‘Bihar Kokila’ Sharda Sinha passes away at 72, leaves behind legacy of Chhath songs

Known for crooning regional songs like "Vivah Geet" and "Chhath Geet", folk singer Sharda Sinha, fondly called as “Bihar Kokila”, passed away aged 72. She has left behind an indelible legacy in the world of Indian folk music with her timeless melodies.

With a career spanning several decades, Sharda Sinha was revered not only for her soul-stirring renditions but also for her ability to elevate the cultural essence of Bihar through her powerful vocal prowess.

It was on November 5, when the famous folk singer passed due to complications arising out of cancer. She was admitted to AIIMS in Delhi due to illness a few days ago before she was put on a ventilator when her health deteriorated on Monday.

Her son Anshuman Sinha shared the news on social media and said: "All of you will always pray and love for the mother. Chhathi Maiya has called mother to her. She is no longer among us."

Born in Hulas, Supaul district of Bihar, Sharda Sinha gave her voice to many regional songs like "Vivah Geet" and "Chhath Geet". Her journey started in 1980 with All India Radio and Doordarshan in 1980 after which she crooned in Bhojpuri, Maithili, Magahi and Hindi.

She regularly performed during Chhath Puja festivities and is gave voice to numbers such as “Uthau Suruj Bhaile Bihaan”, “Kelwa Ke Paat Par”, “ Sakal Jagatarini Hey Chhathi Mata” and “Ganga Ji Ke Paniya” to name a few.

The singer had performed when the Prime Minister of Mauritius Navin Ramgoolam visited Bihar. That’s not it. She represented Bihar's cultural heritage at the Bihar Utsav in New Delhi in 2010.

Sharda Sinha ruled the hearts of the common people of Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh with Chhath songs.

Sharda Sinha has lent her vocal prowess to almost 62 Chhath songs across nine albums. She came back with new songs after a decade in 2016. The singer did not limit herself to just that. She has even crooned numbers in the Hindi film industry including the Salman Khan-starrer “Maine Pyar Kiya”, which released in 1989. She then recorded a number for “Gangs of Wasseypur Part 2” christened “Taar Bijli.”

The late singer was feted with several awards including thePadma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award in 1991. She was then honoured with the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award by the Government of India in 2018.

As the sad news about the death of the folk singer surfaced, condolence messages started pouring in on social media.

Actress Richa Chadha took to her Instagram stories and wrote: “Sharda Sinha ji ke nidhan ki khabar sunkar jhatka laga. Lok geet, sangeet ki duniya main ek sahej, pakki awaz ki kami khalegi. Kala ka adhyayan ek aesi sadhna , jiski yatra… Hum sab unke abhaari hai unhe naman. Shardhanjali.”

On Tuesday, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on X said, “I am deeply saddened by the demise of Shrimati Sharda Sinha ji. She was a multi-talented folk singer who made Bhojpuri language popular among the masses. People will remember her songs for a long time. With her demise, the world of folk music has lost an influential voice. In this hour of grief, I express my condolences to her bereaved family and fans. Om Shanti!”

“The demise of renowned folk singer, Padma Bhushan Dr. Sharda Sinha ji is extremely sad and an irreparable loss for the entire music world,” he added.

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Aditynath shared, “Humble tribute to her! Through her excellent traditional singing, she served many folk languages including Maithili, Bhojpuri and folk culture and brought her respect on the national stage.

“I pray to Lord Shri Ram to give a place to the departed soul in his feet and provide strength to her bereaved family and fans to bear this immense loss. Om peace!” he added.