Sinchita Parbat

Sharmila Joshi

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The
word &#39;baul
 
 ’ is
derived from the Sanskrit &#39;vatula&#39;,
 
 which means insane, disordered or
possessed. ‘Baul’ also refers to a culture of music that originated in Bengal.
 
 The
Baul community is usually nomadic. Bauls have a syncretic religion that draws
from Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism, and they live co-mingling with various
people. Refusing the traditional norms of the society, they uphold music as the
unifying power. Their songs speak of a clear philosophy of life. Bauls are not
born into the community. They choose this way of life, and are initiated into
it by a guru.
 
 Bauls
– both men and women – are distinctive, with uncut, coiled hair or dreadlocks, saffron
robes or sarees,
 
 rudraksha
 
 
 
 necklaces, and carrying
a single-stringed
 
 ektara
 
 .
Orally inherited music remains, till today, their only source of sustenance,
and they survive on alms received in return for singing their songs. Depending
on the popularity of the singer, a Baul can earn between Rs. 200-1,000 when
they perform

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Using musical instruments like the flute, dhol, khamak, kortal, dotara, tabla, ghungru, dupki and, most importantly, the ektara, Baul songs mainly focus on two subjects: deho sadhana (expression of the body) and mono sadhana (expression of the mind).Every year, two important fairs for Baul music are held in Birbhum district of West Bengal – the Kenduli Mela in Joydev-Kenduli village in mid-January, and the Pous Mela in the Santiniketan area of Bolpur town, at the end of December. These events draw Bauls from faraway places. The Bauls also perform at many other smaller events.Basudeb Das Baul, in his mid-40s, is from Bolpur town of West Bengal. He is a singer as well as a teacher to many students. He welcomes everyone to his home and treats them as family. His students learn the Baul form of life while staying with him.

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He sings two songs in the film featured here. The first song is about searching for the supreme power: god lives near me, the song says, but I have failed to see him. I have searched for god throughout my life but give me direction so that I meet Him. The second song is about a teacher: it pays homage to the guru/teacher. It says, pray to the one who teaches you. No materialistic thing is going to stay with you forever, but what you are taught will stay for a lifetime. So don&#39;t forget to express your gratitude towards your guru. You will leave your land and home behind, you will take nothing… you are so insignificant in this universe that you don’t even know who you are…so follow the light of your guru.This short film and story were done as part of Sinchita Maji&#39;s 2015-16 PARI fellowship.

Basudeb Baul: singing the ballads of Bengal

பாசுதேப் பாவுல்: வங்கத்தின் நாட்டார் பாடகர்

ବାସୁଦେବ ବାଉଲ: ବେଙ୍ଗଲର ଲୋକଗୀତ ଶିଳ୍ପୀ

বাসুদেব বাউল:বাংলার অনন্য গীতিধারার এক রক্ষক

बासुदेब बउलः बंगालच्या मातीतल्या गाण्यांचे साधक

باسودیب باؤل: بنگال کا افسانوی گیت گا رہے ہیں

ಬಾಸುದೇಬ್ ಬೌಲ್: ಬಂಗಾಲದ ಜನಪದ ಜೋಗಿ

বেংগলৰ মালিতা গোৱা বাসুদেৱ বাউল

Bolpur

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Basudeb Baul: singing the ballads of Bengal

The Baul culture of music is distinctive, with a syncretic philosophy of life. In the film featured here, Basudeb Das Baul, a practitioner and teacher from Bolpur in Birbhum district, speaks of this way of life and art form

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