As Patna welcomed folk artist Maithili Thakur, she took a moment to honor the memory of the late folk music icon, Sharda Sinha. Thakur remarked that the upcoming Chhath Puja will be a somber occasion without Sinha’s voice. “The entire nation will miss her,” Thakur shared, emphasizing Sinha’s unique ability to evoke the spirit of Chhath through her singing, a connection felt both within India and by the diaspora.
Sharda Sinha, a titan of Bhojpuri and Maithili folk music, passed away at the age of 72 on November 5, 2024, after a battle with blood cancer. Her iconic Chhath songs became an integral part of the festival’s tradition. Awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2018 and a National Film Award, Sinha’s career, which began in the 1970s, significantly elevated regional folk music. Her declining health had led to her requiring life support in her final days, and her passing was met with widespread grief.
Thakur’s visit to Patna coincides with her formal induction into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday. This development has led to strong rumors that she will be a candidate in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, potentially from the Alinagar seat in Darbhanga. The electoral process for Bihar’s legislative assembly is scheduled with polling on November 6 and 11, and the counting of votes on November 14.