Baul
The Baul are a group of mystic minstrels from Bengal which includes Indian State of West Bengal and the country of Bangladesh. Bauls constitute both a syncretic religious sect and a musical tradition. Bauls are a very heterogeneous group, with many sects, but their membership mainly consists of Vaishnava Hindus and Sufi Muslims.They can often be identified by their distinctive clothes and musical instruments. Not much is known of their origin. Lalon Fokir is regarded as the most important poet-practitioner of the Baul tradition. Baul music had a great influence on Rabindranath Tagore's poetry and on his music (Rabindra Sangeet).
Though Bauls comprise only a small fraction of the Bengali population, their influence on the culture of Bengal is considerable. In 2005, the Baul tradition was included in the list of "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO. Etymology : The word Baul has its etymological origin in the Sanskrit word Vatula ("mad", from vayu - "air" or "wind") and is used for someone who is possessed or crazy. Bauls are an extension of theSahajiya philosophy, which in turn derives from the Nath tradition. They believe in living the world as a half-sanyasi. The origin of the word is Baul is debated. Some modern scholars, like Shashibhusan Das Gupta have suggested that it may be derived either from Sanskrit word vatula, which means "enlightened, lashed by the wind to the point of losing one's sanity, god's madcap, detached from the world, and seeker of truth", or from vyakula, which means "restless, agitated" and both of these derivations are consistent with the modern sense of the word, which denotes the inspired people with an ecstatic eagerness for a spiritual life, where a person can realise his union with the eternal beloved – the Maner Manush (the man of the heart). History : The origin of Bauls is not known exactly, but the word "Baul" has appeared in Bengali texts as old as the 15th century. The word is found in the Chaitanya Bhagavata of Vrindavana Dasa Thakuraas well as in the Chaitanya Charitamrita of Krishnadasa Kaviraja.Some scholars maintain that it is not clear when the word took its sectarian significance, as opposed to being a synonym for the word madcap, agitated. The beginning of the Baul movement was attributed to Birbhadra, the son of the Vaishnavite saint Nityananda, or alternatively to the 8th century Persian minstrels called Ba'al. Bauls are a part of the culture of rural Bengal. Whatever their origin, Baul thought has mixed elements of Tantra, Sufi Islam, Vaishnavism and Buddhism. They are thought to have been influenced by the Hindu tantric sect of the Kartabhajas, as well as Tantric Vaishnava schools like the Vaishnava-Sahajiya. Some scholars find traces of these thoughts in the ancient practices of Yoga as well as the Charyapadas, which are Buddhist hymns that are the first known example of written Bengali. The Bauls themselves attribute their lack of historical records to their reluctance to leave traces behind. Dr. Jeanne Openshaw writes that the music of the Bauls appears to have been passed down entirely in oral form until the end of the 19th century, when it was first transcribed by outside observers.
The Bauls were recorded as a major sect as early as mid 18th century. Regarding the origins of the sect, one recent theory suggests that Bauls are descendants of a branch of Sufism called ba'al. Votaries of this sect of Sufism in Iran, dating back to the 8th-9th centuries, were fond of music and participated in secret devotional practices. They used to roam about the desert singing. Like other Sufis, they also entered the South Asian subcontinent and spread out in various directions. It is also suggested that the term derives from the Sanskrit words vatul (mad, devoid of senses) and vyakul (wild, bewildered) which Bauls are often considered. Like the ba'al who rejects family life and all ties and roams the desert, singing in search of his beloved, the Baul too wanders about searching for his maner manus (the ideal being). The madness of the Baul may be compared to the frenzy or intoxication of the Sufi diwana. Like the Sufi, the Baul searches for the divine beloved and finds him housed in the human body. Bauls call the beloved sain (lord), murshid (guide), or guru (preceptor), and it is in his search that they go 'mad'. There are two classes of Bauls: ascetic Bauls who reject family life and Bauls who live with their families. Ascetic Bauls renounce family life and society and survive on alms. They have no fixed dwelling place, but move from one akhda to another. Men wear white lungis and long, white tunics; women wear white saris. They carry a jhola or shoulder bag for alms. They do not beget or rear children. They are treated as jyante mara or outcastes. Women, dedicated to the service of ascetics, are known as sevadasis (seva, service+dasi, maidservant). A male Baul can have one or more sevadasis, who are associated with him in the act of devotion. Until 1976 the district of Kushtia had 252 ascetic Bauls. In 1982-83 the number rose to 905; in 2000, they numbered about 5,000. Those who choose family life live with their wives, children and relations in a secluded part of a village. They do not mix freely with other members of the community. Unlike ascetic Bauls, their rituals are less strict. In order to become Bauls, they recite some mystic verses and observe certain rituals. |
Baul music :The music of the Bauls, Baul Sangeet, is a particular type of folk song. Its lyrics carry influences of the Hindu bhakti movements and the suphi, a form of Sufi song exemplified by the songs of Kabir. Their music represents a long heritage of preaching mysticism through songs in Bengal, as in the Shahebdhoni or Bolahadi sects.
Bauls pour out their feelings in their songs but never bother to write them down. Theirs is essentially an oral tradition. It is said that Lalon Fokir (1774 -1890), the greatest of all Bauls, continued to compose and sing songs for decades without ever stopping to correct them or put them on paper. It was only after his death that people thought of collecting and compiling his repertoire. Satyananda Das Baul Their lyrics intertwine a deep sense of mysticism, a longing for oneness with the divine. An important part of their philosophy is “Deha tatta”, a spirituality related to the body rather than the mind. They seek the divinity in human beings.Metaphysical topics are dwelt upon in a humble fashion and in simple words. They stress remaining unattached and unconsumed by the pleasures of life even while enjoying them. To them we are all a gift of divine power and the body is a temple, music being the path to connect to that power. Bauls use a number of musical instruments: the most common is the ektara, a one-stringed “plucked drum” drone instrument, carved from the epicarp of a gourd, and made of bamboo and goatskin. Others include the dotara, a long-necked fretless lute (while the name literally means “two stringed” it usually has four metal strings) made of the wood of a jackfruit or neem tree; besides khamak, one-headed drum with a string attached to it which is plucked. The only difference from ektara is that no bamboo is used to stretch the string,which is held by one hand, while being plucked by another.Drums like the duggi, a small hand-held earthen drum, and dhol and khol; small cymbals called khartal and manjira, and the bamboo flute are also used. Ghungur and nupur are anklets with bells that ring while the person wearing them dances. A Baul family played on stage in London for The Rolling Stones' Hyde Park concerts in 1971, '72 and '78 in front of thousands. Present Status :Bauls are found in the Indian state of West Bengal and the eastern parts of Bihar and Jharkhand and the country of Bangladesh. The Baul movement was at its peak in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but even today one comes across the occasional Baul with his Ektara (one-stringed musical instrument) and begging bowl, singing across the farflung villages of rural Bengal. Travelling in local trains and attending village fairs are good ways to encounter Bauls.
Every year, in the month of Falgun (February to March), "Lalon Smaran Utshab" (Lalon memorial festival) is held in the shrine of Lalon in Kushtia, Bangladesh, where bauls and devotees of Lalon from Bangladesh and overseas come to perform and highlight the mystics of Lalon. Palli Baul Samaj Unnayan Sangstha (PBSUS), a Bangladeshi organization, has been working to uphold and preserve the ‘baul’ traditions and philosophy for the last nine years. The organisation often arranges programmes featuring folk songs for urban audiences. Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy often organizes national and international festivals and seminars, featuring the Baul music and the importance of preservation of Baul tradition. In the village of Jaydev Kenduli, a Mela (fair) is organized in memory of the poet Jayadeva on the occasion of Makar Sankranti in the month of Poush. So many Bauls assemble for the mela that it is also referred to as "Baul Fair". In the village of Shantiniketan during Poush Mela, a large number of Bauls also come together to enthrall people with their music. For the last five years a unique show has been organised in Kolkata, called "Baul Fakir Utsav". Bauls from several districts of Bengal as well as Bangladesh come to perform. The 6th Baul fakir Utsav will be held on 8 and 9 January 2011. The Utsav is a continuous 48 hour musical experience. There are also the Western Bauls in America and Europe under the spiritual direction of Lee Lozowick, a student of Yogi Ramsuratkumar. Their music is quite different (rock /gospel/ blues) but the essence of the spiritual practices of the East is well maintained. |
বাউলের সাথে বাউলানা
“বাউলের অর্থে লুকিয়ে রয়েছে দর্শন, বাউল মানে সুধু গান নয় মানুষের ২ সত্তার ভিতরে ভালো সত্তার মোনের মানুষের সন্ধান” – ঠিক এভাবেই বাউলের প্রকৃত অর্থের সন্ধান দিলেন Whatzup Kolkata কে বাউলানা। কথায় কথায় উঠে এলো বাউল ও বাউলানার ইতিহাস ও ভবিষ্যৎ।
১) আপনাদের পথ চলা শুরু কবে থেকে? উঃ-বাউলানা শুরু হয় আজ থেকে ১ বছর আগে,এবং বাউলানার শুরুর প্রথম যে বীজ বপণ করা হয়েছিলো সেটা হল পৌশমেলায় বাউল দের দেখে এবং বাউল সত্তাকে যেনে। বাউলের যে Ideology বাউলের যে Philosophy সেটার সাথে ভারতীয় শাস্ত্রের দর্শনের একটা মিল বন্ধনকে খোঁজার চেস্টা করে বাউলানার শুরু। ২) আপনারা কি শুধু বাউল নিয়েই এগিয়ে চলেছেন নাকি আরো লোকগীতি নিয়ে কাজ করছেন? উঃ- লোক সঙ্গীত নিয়ে কাজ করছি, লোকমানুষের যে গান সেটা বিভিন্ন স্থানের যেমন নেপালের লোকসঙ্গীত করছি, গোয়ার লোকসঙ্গীত করছি, কখনও ঝাড়খন্ড, আসাম, মানভুমের আমরা গান করে থাকি। তাছাড়া বিহু, ফকিরি, ঝুমুর, একটু Uncommon যেগুলো আস্তে আস্তে লুপ্ত হয়ে যাচ্ছে সেই ধরনের গান আমরা মানুষের কাছে পৌছে দেওয়ার চেষ্টা করছি। আসলে বাউল তত্ব র সাথে যখন আমরা লোক তত্ব কে মেলাই, তখন বাউলের যে খোঁজ সহজ মানুষ তার সাথে লোক তত্বের মিল চলে আসে, কারন লোকসঙ্গীতের তথ্যে ও আমরা সাধারন মানুষের কথা খুঁজে পাই। মানে আপনি যে তথ্য দিয়েই দেখুন আমরা উভয় ক্ষেত্রেই সাধারন কে খুঁজে পাই। এবং বাউলানা ঠিক সাধারন ভাবে সাধারন গানের মাধ্যমে সাধারন মানুষ কে আনন্দ দেয়। |
৩) পরবর্তী দিনে বাউলানা কে কি ভাবে পাব?
উঃ- আমাদের যে মূল পরিকল্পনা তাহল সাধারন ভাবেই আমাদের গান দিয়ে মানুষের কাছে পৌছে যাওয়া। সেটা বিভিন্ন অনুস্ঠানের মাধ্যমে , বা C.D র মাধ্যমে অর্থাৎ Album Release এর মাধ্যমে হতে পারে। ৪) কলকাতার বাইরে আপনারা Show করতে গেছেন? উঃ- হ্যা ৫) তুমি তো গিটার বাজাও। তুমি বাংলা ব্যান্ডে বাজাতে বাজাতে বাউলানা, একটা পুরো আলাদা জগৎ এটা কেন বা কি করে? উঃ- আসলে আমি যে Instrument টা বাজাই, সেটা পুরোপুরি Western Instrument, আমরা দেখেছি যে South African folk music কে Blues বলে। এবং সেখানে গিটার কে একটা অন্যভাবে ব্যাবহার করা হয়েছে। তাই আমাদের দেশেও নিজেস্ব যে মাটির তথা কথিত গানগুলো রয়েছে সেখানেও আমরা কেন আমাদের মত করে গিটার ব্যবহার করতে পারিনা। যেভাবে একতারা, দোতারা এগুলো Use হচ্ছে, তাই একটা নতুন স্বাদের আশায় বাউলানা করা। ৬) আপনি তো বাঁশি বাজান। সেটার সূচনা কবে থেকে? উঃ- বাঁশি আমি ছোট থেকেই বাজাই, মায়ের এক বন্ধুকে দেখে আমার ভাল লাগে যে বাঁশের থেকে এত সুন্দর একটা সুর বের করা যায়, সেই থেকেই আমি বাঁশি বাজানো শুরু করি। অনেক শুভেচ্ছা রইল বাউলানার জন্য Whatzup kolkatar থেকে। |
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