BabuKishan.org
https://indiafolkheritageofbengal.weebly.com
Babu Kishan aka Krishnendu Das Baul learned oral Sanskrit from his grandparents Nabani Das Khyapa Baul and Brajabala Dasi the last living Bauls on this earth.
He learned Classical Sanskrit reading and writing, manuscripts at the Ramakrishna Mission outside of Calcutta, he spent 12 years total at the Ramakrishna Mission living in the hostel as a Monk.
With a BA in Indian Philosophy and a Masters degree in Indian Music and studied Classical Sanskrit at University of Calcutta. Sanskrit has been a passion all of his life. He has told me stories of when the other Vaishnava would visit his Nabani Das Khyapa Baul and Brajabala Dasi that they would spend hours going over Sanskrit words, telling stories. Not only was his lineage Sanskrit but his Grandmother Brajabala was from the great Vaishnava Sanskrit poet Narottama Das lineage. In particular he remembers his grandmothers relative Hari Das whom he said was huge.
Nabani also, associated with many highly educated souls like Dr. Kaligoti who was the PHD in Bengal regarding Ayurveda, they would spend all their time together talking about indigenous Ayurveda, herbs and alchemy.
Dr. Kali Goti is the Ayurvedic Doctor who saved Babu life because he was born premature with crooked limbs. Dr Kali Goti being one of Nabani's close friends was always there to help. It is sad that many of these people are long forgotten, they were Masters.
He went on to study deeper meanings of Sanskrit and the stories behind the words with many advanced Indian scholars including Dr. Roma Chaudhary.
Dr Roma Chaudhary
The First indian Women to obtain a PHD from Oxford University in England.
Babu Kishan always invited Dr. Roma Chaudhary and studied with her for years at her huge home that had wall to wall books.. He would visit her often at her home, his descriptions of that home were incredible. More personal stories to come in his book,
Dr. Roma Chaudhary was very dear to Babu, he was like the son she never had. She did not have any children and spent her life after her husband passed away living in a huge house by herself. They both had a deep passion for Sanskrit.
Babu wants her remembered because today, there is very little about this incredible woman, while many Sanskritist men are remembered such as Gopi Nath Kaviraj who Babu Kishan knew well.
She was a Sanskritist and Principal and head of Philosophy at Lady Brabourne College for 30 years, she was Vice-Chancellor of Rabindra Bharati University in Calcutta and the Founder Secretary of Prachyavani and Institute of Oriental Learning.
DR. Chaudhary is the first Indian woman to obtain a PHD from Oxford University.
These photos are not very clear because they are old photos' both pictures are taken by Babu Kishan in Calcutta.
Baul is an Oral Sanskrit Lineage, they sang in vernacular Birbhum Bengali singing for the villagers. Just as Tulsi Das wrote the Hanuman Chalisa in the language of the villagers to keep it easy and understandable.
Most writers and scholars or modern Baul singers do not understand that the designation from Unesco in 2005:
"A Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity."
Baul is Sanskrit and vernacular Birbhum Bengali both songs and Baul Kirtan. Baul is not Urdu or Bangladeshi vernacular Bengali, and only one with a trained ear can tell the difference.
Baul is not from Persia, Urdu or Bangladeshi or Assama or nor is Baul their folk songs, Baul is not Bangladeshi water folk songs or any of these vernacular sounding languages?
Baul is not Muslim which Sai, Shah, Fakir Dervish are. Baul accepted all. Bangladesh cheated the Bangladeshi official wrote a long dissertation saying Baul is a Persian name, come from Persia and most of the Bauls are in Bangladesh. This Bangladeshi official lied and collected 9 million or more funding for himself, to preserve Baul and disappeared, now everybody is going for the same jackpot, using Baul including others who know nothing about Baul and are trying to make more fake wrong documentaries about Baul.
False narrative, this Bangladeshi United Nations official pulled a fast one, using Baul for his own personal jackpot, and disappeared. Baul is not a bunch of men sitting around smoking ganja, come on there is more to Baul than that, today ganja (pot) is legal and every Grandma is using it for pain relief, it is not cool anymore. Baul is not Tantric sex either, many used this to attract people?
Bauls are not deviant, they were the highest in everything, now extinct they attract everybody who has no where to call and they are self titled Baul without authentic Baul Guru's that is why Baul is extinct, they only sing songs, copy the songs, dress and everywhere this lineage goes but they have not put in the work to become a Baul through Sadhana.
This lineage is the only Lineage of Baul, they are the pioneers of bringing Baul to India and the world, once they popularized Baul all the cheaters and looters including scholars and fake Bauls came out of the wood work to create their career singing Bangladeshi Folk songs and Bengali folk songs. Baul is not folk music it is spiritual music.
Brajabala Dasi, front row left with Babu Kishan aka Krishnendu Das standing behind his Grandma (Guru) Dr Rom Chaudary from row right with Purna Das Baul standing behind her.
Dr Roma Chaudry is cut off, on the right her assistant is standing beside her, she shows in the original picutre but when I post it here she disappeared and that is the nature of many mystics. Purna Das Baul sitting between the 2 men on the sofa..
Dr Roma Chaudary and Ravi Shankar
