Indigenous Baul Fraud, Indigenous Baul Identity theft!
https://lineagebaul.blogspot.com/2025/02/indigenous-identity-theft-indigenous.html
Deben Bhattacharya was wrong about the death time of Nabani in his book, he says Nabani passed away in 1962, not true Nabani passed away in 1969.
Nabani Das Baul
1895? -1969
There are other misleading statements written and told about Nabani by Deben Bhattacharya.
Nabani was the only Baul 'to initiate Rabindranath Tagore into Baul' and he was recorded many times before Deben Battacharya recorded Nabani'. Nabani new all about recording equipment many decades before it is stated in a book by a Western so called Baul?
Many who name drop Nabani Das Khyapa Bauls name, tell stories but have not got a clue, the stories they tell are super disrespectful? I suggest that you go and write about your own ancestors, rather than make up stories and spread garbage.
All will be qualified. If all the fake Bauls can write is stories of his use of cannabis, it just shows your misunderstanding of who Nabani was.
He was an adept a Tantric Avadhut an Aghori, yet that is what you want to be, that is what you write about, not having learned a thing because your teachers were not even Baul but using the name khyapa aka kepa to collect devotee's build a community. Baul never collects devottee's you write about all fake Bauls. The fake Bauls who copy (steal) Nabani's his songs and style?
The fake Bauls you promote take Nabani's names off his songs, use his style and songs not giving credit. This is called abuse and using what does not belong to you or your fake Baul?
This is cultural misappropriation, Cultural theft!
Low minded souls, Nabani was a Tantric adept, he was a deep alchemist, who knew how to use herbs, he knew the mantra, he was a substance scientist and hung around the top in the part of Tantra, he was initiated by all the top including Bhama Kepa of Tarapith, Aghoris and Nath but he was still a Baul, he knew the spirit of cannabis and how to use Cannabis in sadhana. Do not write your false narratives about Nabani this is coming from Nabani's family.
Nabani's practices were and are private, not a practice to be written or even talked about by someone not initiated, Nabani was Babu Kishan's Guru, he is not free for you to write about when you never met him and are just repeating what was told to you by Deben, when he is completely wrong.
Herbal alchemy practices are for outsiders, not a practice to sit around and be videotaped? Nabani's inner life, was that of a true sahaja, he was a real Baul Avadhut, not a fake copy cat. Not a buddhist sahaja but a Krishna Sahaja. Duh, yet your are your fake Bauls have no clue. Your women Baul does not even know, comes out of the woodwork teaching about Bhama Khepa all of a sudden, on a video she says her drum is Dupki, copies Nabani styles dance and instruments and says her Baya drum around her waist is Dupki, she does not even know the instrument? Baul has enough reductionism and false narrative by fake Bauls, but yet the average person has not got a clue because they do not know, they do not know the language. That is cheating and lying.
Nabani Das Baul
1895? -1969
Mirror of the Sky is the name Rabindranath Tagore gave Das Kyappa Baul, Nabani was known as 'Khepa Baul and Mirror of the Sky'.
All Bauls followed Nabani and this Lineage.
Ektara, Baya and Napoor (medal ankle bells) were known as Nabani Das Baul's style. He had his own style of dance and way, all who copy his style of dance and the Ektara Baya, Napoor are following Nabani Das Khyapa Baul. The Baya is not a Dupki drum, oh my lord, even I know what drum it is. Copying Nabani style, his songs but yet does not even know what the drum is? Cheater and liar all, a fake Baul indeed, acting duping people by fake social media fame?
All who call themselves Das Baul and Dasi are following this lineage.
All who wear the patchwork dress are following Babu Kishan because he designed the dress!
ShantiDev Ghosh who was in charge of the Pous Mela and Tagore's Vishnu Bharti University and Rabindranath Tagore's right hand man used to say, "Nabani Das Baul was the symbol of Baul and the last authentic Baul. He never liked the new Baul singers, he could see right through them and the watering down, destruction of Baul these were called Nakal Bauls, all will be talked about in Babu Kishan's new book, many will not like the truth because they have pulled the wool over the eyes of many for decades, riding on the coat tails of this One and Only Lineage.
Baul is not from Turkey, Persian Bangladesh, Uzbekistan or any other concoction that 'new Baul singers' have fabricated and continue to fabricate in the name of this lineage, taking their names off and adding new names, culturally appropriating and making people stupid. Baul is only from Birbhum and all Bauls follow this lineage, they sing their songs, dress as them. copy them and follow them around the world.
Baul is NOT an ambrella name for random groups of people who wandered Bengal. Baul is NOT Muslim, that is a recent fabrication.
Call yourself a Baul, copy this lineage, travel around the world, that was what Babu Kishan always promoted and that is why he helped so many Bauls however, what he never expected was the lies, distortions, and made up new lineages, he never expected people to steal his Grandfather poetry and the out right lies of putting other poets names on. He did not expect what is going on today after 40 years or more of teaching Baul around the world.
Stayed tuned for his new 4th Book and a Youtube tell all called 'Spotlight on Babu Kishan.
Nothing is wrong with Baul fusion he loves it, he is the one who started Baul fusion decades ago but do not make up stories and put the poets names on the songs. Babu Kishan created Baul Fusion decades before others are claiming? He is the first yet you will see others claiming this?
Baul has been recorded and archived by Babu Kishan decades ago. He has spent a lifetime doing this.
If you do not know that is not an excuse, you do not know because you are not a Baul and using Baul to fundraise or become a Baba or Maa it may seem like a good business but this is someones family and lineage you are using.
Ram Kinkar Baij the well known respected and best friend of Nabani's and Tagore was commissioned to create this statue of Nabani Das Baul for Rabindranath Tagore, it stands at Vishva Bharti University in Shantiniketan Birbhum Bengal in honour of Nabani. It was created a very long time ago and is a very old statue probably dated 1940's.
To this day Nabani Das Baul is still the symbol of Baul, but the young people will never know this history or her-story unless it is told, there is so much distortion it is embarrassing to this lineage and family. This is a drawing of Nabani Das Khyapa Baul who is the symbol of Baul. The new students need to understand and remember the significance of Nabani Das Khyapa Baul.
Photo take by Rabindranath Tagore it is at the Royal British Museum too.
