Bauls song: A dilemma in the authentic preservation of Baul songs

By Ershad Kamol in *The Daily Star* January 27, 2006

Baul songs have attracted widespread attention for their mystic approach to humanism as well as their marvelous tunes. Nowadays preservation of the authentic tunes and lyrics of the folk songs has become an oft-discussed topic; quite a few of the urban singers are accused of distorting the folk genres in the name of fusion.
However, a large number of researchers face major obstacles in the course of preserving Baul songs, especially in relation to Lalon's songs because of the continuous blending process of oral folk genres at the grassroots level. It is for this reason that questions arise about the authenticity of numerous songs preserved as "Lalon's compositions".


Mridul Kanti Chakroborti, professor of the Department of Theatre and Music, Dhaka University, has conducted research at the grassroots level. He says, "Two hundred and eighty five of the 2000 (approximately) Lalon compositions are undoubtedly authentic. I have doubts as to whether many of the 'claimed' Lalon songs were composed by Lalon or his devotees."

One of the common problems in the preservation of the oral literature is the lack of written texts of the bards or direct followers. In the case of Lalon Shah's songs -- Kangal Harinath Majumdar (1833-1896), Lalon's direct disciple, inspired Rabindranath Tagore to publish 285 Lalon songs in the monthly Prabasi of Kolkata. The rest of the documentation is based on the rendition of Lalon devotees. Of these documentations -- Banglar Baul by Upendranath Bhattacharjee and Haramoni by Monsur Uddin are the most popular.

In the Baul tradition are many principal gurus such as Lalon Shah, Panju Shah, Delbar Shah, Panchu Shah, and others. Moreover a special section of the Bauls known as Kartabhaja, follow Vaishnava traditions. And each of these traditions is different in devotional rites and music.

In the Lalon Shah tradition, for example, there is a predominance of Sufism, Tantric beliefs and Sahajiya rituals, while in the Panju Shah tradition, Tantric beliefs and Sahajiya practices are absent.

But, for hundreds of years, the followers of these traditions have interwoven the philosophy and music of the principal gurus. Professor Mridul says, "The alarming factor is that many of the rural Bauls deliberately or unwittingly blended the genres. And documentation from these sources can easily misguide people."

Professor Mridul's observation has been reflected at the recent 'Baul Council' arranged by Tariquat-e Ahle Bayeet, an alliance of different organisations of Sufis and Vaisnavas, where the Bauls from different aakhras and mazaars presented mystic songs as well as traditional kirtans as Lalon songs.

Questioned as to how Lalon compositions can be considered authentic, Babul Khan, who sings in an akhra in Faridpur, says "If any song includes the lyric Lalon bole-- (Lalon says), it is enough proof that it is an authentic Lalon composition."

However, Professor Mridul differs. As he says, "Many songs that conclude with Lalon bole are not essentially composed by Lalon Shah. The diction and philosophy delivered in these songs are totally different from that of Lalon's composition published in monthly Probashi. Many Bauls have added Lalon bole at the end of their own compositions to popularise the song, which has made the documentation of authentic Lalon songs more difficult."

Subsequently, Lalon's disciple, Maniruddin Fakir, and his disciple, Khoda Baksh, attempted to put these songs into a particular frame. Khoda Baksh's disciple, Amulya Shah, was a reputed musicologist who set Baul songs, especially Lalon songs, to music. These songs were developed by his disciples: Behal Shah, Shukchand, Dasi Fakirani, Chandar Gauhar, Nimai Shah, Mahendra, Kanai Kshyapa and Moti Fakirani. Mahim Shah, Khoda Baksh Shah, Jhadu Shah, Karim, Bella, Fakirchand, Jomela, Khorshed Fakir, Laily and Yasin Shah further developed these in later years.


Shudhin Das has done the notation of the songs rendered by Khoda Baksh Shain, a disciple of Maniruddin Fakir; the latter was the direct disciple of Lalon Shah. Professor Mridul says, "The tune of the songs rendered by Khoda Baksha is different from that of songs rendered by many rural Bauls as well as Lalon singers, who render for metro audience like Farida Parveen, Kiron Chandra Roy and others."

Farida Parveen claims that her presentation style is different from that of the Bauls at Lalon's akhra. She says, "Fakirs at the akhra sing Lalon songs in their own style. My emphasis is on the classical aspect to give it a more polished form."

The ongoing process of blending of the oral compositions by Lalon Shah and other prominent Bauls has emerged as a dilemma for the authentic preservation of Baul songs.