A Note on The Bauls of Bengal

By S. Arshad, New Age Islam

27 May 2024

Baul Poetry Borrowed Ideas and Style from Persian Sufi Poetry, Nath Poetry, Bhakti Poetry and Charyapadas of Buddhist Poets

Main Points:

1.    Baul Philosophy originated in the 18th century Bengal.

2.    The great exponent of Baul philosophy was Lalan Fakir.

3.    The ideas of his predecessor Karim Shah inspired Lalan Fakir.

1.    4.Baul philosophy is a synthesis of Islamic Sufism, Nath Panth, Vaishnavism, Buddhism and Charvak.

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I have already written a couple of articles on Baul philosophy and songs for New Age Islam as I have been studying Baul philosophy and poetry for a long time. But I felt the need to write this note on Bauls of Bengal after reading Mr Sumit Pal's article "Baul's Of Bengal: The First And Pristine Sufis" because it contains some misconceptions about the origin of Bauls as a religious community and the Baul poetry. Mr Pal writes:

"The Bauls of Bangladesh were following the spiritual tradition much before the advent of Islam which came into existence nearly 1500 years ago. Though their devotional songs can be traced back to the fifteenth century when they first appeared on Bengali literature, Baul spiritual traditions were much older."

 

Parvathy Baul – Mário Pires / Flickr

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The fact is that the Bauls as a religious community emerged only in the 18th century and the greatest exponent of the Baul philosophy was Lalan Fakir who was born in 1774 A.D. and died in 1890 in Kushtiya in present Bangladesh. He also wrote devotional and philosophical songs which were called Baul songs. Therefore, he is the first and the greatest Baul poet. However, the precursor of Baul philosophy was Karim Shah's philosophy. He was probably a follower of Nath Panth. He was associated with Pagalpanthi, one of the twelve branches of Nath Panth. He arrived in Maiman Singh area of Bangladesh in 1775, one year after Lalan Fakir was born. He started a reform movement among the illiterate masses, both Muslims and Hindus of the region. According to Bangladeshi author Mr Abdul Wahab, he renounced his religious affiliation to Nath Panth and formed a new religion to unite both downtrodden Hindus and Muslims of the region against the foreign rulers and the native landlords. Later, Lalan Fakir organised this community and lent it a philosophical basis. The community was known as Baul Sampraday.

Since the word Baul features in many prose and poetic writings of Bengal, many people, like Mr Sumit Pal, have got the impression that Baul sect came into existence before the advent of Islam and that Baul songs are found in the Bengali literature since the fifteenth century.

Interestingly, the word Baul and its variants are found in Bengali literature since the 15th century. Baul in Bengali means a mad or a non-conformist person. The reason Mr Pal believes that Baul poetry came into existence in the 15th century is that the word Baul is used in Maladhar Basu's poem "Shri Krishn Vijay" composed in the 15th century (1473-80). In the 16th century creation Chaitanya Charit Amrit (1580-81), the variants of word Baul --- Baulya, Baul, Bauli, Baula --- are used 9 times. The word Baul was also used in Roop Goswami's play, Bidagdha Madhab in 1615 Bangla year. Moreover, Bahram.Khan's Bengali play Laila Majnu written in the 16th century also has the word Baul. Bengali author Ahmad Sharif says that the word Baul is a thousand years old. The word Baul is also found in the Raag Sohi of the 13th century sufi poet Babi Farid.

Tap Tap Loh Loh Hath Maroro

Baul Hui Sau Shoh Loro

Therefore, the word Baul was used in the poetic compositions of poets and plays before 18th century in the sense of mad, wayward, qalandar, mystic. It does not mean that the Baul community or Baul poetry existed before the 18th century. The word Baul was particularly associated with a religious community headed by Lalan Fakir in the 18th century.

Bauls are called Vastuvadi (materialist). They do not believe in religion, scripture, gods, goddesses, mosques or temples, heaven or hell or afterlife. They worship humanity. They seek the Man of their heart (Moner Manush) within. They do not marry, nor have children and do not care for earnings. They live on alms (Madhkuri) like the Buddhist monks.

Baul poetry is distinct in style and diction. Like the Charyapadas of the Buddhist poets of Mahayana sect, it is written in Sandhyabhasha (twilight language). Paradoxes, allegories, similes, metaphors and particular philosophical terms are used to express philosophical ideas. Lalan says:

Khachar Bhitar Achin Pakhi

Kemney Aasey Jaye

Dhorte Paarle Mono Beri

Ditam Pakhir Paye

(How the strange bird visits and leaves the cage.

If I could catch it, I would have put shackles in the bird's legs).

In another song, he says:

Chaander Gaaye Chaand Legechhey

Aamra Bhebe Korbo Ki

(The moon has united with the moon

What is the use of contemplating on it)

The Bauls are dancing dervishes of India and may have borrowed their style from dancing Muslim mystics of the Middle Ages. They have borrowed many ideas from Islamic Sufis and Bahaktivadi Indian poets of the Middle Ages. They borrowed many poetic ideas from the poetry of Nath poet Gorakh Nath, Bhakti poet Kabir and Buddhist poets.

The Baul philosophy and poetic style influenced Bengali poetry of later years. Rabindranath and Qazi Nazrul Islam tried to write songs in Baul style. Tagore quoted the opening lines of a Lalan song in his novel Gora. He also tried to write some songs in Baul style. Qazi Nazrul Islam also wrote:

O Maa, Keno Shikhaili Mo Re Allar Naam

Jopi Lei Hoonsh Thakey Na Bhuli Sokol Kaam)

(O mother, why did you teach me to chant God's name?

Whenever I start chanting, I forget all my household work.)

In short, the Bauls have made an indelible mark on the social and religious fabric of Bengal.

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However, Mr Sumit Pal's article on the Baul's of Bengal is excellent and gives an insight on the philosophy of the sect.

 

URL:   https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/bauls-bengal-sufi-bhakti-buddhist-poets/d/132391

  

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