Indian singer-composer Zubeen Garg told an interviewer recently that his home state of Assam would "shut down for seven days" when he died.
His remark almost proved prophetic - for days after he drowned in the sea in far-off Singapore, Assam was at a standstill, with schools closed, shops shuttered and bustling markets deserted.
Three weeks later, the state is still on the edge, unable to come to terms with the death of a beloved icon.
The 52-year-old singer, often described as the "first true rockstar of Assam", had gone to Singapore to perform at a live concert scheduled for 20 September. A day before that, he had gone on a yacht trip with a group of people when tragedy struck.
Singapore police said they had received a call for assistance at St John's Island and had taken an unconscious Garg to the hospital, where he subsequently died. They added that there was no foul play, The Strait Times reports.
