A newborn elephant calf in Kaziranga National Park has become a living tribute to Assam’s late cultural icon, Zubeen Garg.
The female calf, born on October 4 to one of the park’s oldest elephants, has been named Mayabini, after Garg’s beloved song that resonated through his funeral procession just weeks ago.
Kuwari, a veteran elephant who has served the Assam Forest Department for nearly four decades, gave birth to her second offspring inside the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.
Her first, Griharaj, was born several years earlier.
The announcement came with a fitting coincidence, it was World Animal Day, a day that celebrates compassion for all living beings. Assam’s Environment and Forest Minister, Chandra Mohan Patowary, confirmed the news on X (formerly Twitter):
“Heartening news on #WorldAnimalDay — Kuwari, the elephant of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, has given birth to a healthy female calf! With immense affection and public goodwill, we’ve named her ‘Mayabini’ — a symbol of new life, hope and harmony in the wild.”
The choice of name carries a deep emotional weight.
‘Mayabini ratir buku’, one of Garg’s most loved songs, became an anthem during his last rites in Guwahati after his death in Singapore on September 19.
The song was one Garg himself had once said should be sung when he died.
On social media, fans have embraced the gesture. One X user wrote, “Welcoming Mayabini, the newest member of Kaziranga’s elephant family. This name is a tribute to the everlasting legacy of the legendary Zubeen Garg.”
Zubeen Garg’s bond with animals was as instinctive as his music.
Garg personally arranged medical care for abandoned or hurt animals and frequently visited the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) in Kaziranga, run by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).
During floods, when animals were displaced or injured, he would help relocate them to safety.
Since his passing, images on social media have captured striking scenes — dogs, cows, monkeys, and even crows gathered around his photograph as if silent witnesses to the absence of a friend who spoke their language without words.