Last update:06 November 2024, 11:35 AM IST

After marrying Brajkishore Sinha from Begusarai, Sharda Sinha faced resistance from her mother-in-law because of her singing. Despite opposition, she stood her ground and eventually gained the acceptance of her in-laws.

Sharda Sinha shared that her mother-in-law even refused to eat for three to four days in protest when she was chanting in the local temple. (News18 hindi)

Padma Bhushan awardee Sharda Sinha, famous for her contributions to Maithili, Bhojpuri and Hindi music, has passed away. She was 72 years old and had not felt well for 11 days. She was put on a ventilator on Monday, after which she died on Tuesday evening, the day of Chhath’s Nahai Khay festival.

Sinha’s musical legacy includes iconic songs such as “Kahe tose sajnaa, you toharee sajaniya…” And “Pahile Pahil Chhathi Maiya“From her early days as a daughter-in-law in a village in Diyara, Begusarai, she came to be known as ‘Bihar Kokila’, a journey made possible by the support of her father and husband. She was not doing well after the death of her husband, Brij Kishore Sinha in 2023.

Born on October 1, 1952, in Hulsa, Supaul district of Bihar, Sharda Sinha was the daughter of Sukhdev Thakur, an officer in the education department of the Bihar government. Sinha loved singing and dancing since childhood.

In conversation, she mentioned that her father’s unwavering support had contributed to her progress; she would not have prospered without him. Recognizing her passion for dance, he took it upon himself to teach her Manipuri dance.

Sharda Sinha’s father recognized her innate talent for music. His passion led his father to enroll him in the Bharatiya Nritya Kala Kendra.

In a conversation with Lallantop, she revealed that her musical journey began in 1971 with a song from the film ‘Nek’. She made her debut at her older brother’s wedding, where she sang ‘Dwar ke chhekai neg, pahle chukaye ae dulerua bhaiya‘.

Sinha married Brajkishore Sinha, a resident of Sihama in Diara area of ​​Begusarai. Around five years ago, in an interview, Sinha revealed that her mother-in-law was not happy with her singing after her marriage. However, Sinha refused to give up on her passion.

In an interview, Sinha said, “There was opposition in my in-laws’ house regarding my singing. My talent would have remained even behind the veil, but I fought to acquire it. It was because of my difficulties that my in-laws allowed me to sing.”

Her mother-in-law initially stipulated, “Singing bhajans at home is fine, but singing beyond that is not acceptable. If the daughter-in-law of this house does not sing and play outside, then you will not sing either.

Sinha said that it was only five days after her marriage that the village headman told her father-in-law, “Your daughter-in-law sings very well. You tell your daughter-in-law to sing bhajans in Thakurbari. »

Following this, her father-in-law gave her permission to sing bhajans, but her mother-in-law was furious. She asked her father-in-law, “Will the new bride go to the temple to sing bhajans?” »

Sinha said her mother-in-law even refused to eat for three to four days in protest. She tried to convince her mother-in-law, but she didn’t accept. Later, with her father-in-law’s permission, she sang a song. She started singing the bhajans of Tulsidas ji – “Mohe Raghuvar ki sudhi aayi…”

All the elders blessed her, but her mother-in-law became angry and did not eat for two days. Sinha had said in a conversation that even after singing such a sweet bhajan, her mother-in-law remained resolute. Her anger did not subside even when she was complimented directly. However, his demeanor changed slightly when others started praising his daughter-in-law’s singing.

Sinha said in the interview, “When people outside praised me in front of my mother-in-law, she also liked it. Later, there came a time when I learned my mother-in-law’s songs from her mother-in-law. She told me I wouldn’t be able to do it. However, I learned and presented my chants and songs in front of society. »

Sinha remembers her mother-in-law telling her that in those days, wedding songs were sung in courtyards, without being amplified through loudspeakers.

“I took the sanskar chants out of the court,” Sinha admitted, saying she did not realize the impact of her actions at the time. Court songs emerged, became wedding staples, and gradually music became a thriving industry. in the vast market that it is today.

When Sharda’s mother-in-law Sinha’s anger subsided, she also became her guru, thereby further nurturing Sharda’s talent. Sharda Sinha said her husband played a key role in softening her mother’s heart.

As people started praising Sharda’s singing, her mother-in-law’s anger gradually subsided. Sharda had assured her mother-in-law, “I want to sing only traditional bhajans and wedding songs. »

Afterwards, her mother-in-law would research old folk songs and adapt them to her own style. Sharda Sinha highlighted the unwavering support she received from her husband, Brij Kishore Singh, who allowed her singing journey to flourish.

Speaking about the audience’s adoration in the same interview, Sinha said she always felt overwhelmed by the lasting love she received.