Musicians mourn ‘Bihar Kokila’ folk singer Sharda Sinha’s death

Veteran folk singer Sharda Sinha, who was synonymous with Chhath, died on Tuesday night. The 72-year-old was suffering from multiple myeloma since 2017 and she died due to complications arising out of cancer at AIIMS, Delhi. Also known as Bihar Kokila and Begum Akhtar of Mithila, the Padma Bhushan recipient’s songs echoed with the sounds of generations of folk singers. She also sang a few Bollywood songs, including Kahe Toh Se Sajna (Maine Pyar Kiya; 1989), Baabul Jo Tumne Sikhaya (Hum Aapke Hain Koun; 1994) and Taar Bijli (Gangs of Wasseypur; 2012).
The bond I shared with Sharda didi was inexplicable. I knew her for 25 years and didn’t know when our bond became so deep. We did countless programs, recordings and TV shows together.

Like millions, I, too, was her ardent admirer. She was like family to me. Her nobility and simplicity were inspiring. Didi’s contribution to the craft was incomparable. The dignity she brought to the Indian culture and Bhojpuri were unparalleled. She started out as a musician at a time when women making a mark was a rarity. She not only led by example, but also taught everyone that if an artiste wishes, nothing is unattainable. Known for her incredible Chhath songs, didi was perhaps loved so much by Chhathi maiyya that she left us also during the ongoing Chhath festival. Isse behtar moksh milne ka udaaharan kya hoga?
 
She was like a mother to me. She was someone I grew up idolising. I remember the first time I met her in Patna, we struck such a bond that while I was leaving, unhone woh sab kiya jo tab karte hain jab beti vida hoti hai, jaise teeka lagana aur paise dena. Mere paas aaj bhi unka diya hua ₹2,000 ka note rakha hai.
 
Unke ghar mein hum logon ne itna gaana-bajaana kiya. Bhojpuri music mein unka contribution was unmatched. I am not able to come to terms with the fact that she’s physically not around anymore. I feel like I’ve lost my mother.
 
I had the privilege of meeting Sharda ji for the first time almost a decade ago, when I composed music for the film Chaarfutiya Chhokare (2014). That was the first time I witnessed the legendary vocalist first-hand.
 
Her rendition of my composition left me speechless, elevating the song to unprecedented heights and moving me to tears. That encounter laid the foundation for our enduring relationship, which led to her commissioning me to compose a Chhath song for her, released several years later. To me, Sharda ji embodied excellence. She was a true goddess of sound. The world will deeply miss one of the most exceptional voices in folk music. I feel honoured to have collaborated with the Bihar Kokila.