Copy right, all Rights reserved 2010 -2040
by Babu Kishan aka Krishnendu Das Baul
Do NOT copy, poach, or take names off, reworking as if you are the one? How often does this cultural intellectual property theft have to happen? If you see this posted on another web page, Babu Kishan did not give permission to use it?
Babu Kishan is tired of all the name dropping of Bob Dylan, Allen Ginsberg and his lineages stories all the copy and paste of his intellectual property over decades, using the stories of this lineage and making up FAKE lineages?
Lineage is not one generation?
****Note Baul never calls their Guru Shri Shri....?
**Their is no such thing (ever) of Baul's being called Baul Masters, this is a sly way of appropriating lineage songs and stories without qualifying who wrote the songs, and copying Babu Kishan's many decades of style of teaching at Universities around the world? You name it all copied, names take off and grabbing credit??
**Saying Baul is NOT from families, this comes from using everything from this lineage and faking it til you make it (Actor Bauls, Tourist Bauls)? Changing the narrative and using the songs, style of this lineage?
From his 3rd Book on Baul's 1985 - by Krishnendu Das released by George Harrison in LA, California 1985
Baul Instruments:
2. BAYA - the bass drum: commonly known as a set of TABLAS. Capable of a myriad of different sounds and tonal combinations, these are the most popular drums of North Indian classical music. Introduced by Nabani Das Khyapa Baul, copied by many, who make up fake lineages, without telling the truth or knowing the truth?
3. EKTARA - literally "one string". This one string drone instrument is used to accompany singers into he folk traditions of many regions of India. In addition to plucking the strings, the skin head is also struck like a drum to provide rhythm accompaniment.
4. GUNGAROO aka Nupoor- these 'ankle bells' add to the orchestration as a singer plucks and beats his ektar, creating a kind of one-man-band effect. Classical dancers use a much heavier set of gungaroos with many more bells to create startling rythmic counterpoints to the slapping of their feet against the floor.
The combination of Ektara Baya and Nupoor (another name for ankle bells) was only introduced by Nabani Das Khyapa Baul.
Any Baul who copies this style, while singing the songs from this one and only lineage is not telling the truth. There is only one lineage of Baul, all Bauls follow this lineage, making up stories, faking it til you make it is Cultural appropriation, unfortunately this is common in Baul today, actors, copy and paste, using this lineage and making up fake lineages? Lineage of Baul is only one and it has already been preserved decades ago?
Sculpture created by the famed Ramkinkar Baijj who was a great friend of Nabani's. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramkinkar_Baij
5. DOTARA - a folk instrument much like it's classical cousin, the sarode, and not unlike it's western relative, the fretless banjo. Plucked with a coconut shell pick, the strings are depressed with the fingernails of the left hand, rather than the finger pads as in a guitar or violin. the finger nail becomes like the slide on a slide guitar. My dotar has an electric pickup built into the bridge, which is normally made of elephant teeth, I am the first Baul to do fusion music, then I made an electric mandolin, and added more instruments...
"The first Dotara used by Bauls was by Gopal Das Baul in the early 1940's he was the husband of Radharani Dasi Baul ( Babu's aunt who was the biggest most famous Baul women ever.)
Gopal Das Baul was the disciple of Nabani Das Baul. Nabani asked what Gopal wanted because he was such a wonderful student, of all my students you are the best, and Gopal said I want to marry your daughter, Radharani, he said allow me to be in your family and take care of Radharani all my life..
Gopal Das was pure Vaishnava, a true sadhaka of Nabani Das Khyapa Baul.
Radharani was the first official Baul to record for all India Radio... In 1960's there was movied call Raikamal made about Radharani's life, wrote by one of Bengali's top writers, Tara Shankar. In 1985 a movie called Togori was also made about Radharani's life.. A very historic family Lineage of Bauls....
Gopal Das was the son of the Ekchakra Nityananda Temple, and he was a great sweet maker. Nityananda Mahaprabu was a Baul and from this lineage."
6. CHIMTAS - combination rhythm instrument fire tongs, and weapon used by Sadhus (wandering mendicants all over India). Sri Nabani carried this because he was a ardent wandering Sadhu.
7. HARMONIUM - portable pump organ, introduced to India by the missionaries, this little reed organ has become one of India's most popular instruments, perfect for 2 finger typists like myself - the left hand pumps the bellows while the right hand plays the keys.
Babu's mother Manju Das Baul introduced the Harmonium as a Baul instrument, she played the Harmonium all over the world during her 0ver 50 years of traveling the world with her husband Purna Das Baul and her son Babukishan Das Baul. They played at places in London like the Royal Albert Hall, South Hall, Hyde Park, Carnegie Hall in New York.
Shantineketan 1970's - Pous Mela the Mela Tagore created in honour of Nabani Das Khyapa Baul. Shanti Dev Ghosh who was Tagore's right hand, never allowed other Bauls to play. It was Babu Kishan aka Krishnendu Das who pushed to allow the random Bauls, big mistake because they were the "fake it til you make it". Many of whom have since cut off this lineage of Bauls and now take credit acting as Baul singers. Many truth talking stories to come.
8. KANJIRA - small frame drum. Used by both folk and classical musicians. This one has a goat skin head, but usually the head is made from a lizard skin.
9. KARTALS - finger cymbals. Great for making a lot of noise while singing Kirtan (chanting the names of God).
Brajabala Dasi - the absolute last original authentic Baul, she is what a true Baul women looks like.
10. SMALLER KARTALS - for the quieter moments.
11. GUBGUBBI- (also known as Khammak) - an inverted bongo drum with two gut strings attached from the inside of the hide to the membrane on a small cup. You put the bongo drum under your arm, pull on the cup and pluck the strings. This is the most popular instrument of the Bauls of Bengal. It's also called "anandalahari" - waves of bliss. The name Ananda Lahari was a name given by Sri Nabani Das Baul, (Babu's grandfather.)
Ananda Lahari (named by Nabani Das Khyapa Baul) The Baul Mystic Drum
12. GOPI CHAND Yantra- this one string instrument allows you to change the pitch by squeezing the bamboo sides. The tighter you squeeze, the lower the note gets, until the instrument breaks and you have to get a new one at the corner gopi chand store. The name Gopi Chand came from Babu's lineage, The Vaishnava Lineage Bauls of Bengal.
12. GOPI CHAND Yantra- this one string instrument allows you to change the pitch by squeezing the bamboo sides. The tighter you squeeze, the lower the note gets, until the instrument breaks and you have to get a new one at the corner gopi chand store. The name Gopi Chand came from Babu's lineage, The Vaishnava Lineage Bauls of Bengal.
13. DHOLAK - 2 headed barrel shaped drum popular in all sorts of Indian folk music.
©copyright, all rights reserved, Do Not copy and paste!
©copyright, all rights reserved, Do Not copy and paste!
Written..by Babukishan aka Krishnendu Das Baul#facebookindia #facebooknews #facebookpost #hastagkdbabukishan #europe #canada #usa #russia #australia #thehindu #indianexpress #saregama #anandabazarpatrika #toronto #california #delhi #westbengal #kolkata #mumbai