Allen Ginsberg's Baul Guru was Nabani Das Khyappa Baul who he met in 1962 - Allen Ginsberg was a many decade friend of Babu Kishan's - Orignal Post feb 15, 2011 updated.
This is the only Baul Poetry Allen Ginsberg wrote.
“Baul of Bengal, I sing for all, Blue Danube is my Jamuna, Hudson my Vrindavan, see me in Calcutta, Toronto and London, Hear my call Baul of Bengal, Same man many names, same player, many games, Love is magic to win at life, Hear my call O Baul of Bengal.”
Written by Allen Ginsberg in 1983,
as a gift to Babu Kishan '
“Baul of Bengal, I sing for all, Blue Danube is my Jamuna, Hudson my Vrindavan, see me in Calcutta, Toronto and London, Hear my call Baul of Bengal, Same man many names, same player, many games, Love is magic to win at life, Hear my call O Baul of Bengal.”
Written by Allen Ginsberg in 1983,
as a gift to Babu Kishan '
https://youtu.be/EJfpTy8X1Po
This lineage of Baul are the pioneers and the first Bauls to travel the world, they have been teaching, talking, traveling around the world for more than 70 years. They are the pioneers and only lineage of Bauls to open the door for all Bauls to now say they are wandering Bauls and world wide travellers before Purna Das Baul and his family no Baul ever travelled the world or outside of India. All Bauls follow this lineage, they sing their songs, dress as them, and follow them around the world. This lineage has inspired all Bauls in one way or another right down to calling themselves Das Baul and Dasi and Nabani Das Baul's one and only style was copied, Ektara, Baya, Napoor (metal ankle bells and of course there is no Baul without a Mystical voice.
Some people have been using the Bauls to generate funds from UNESCO and governments by making up stories about where the Bauls are from and who they are associated with. They are making people stupid by writing stories that are not even part of history. Truth is that Baul only became famous by this lineage.
Even stranger is the fact that this lineage popularized Lalon Fakir songs, before this lineage no Bauls were singing Lalon Fakir (Shah) songs or associated Lalon Fakir poetry with the Bauls of Bengal? Lalon Fakir was never a Baul he is a poet who was Hindu! This lineage started to popularize Lalon Fakir song through Babu Kishan who is a poet/music composer he loves Lalon Poetry and put tunes to his songs and had his father sing and record. Just because a Baul sings Lalon Songs does not mean Lalon is a Baul.
Same with Monohar Khepa and Bhava (Baba) Pagala, they were poets not Bauls and Babu Kishan knew all personally over a long period of time and recorded and composed Music for their poetry. Both Bhava (Baba) Pagla and Monohar Khepa would stay at his house in Calcutta, in fact they never said they were Baul they followed this family of Baul this lineage. The New Bauls who say they Monohar and Baba Pagla were Baul Guru's are making up stories, their Guru's used to work at Monohar Khepa's Ashram at the Joy Dev Mela, where Nabani Das Khyapa Baul and Purna Das Baul were special guest of this ashram and the biggest hit at the Joy Dev Mela bringing in millions of people, there was a lot of jealousy around Purna Das Baul because he drew a million crowd and this jealousy almost killed him.
Purna Das Baul does not go to the Joy Dev Mela anymore because way back then these Nakal (fake it til you make it Bangladeshi refugees) who followed Baul, used to hang out at Monohar Khepa Ashram they poisoned Purna Das Baul almost killing him. We know who they are and they this will be revealing in Babu Kishan's 4th book.
Same with Monohar Khepa and Bhava (Baba) Pagala, they were poets not Bauls and Babu Kishan knew all personally over a long period of time and recorded and composed Music for their poetry. Both Bhava (Baba) Pagla and Monohar Khepa would stay at his house in Calcutta, in fact they never said they were Baul they followed this family of Baul this lineage. The New Bauls who say they Monohar and Baba Pagla were Baul Guru's are making up stories, their Guru's used to work at Monohar Khepa's Ashram at the Joy Dev Mela, where Nabani Das Khyapa Baul and Purna Das Baul were special guest of this ashram and the biggest hit at the Joy Dev Mela bringing in millions of people, there was a lot of jealousy around Purna Das Baul because he drew a million crowd and this jealousy almost killed him.
Purna Das Baul does not go to the Joy Dev Mela anymore because way back then these Nakal (fake it til you make it Bangladeshi refugees) who followed Baul, used to hang out at Monohar Khepa Ashram they poisoned Purna Das Baul almost killing him. We know who they are and they this will be revealing in Babu Kishan's 4th book.
There are many people writing about the Bauls of Bengal that mention, "Allen Ginsberg's" name ( the famous Americal Beat Poet.) Allen Ginsberg (June 3, 1926 – April 5, 1997) was associated with this lineage of Baul, his Baul Guru was Nabani Das Khyappa Baul. Allen mentioned Lalon's name in one writing 'Lalon' (1774–1890) but was never associated with him, he never met Lalon, it was way before his time. It was only Nabani Das Baul, and Babukishan aka Krishnendu Das Baul whom Ginsberg associated with, Nabani Das Khyappa Babukishan's grandfather was his Baul Guru. Babu Kishan was a great close friend of Allen Ginsberg's whom he met every year in New York for decades. Yet, when people write because Ginsberg wrote a poem called Lalon and it has nothing to do with Lalon or Baul, all the writers make up stories? They have not a clue that there is a real story about Baul and Ginsberg, they never did their research. I find today writers are just turning out material without doing any research, they just spew and speculate and have not go a clue, if they can make people stupid they have a hit, more fake news.
This lineage (family) specifically Babu Kishan was the first to record Lalon Fakir poetry as songs, this lineage has always talked about Lalon Fakir, before that no one even paid attention to Lalon Fakir who was a poet living in Bangladesh but from a Hindu family from Bengal India. In fact there were only a few Bauls in Bangladesh and they mostly Aul, Sai, Dervesh, Fakir when this family went back to Bangladesh in the early 1970's to visit Babukishan's mother's, she was from a educated Hindu family living in Dhaka, they were visiting(Manju Das's) homeland to revisit her early life and property that had been stolen in 1952??
On 21 February 1952, students in the present day capital city called a strike because they were told they could only speak Urdu the language of Pakistan. The Pakistan government had taken over Bangladesh calling it East Pakistan. The Pakistani police fired on the students despite these peaceful protests and a number of students were killed. What is never written about is that these East Paksitani militants also decapitated Jogesh Das's brother head and confiscated all their property, kicking the whole family out of Bangladesh where they became refugee's in Calcutta. In Calcutta even more tragedy awaited this family.
Jogesh Das was a linguist found himself at the mercy of the muslim militants, they were going to enforce their will on the people. This piece of history regarding Jogesh Das is never written about in Bangladesh, they only talk about he Muslims, they have deleted all Hindu History?
February 21is called, "International Mother Tongue Language Day." in honour of these events, however, they never mention Jogesh Das's story and I am sure there are other Hindu families who suffered the same fate I mean they cut off Jogesh's brother head, one has to wonder if they were not mentioned because they were Hindu? One can only imagine what they did to all of the women when they had to flee, when know the war of between India and East Pakistan in 1971 was horrific for all involved.
February 21is called, "International Mother Tongue Language Day." in honour of these events, however, they never mention Jogesh Das's story and I am sure there are other Hindu families who suffered the same fate I mean they cut off Jogesh's brother head, one has to wonder if they were not mentioned because they were Hindu? One can only imagine what they did to all of the women when they had to flee, when know the war of between India and East Pakistan in 1971 was horrific for all involved.
It is very common to read Bangladeshi's claiming Allen Ginsberg, and Bob Dylan were associated with what today is called Bangladeshi Bauls, Muslim Bauls (no such thing). It is also, common for many new Bauls who try to appropriate this history too, they will talk or write about it but they leave off the names alluding somehow to the fact that it was their Guru or their association. This has happened with the stories of Rabindranath Tagore too, they use the stories of this family and just say Baul. Please respect History and use the names of this family and stop making up stories and stop appropriating Nabani Das Baul poetry and putting on other poets names or making like a it came from your Guru and your fake made up lineage that never existed. It will all come out in the new book, every bit of it.
However, none of the history from the 60's onward has had any association with the Bangladeshi community.
George Harrison, Allen Ginsberg, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and all the famous people of India have only been associated with this lineage of Baul, Babukishan and his family. We are writing and recording this history which has already been preserved and archived decades ago by Babu Kishan.
It is way too easy for history to be distorted and many people are now using Baul as a way to become famous without even understanding the deep sadhana and the lineage of Baul. Today we have the internet and it is way too easy for anybody to write anything. The goal here is to preserve what is left of the The Bauls of Bengal which is very much near extinction. There is no more Baul history or her-story to be made, Baul was complete decades ago. All we can do now is give respect to the past without making up stories.
Statue of Nabani Das Khyappa Baul @Vishva Bharti University (Rabindranath Tagore's University) Allen Ginsberg's Baul Guru.
Photo of Nabani Das khyappa Baul taken by Rabindranath Tagore, Nabani Das Khyappa Baul was the Baul who inspired Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore gave Nabani the name Khyappa before this no Baul used the name Khyappa.. and Tagore called this picture and Nabani Das Baul, "Mirror of the Sky."
This song written for Babukishan by Allen Ginsberg in honor of Nabani Das Khyeppa Baul. Babu and Allen Ginsberg had long talks in New York regarding Allen's association with Babu's grandfather Nabani Das Khyappa Baul. Babukishan kept in touch with Allen Ginsberg from the 1980's until he past away in 1997.
The below is from BabuKishan.org (Friends)
www.BabuKishan.org
The below is from BabuKishan.org (Friends)
www.BabuKishan.org
The American Poet Allen Ginsberg & Babu Kishan The Indian Poet.
Babu Kishan is in the process of writing his personal story of his long friend and friendship with Allen Ginsberg. He is the only Baul who developed a long friendship with Allen Ginsberg.
Of course this friendship has it roots in Babu Kishan's Grandfather 'Nabani Das Khyepa Baul'who was an Avadhuta that Ginsberg met on his trip to India in '1962' and whom he kept a personal and private connection all his life. You can see Babu Kishan's link on Allen Ginsbergs Page under links, miscellany. Babu and Allen are both poets and they were mystical friends.
"We also are indebted to the influence of Allen Ginsberg, who met Nabani Das in the early 1960s and wrote “Indian Journals” and never wavered from his spiritual path; to Albert B. Grossman who brought Nabani’s sons Purna and Luxman Das Baul with their group to the US in 1967 to record for Elektra Records and tour; "
Albert was the Music Producer of Bob Dylan. It was 'Allen Ginsberg' who contacted them to bring Nabani Das Khyapa Baul to America:
"Albert Bernard Grossman (May 21, 1926 – January 25, 1986) was an American entrepreneur and Managerin the American Folk Music scene and rock and roll He was famous as the manager of many of the most popular and successful performers of folk and folk-rock music, including Bob Dylan,, Janis Joplin,, Peter Paul and Mary, The Band, Odetta, Gordon Lightfoot ."
It should be noted that it was Allen Ginsberg who wanted to bring Nabani Das Khyepa Baul to America but he refused, thus he sent his two son's, Laxshman Das Baul and Purna Das Baul and their band.
Babu Kishan is in the process of writing his personal story of his long friend and friendship with Allen Ginsberg. He is the only Baul who developed a long friendship with Allen Ginsberg.
Of course this friendship has it roots in Babu Kishan's Grandfather 'Nabani Das Khyepa Baul'who was an Avadhuta that Ginsberg met on his trip to India in '1962' and whom he kept a personal and private connection all his life. You can see Babu Kishan's link on Allen Ginsbergs Page under links, miscellany. Babu and Allen are both poets and they were mystical friends.
"We also are indebted to the influence of Allen Ginsberg, who met Nabani Das in the early 1960s and wrote “Indian Journals” and never wavered from his spiritual path; to Albert B. Grossman who brought Nabani’s sons Purna and Luxman Das Baul with their group to the US in 1967 to record for Elektra Records and tour; "
Albert was the Music Producer of Bob Dylan. It was 'Allen Ginsberg' who contacted them to bring Nabani Das Khyapa Baul to America:
"Albert Bernard Grossman (May 21, 1926 – January 25, 1986) was an American entrepreneur and Managerin the American Folk Music scene and rock and roll He was famous as the manager of many of the most popular and successful performers of folk and folk-rock music, including Bob Dylan,, Janis Joplin,, Peter Paul and Mary, The Band, Odetta, Gordon Lightfoot ."
It should be noted that it was Allen Ginsberg who wanted to bring Nabani Das Khyepa Baul to America but he refused, thus he sent his two son's, Laxshman Das Baul and Purna Das Baul and their band.
Albert B Grossman with his wife and Babu Kishan 1983
Dylan and Grossman
Poetry written by Allen Ginsberg for Babu Kishan
This is the only Baul Poetry Allen Ginsberg wrote.
“Baul of Bengal, I sing for all, Blue Danube is my Jamuna, Hudson my Vrindavan, see me in Calcutta, Toronto and London, Hear my call Baul of Bengal, Same man many names, same player, many games, Love is magic to win at life, Hear my call O Baul of Bengal.”
Written by Allen Ginsberg in 1983,
as a gift to Babu Kishan '
Babukishan composed the music for the original in collaboration with Garth Hudson, Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, (of The Band) Bob Dylan's Band in 1985 for the tour.
This is the one and only piece of Baul poetry Ginsberg wrote. Babu Kishan sang this on 40 city American tour with Bob Dylan and the Band.
Babu became great friends with The Band and jammed with them all the time.he time.
This is the only Baul Poetry Allen Ginsberg wrote.
“Baul of Bengal, I sing for all, Blue Danube is my Jamuna, Hudson my Vrindavan, see me in Calcutta, Toronto and London, Hear my call Baul of Bengal, Same man many names, same player, many games, Love is magic to win at life, Hear my call O Baul of Bengal.”
Written by Allen Ginsberg in 1983,
as a gift to Babu Kishan '
Babukishan composed the music for the original in collaboration with Garth Hudson, Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, (of The Band) Bob Dylan's Band in 1985 for the tour.
This is the one and only piece of Baul poetry Ginsberg wrote. Babu Kishan sang this on 40 city American tour with Bob Dylan and the Band.
Babu became great friends with The Band and jammed with them all the time.he time.
