Makar Sankranti Festival Cachar: Mismanagement leaves Fakira with regret of not performing on Bhasha Saheed land

Popular Kolkata-based folk-fusion Bangla band Fakira was scheduled to perform at the Makar Sankranti Festival organised in Sonai in Assam’s Cachar district—an event headlined by National Award-winning playback singer Shreya Ghoshal. However, the band returned to their hotel without taking the stage, an episode that has sparked sharp criticism and disappointment among music lovers in the region.

According to the band, they were asked to leave the venue without performing, an incident many have termed a new low in the socio-cultural history of the Barak Valley. Fakira later issued an apology on social media, while also flagging what it described as gross mismanagement by the organisers. The band said it was particularly excited to perform for its fan base in Barak Valley, but repeated delays in sound check ultimately forced them to return without a show.

Speaking with Barak Bulletin, a band member of Fakira said, “In presence of a police official, they requested us to return without performing. We kept the official witness to this incident and returned to the hotel. We did the live video on social to keep our fans informed.”

The band member further added, “It was an amazing stage, a massive setup and we were excited to perform. Not just because of the stage, we are aware about the history of Barak Valley and it our misfortune that we could not perform on the land of the Bhasha Saheed (language martyrs of May 19, 1961). Hopefully, this will happen in future.”

Since the afternoon, rumours had been doing the rounds that the organisers of the Makar Sankranti Festival were facing trouble due to unpaid vendor dues. Addressing the speculation, the band clarified its own position on payments. “I would like to make it clear that there is no pending payments, as far as we are concerned. They have made our payments as per schedule. How we look at it is that they are organising something like this for the first time and probably, got into an operational failure. Whatever it is, we will return without playing in front of our followers and that will remain a regret until we perform here,” the band member told Barak Bulletin.

Formed in Kolkata, Fakira has built a strong following for its distinctive folk-fusion sound that blends Baul, Fakiri and contemporary arrangements. Known for its high-energy live performances and socially rooted lyrics, the band’s popular tracks include Shada Kalo, O Fakira, Pagla Hawar Badol Dine and Moner Manush (reinterpretations and originals that resonate strongly with young audiences). Over the years, Fakira has emerged as one of the more recognisable names in the Bangla independent music circuit, with a fan base that extends well beyond West Bengal into Assam and the rest of the Northeast.