Baul music

jyotirmoy

The Bauls of Bengal are primarily wandering musicians, known for their
nonconformist lifestyle and unconventional approach to religion. Baul is one of the widely known and much appreciated types of folk music in Bengal. They are usually sung by a solo performer, accompanied on a one-stringed instrument called “Ektara” Apart from Ektara the instruments, extensively used by the Bauls are, khamak, dotara, ghungur, nupur and duggi. Ghungur & nupurs are anklets with bells that ring melodiously while the wearer dances. Duggi is a percussion instruments. Often the “Ektara” is played using one hand & the “Duggi” is played by the other. There are some controversies about the origin of the word “Baul”, the most probable may be from Sanskrit word "Vyakula" means "restless, disordered". The constant wandering of these musicians, their dress & and the nonconformist life style including living together & approach to religion a contrast to the Brahmanic ideologies fits the description.
The Baul costume consists of a short dhoti and a brightly coloured “Alkhalla” (robes with a patchwork of coloured fabrics). They don't cut their hair, but coil it neatly atop the head in a bun & do not believe in physical expressions of divinity such as statues, temples or mosques.
The lyrics of their songs are deeply seeped in mysticism. Baul songs often express an inspired longing for union with the divine. “Deha tatta” meaning thoughts related to body instead of the classical spirituality of the mind is an important part of their philosophy. It is the seeking of divinity in human beings that is found in their songs. Several metaphysical topics are described in a down to earth narration. The doctrine of remaining unattached and unconsumed by life's pleasures even while enjoying all of them had been preached by them & followed in real life. As an example I translate a stanza from a very popular Baul song; it goes like:
“ I shall not coil my tussled hair,
I shall let it hang free as it is,
I shall get in to the water
I shall not get my hair wet
I shall splash water around,
I shall not get wet though”…
To explain love in the most down to earth manner & the way a villager would naturally understand & relate the Baul poet writes “ Love is like the resin of the jackfruit skin, once stuck it wouldn’t go off”
To explain the life consumed by love & passion the Baul writes, “ It is like the ants stuck eternally in the sweet molasses so much so that they can never move”
Every winter fairs (Baul Melas) are held where Bauls from all over congregate & there is music & discourses through out the night. It is an amazing experience to be in these fairs.
Lalan Fakir is the most famous Baul of all ages. In the last decade or so serious musicians, music lovers, poets & philosophers have shown great interest for Baul music & lyrics. Most probably it was Purana Das Baul who had cut discs & went on become immensely popular. As usual there had been a lot of criticism regarding this. I have been told that Purna Das and his son have started the Purna Das Baul Academy in San Diego, California. From the western society poet & singer Bob Dylan & poet Allen Ginsberg were highly impressed by their music & philosophy. Pictures of Bauls can be seen on the cover of Dylan’s "John Wesley Harding" album.
Now lot of new bands have formed who use modern electric equipments to play & sing Baul songs & they are really good.

jyotirmoy

The Baul gathering at Santiniketan, 150 kilometers (93 miles) west of Kolkata is held more or less three weeks before Jaydeva-Mela. A fair with rural characteristics is held every year at the ashram premises of Santiniketan on the 7th day of the Bengali month Pous (December -January) to commemorate the foundation day of Santiniketan.
The Joydev Mela is held at Kenduli, a small village near Tagore's Shantiniketan. However, this fair-cum-festival held in the early half of January and commemorating the birth of the Bhakti cult poet Jaydev is a wonderful way to connect with rural India. For three days, Baul minstrels, lovers of Baul music flock to this festival and lose themselves to the trance-like magic of Baul songs for 3 nights
The festival lasts from 12th to 14th. January. The Baul Mela beings on the day the Ganga Sagar Mela ends.
To be in the fair is a great experience.

somnath

That’s a nice piece of info. If anyone is planning for Kolkata with a couple of day’s time in hand can try this one. It will be a memorable experience. Thanks for the info, Jyoti da.

glossolalia mcgee

jyotirmoy,

thanks for the info... i am trying to get to the baul mela this year, but i am confused about the dates.

first, is the Joydev Mela the same thing as the Jaydeva-Mela? you say they are at different times??

also, as i understand it, the baul mela begins on the last day of Poush (january 14th) and lasts for three days. is that right?

thank you

jyotirmoy

I am sorry for the spelling & yes its the same. 12th to 14th. Jan.

glossolalia mcgee

sorry, i guess i was not clear in what i was asking.


you said "The Baul gathering ... is held more or less three weeks before Jaydeva-Mela"
so Jaydeva-Mela and Baul Gathering are NOT the same event?


also you said "The festival lasts from 12th to 14th. January. The Baul Mela beings on the day the Ganga Sagar Mela ends."
i thought that Makar Sankrati was the 14th of January, thus the 14th would be the last day of Ganga Sagar Mela and the first day of the Baul Mela.


please correct me if i am wrong, i would like to attend both festivals but might change my plans if they occur at the same time.

thanks!