”

Mayabini, which speaks of a longing soul’s search for connection in an ephemeral world, a yearning for a beloved, and the ache of separation, has since become one of Zubeen’s most celebrated works.

Many recall that the singer himself considered Mayabini his finest creation. Today, as the State continues to mourn, it sings in unison the haunting melody he once wished would accompany his farewell.