Reminiscence of the Nostalgia and the Rituals in Bhojpuri Folk Songs: Sharda Sinha’s Interpretations of Festive Music

Abstract

Bhojpuri folk songs vividly reflect the region’s cultural heritage, embodying emotions, traditions, and community identities. Sharda Sinha, renowned as the “Bhojpuri Queen of Folk Music,” has played a pivotal role in reviving and preserving these customs. This research examines the nostalgia and rituals in Bhojpuri folk songs, with a particular emphasis on Sharda Sinha’s take on festive music. Her performances of traditional songs, especially during festivals like Chhath Puja, Holi, and Teej, connect the past with the present, evoking deep nostalgia for shared cultural traditions and collective experiences.

The study investigates how Sharda Sinha’s music captures the emotional core of rituals, emphasizing their spiritual and communal importance. It analyses her talent for modernising traditional melodies while retaining authenticity, ensuring they resonate with contemporary listeners and the Bhojpuri diaspora. This research highlights the transformative influence of Sinha’s music in safeguarding cultural memory and its significance in sustaining the socio-cultural framework of Bhojpuri-speaking communities. Her interpretations are a testament to the lasting relationship between music, rituals, and reflective nostalgia.