Baul has already Archived and Preserved, decades ago, there is only one Guru Shishy Prampara Sampradya - this not a term to throw around, it is heavy. This generalization, random making or generic claiming of this lineage history by taking their names off, internet scraping and shadow footprinting of this lineages (Gosia) is a serious intellectual indigenous property theft.
This has been going on over the years (outsiders fundraising in the name of Baul) and now is still going on, it needs to 'STOP' because Baul is already preserved and archived. New Baul singers fundraising to preserve Baul are cheaters and are using this tradition for their own selfish purposes.
If anybody is saying they are preserving Baul, think twice before you fall into donating money because BAUL has already been preserved.
There is no need for an outsider to procure donations to do what does not belong to them, especially when it is complete?
Babu Kishan will speak about this in time, he is not very happy about the using of his tradition by, New Baul singers who are not even from Bengal.
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This one and only Lineage of Vaishnava Baul originates in and around Ekachakra Birbhum Bengal. This is the One and ONLY Lineage of Baul. All Bauls Follow this Lineage, they sing their songs, they dress like them and they follow them around the world and copy and do as they do. This is the pioneering family and Lineage who brought Baul out of the village of Bengal to all of India and the World over at least 70 years ago when Nabani Das Khyapa Baul was appointed a state singer Bengal to sing before Nehru's speeches all over India. Nabani Das Khyapa Baul was a part of the Freedom Movement of India, his part was to draw people together and that is what a authentic Baul does through his song and dance. Nabani was an adept Tantric Yogi and Avadhuta there was great power in his presence and voice.
He was the last authentic Baul and his wife Brajabala and their children are the last authentic Bauls. Nabani passed away in 1969.
Baul has been preserved and ARCHIVED by Babu Kishan aka Krishnendu Das Baul who was raised by Nabani and Brajabala, then by Purna Das Baul and Manju Dasi.
Babu Kishan gave many of the New Baul singers a platform to stand on, and a path to follow.
Babu has archived and preserved his whole tradition decades ago, this has already been done, there is no reason for any outsider to say they are archiving Baul, it is complete. The only fundraising that needs to be done is translation into English and the writing of Books in English.
Baul History is complete, there is no more history or her-story to be made.
Baul has been archived. Today Baul is extinct, and the continued poaching and internet scraping of this lineages legal legacy is indigenous Fraud.
All will be explained in Babu Kishan's new Book he will qualify all and you will understand why Baul History is already complete and many are culturally appropriating Baul and have been doing so for years.
This is the Das Baul and Dasi Only Lineage of Baul. There is no other Lineage (period).
"My father would say that Tagore was very spiritually oriented.
However, many of his thoughts on spiritualism were scattered.
It was in order to bring these thoughts into a trajectory that Tagore required my father, Nabani Das Khyapa Baul.
Tagore would look up to my father both as a friend and as a guru.
My father taught him the various philosophical discourses of Baul. As such, Tagore had accepted my father as a guru who could initiate him into Baul philosophy.
At times, Tagore would see my father as a friend, at other times, as a guru.
It was from a sense of deep respect Tagore had for my father that he gave him the name ‘Khyapa Baul.’ My father too had told him jokingly, “You call me Khyapa Baul and I shall call you Robi Baul!”
They had a relationship which was based on the exchange of philosophical and spiritual ideas. That is why Tagore had a specific regard for my father, Nabani Das Khyapa Baul. My father was a constant presence at the Tagore household.
Whenever Tagore would stray, even a bit, from the trajectory of his thoughts, he would call for Nabani Das Khyapa Baul. "
People are now using Baul, making up lineages, watering down, dumbing down, and systematically destroying the "Essence of Baul" the origins in Baul. Babu Kishan is one of the main figures who Brought Baul out of India, he has always encouraged, NEW BAUL SINGERS, little did he know that they would turn around and take their names off of history or her-story and put their own, making up lineages that never existed. This is a huge issue in todays world and people outside of Baul do not have a clue.
They are the 'fake it til you make it Bauls' and some are aggressive in their appropriation, using theatrical techniques.
#socialmedia #news #indianheritage #baulhistory #theqint #bengal#calcutta #rabindranathtagore #ndtv #timesofkolkata #bobdylan#allenginsberg #purnadasbaul #babukishan #shantiniketan #anandbazar#patrika #aajkal #hindunewspaper #kolkata #india #zeenews #googlenews#amazon #google #birbhum #baul #historicalbaul #getitstraight
This song does not exist in "Geetabitan" or even "Rabindra Rachanabali" (The Entire Collected Works of Rabindranath Tagore). What is interesting in this song is the "bhuni" added by the poet.
As a tradition, baul songs are always sung and picked up by others; it is is never "written". So the authors add a line in the song or poem, revealing their own identity, so that the his name can remain attached to his creation. Rabindranath followed the same tradition here and added the word "Thakur Robi bole...". I hope you will enjoy this.
#socialmedia #news #indianheritage #baulhistory #theqint #bengal#calcutta #rabindranathtagore #ndtv #timesofkolkata #bobdylan#allenginsberg #purnadasbaul #babukishan #shantiniketan #anandbazar#patrika #aajkal #hindunewspaper #kolkata #india #zeenews #googlenews#amazon #google #birbhum #baul #historicalbaul #getitstraight
“That is why, brother, I became a madcap Baul. No master I obey, nor injunctions, canons or custom. Now no men-made distinctions have any hold on me, and I revel only in the gladness of my own welling love. In love there's no separation, but commingling always. So I rejoice in song and dance with each and all."
Rabindra Nath Tagore, The Hibbert Lecture, Oxford, 1930
Rabindranath Tagore became a Baul when the legendary Sri Nabani (Gosia) Das Khyappa Baul gave Tagore the name Ravi (Robi) Baul and in return Tagore gave Nabani (Noboni) the name Khyappa Baul and named him 'Mirror of the Sky'. To this very day villagers in Birbhum remember a legendary Tantric Vaishnav Baul Saint Avadhut named Nabani Das Khyappa Baul.
Rabindranath Tagore the great Bengali Noble prize winner for literature and the writer of the Indian, Bangladeshi, and Sri Lankan national anthems, loved Nabani and Nabani is the only Baul who inspired and associated with Tagore of course he was Tagore's one and only Baul Guru.
BY RABINDRANATH TAGORE OF HIS (BAUL GURU)
'NABANI DAS KHYAPA BAUL'
The only authentic Baul who inspired and influenced Tagore. They were best friends. If you are talking about Baul & Tagore and you are not talking about Nabani Das Khyapa Baul you do not know what you are talking about because Nabani was Tagore's only Baul Guru.
There is only one lineage Baul it is Gosia Chandra Das Baul and Dasi, the only Guru Shishya Parampara Sampradya (akhara, sect, kula).
This family can be seen on the cover of Bob Dylan's album John Westley Harding in 1967 they brought Baul outside of India, they are associated with Dylan not others.
This family and only lineage fundraised along with Ravi Shankar and the Indian contingent in 1970, 71, 72 and 75 in London along with the Beatles and The Rolling Stones for the floods in Bangladesh. This family has always been honoured at Tagore Centres around the world because of Nabani's close personal association with Tagore. They have always been honoured guests in Bangladesh with the government and Prime Minister of Bangladesh. You should know Babu Kishan's mother is from Bangladesh and when she lived there, ... there were no Baul's in Bangladesh. Babu Kishan was one of the first composers to put a tune to Lalon Fakir poetry before that he was a poet and there was no tune to his poetry. Baul always has a tune and a huge philosophy and sadhana's (practices). They are not just poets.
Allen Ginsberg is only friends with this family and a was a great personal friend or Babu Kishan's for decades, he had nothing to do with Lalon other than putting his name Lalon on a piece of poetry. Ginsberg's Baul Guru was only Nabani Das Khyappa Baul. (period) and it was Ginsberg who brought Purna Das Paul and Laxshman Das Baul to America because he wanted his Guru Nabani Das Baul but he would not. Huge assumptions and many fake writings have been made over the years just on copy and paste and the fake stories on the internet?
There are so many fake stories and wrong writings in Books and on the internet about Baul. Babu Kishan was a decades long friend of Ginsberg visiting him in New York every year for decades, Ginsbery wrote poetry about Nabani and that is all he wanted to talk about was Nabani he never ever mentioned Lalon, he never met Lalon had no clue?
Lalon Fakir (note the name fakir or shah is not Baul) was a great poet he was NOT a 'Baul' of course Tagore liked his poetry but he had no association. I wrote a whole blog post about Fakir Aul Sai dervish Mulslim sufi not being Baul. It is impossible if you know who and what Baul is and most people do not.
Sri Nabani Das Khyapa Baul is the only Baul who initiated Tagore into Baul and gave him the name Ravi (Robi) Baul and Tagore gave Nabani the name "Mirror of the Sky" and "Khyapa Baul". He is the only Baul who taught and was a Professor of Baul song and dance at Vishva Bharati University, Tagore's University in Shantiniketan Birbhum India. Nabani was also, a teacher to Indira Gandhi that is why he became much admired by Nehru and sang at the opening of his speeches for the "Indian freedom Movement".
Tagore gave Nabani a place and land to stay and be with him all the time.
I surely hope you are NOT teaching Baul from the internet or books because most of what the internet says about Baul is wrong. This is a huge history there is no Tagore and stories about Baul without 'Nabani Das Khyapa Baul' and he is Babu Kishan's Guru but yet you are teaching about Baul?
Nabani Das Khyapa Baul is the father of Purna Das Baul whose Guru is SitaRam Das Omkarnath. Nabani Das Khyapa Baul is the Grandfather & Guru to Babu Kishan aka Krishnendu Das Baul who I know you know.
Nobody would know a thing about Baul without him or his family especially Babu Kishan because he spent his life traveling around the world teaching at all Universities around the world on who and what Baul is and his Grandfather was of extreme importance in his life, he raised him until he passed when Babu was 8, he saved his life because he was not to live at birth, he initiated him into Tara Ma sadhana at Tarapith and all Baul sadhana, it was Nabani and Nabani's wife Babu's Grandmother Brajabala Das who taught Babu oral Sanskrit and all the stories. Nabani gave Babu Kishan his birth name Krishnendu which is Krishna in Bengali. They are his first parents who he bonded with from birth, it was when Babu went to live with his Birth parents (the parents who gave birth to him) but left him at birth with Nabani and Brajabala.
Tagore took many pictures of Nabani Das Khyapa Baul, these pictures are famous and are at the Royal British Museum in London his relationship with Tagore is well documented, this association is well documented.
Tagore even had a statue made in honour of his "Baul Guru" Nabani Das Baul at Vishva Bharati University in Santiniketan created for Nabani Das Baul by the famed great friend of both Nabani and Tagore by RamKinkar Baj. This sculpture is still there today, and at the Bulpur station MF Hussain the great artist did art work of Nabani Das Baul, why because he loved him as did millions of others, including all famed poets, authors during that time. Really if you are going to teach about Baul and Tagore the only association was with Nabani Das Khyapa Baul.
If you Love Rabindranath Tagore and Baul obviously you would respect the only connection between Baul and Tagore this lineage of Baul? The only way you know about Baul is through this lineage or a few books. The hard work this lineage did bringing Baul outside the village so you could know about Baul obviously there should be some respect especially if you are teaching Baul.
It was the Indian Government and Tagore's University and society who sent this family all over the world to all Tagore Societies around the world?
Tagore appointed Nabani Das Baul as a Professor of Baul music and dance at the Tagore Vishva Bharti University that Tagore created in Shantineketan. Nabani is the first and last Baul to teach at Vishva Bharti University. One of Nabani's students was Indira Gandhi, her father Jawaharlal Nehru had the greatest respect for Nabani. The Indian Independence movement was in full swing.
In 1947 Nehru appointed Nabani a state singer, where Nabani along with Nehru and his contingent travelled all over India, playing for people, sharing the magic of Baul and Nehru's political messages. No one had ever heard a Baul before outside of Bengal. Nabani would sing and like the Pied Piper the people would come from far and wide.
#tagorebaul #baultagore #RabindranathTagoreandBaul
#AllenGinsbergandBaul #GinsbergandBaul #BobDylanandBaul
#BaulandBobDylan #GinsbergandBabukishan #ginsbergandNabanidasKhyapabaul
The University of British Columbia, B.C. Canada
VAISHNAVA BAULS OF BIRBHUM BENGAL
by Sandra Trishula Das December, 2015
Editor's Note: The following is an excerpt from a soon to be released book by Trishula, 'The Rasa Lila Mystics'. Sutra Journal is honored to include her story, which makes reference to not only the musical fame of the Bauls, but also the depth and integrity of their lineage and sadhana. Trishula is married to Babukishan, the protagonist of the story.
The Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity“That is why, brother, I became a madcap Baul. No master I obey, nor injunctions, canons or custom. Now no men-made distinctions have any hold on me, and I revel only in the gladness of my own welling love. In love there's no separation, but commingling always. So I rejoice in song and dance with each and all."
Rabindra Nath Tagore, The Hibbert Lecture, Oxford, 1930
Rabindranath Tagore became a Baul when the legendary Sri Nabani (Gosia) Das Khyappa Baul gave Tagore the name Ravi (Robi) Baul and in return Tagore gave Nabani (Noboni) the name Khyappa Baul and named him 'Mirror of the Sky'. To this very day villagers in Birbhum remember a legendary Tantric Vaishnav Baul Saint Avadhut named Nabani Das Khyappa Baul.
Nabani Das Khyappa Baul and his wife & Monar Manush (soul mate) Brajabala Dasi.
Khyappa means sat chit ananda, highly mystical, fully awake, aware, divine ecstatic love, wild, free bird, blissful, divine consciousness, magical, mysterious, out of body connected to the divine at a very high level, khyappa is not something that can be faked. It is not a name for everybody it was a name designated for a Avadhut, however, today everybody is calling themselves khyappa as many are calling themselves ‘Baul’ and ‘Baul Guru’.
Rabindranath Tagore the great Bengali Noble prize winner for literature and the writer of the Indian, Bangladeshi, and Sri Lankan national anthems, loved Nabani and Nabani is the only Baul who inspired and associated with Tagore.
In 2005, UNESCO Declared the Baul Tradition a "Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity".
The Mirror of the sky, reflects my soul. O Baul of the road, O Baul of the heart, What keeps you tied, to the corner of the room. By Nabani Das KHYAPPA Baul.
To the untrained eye and ear wandering and singing a song does not make one a Baul. Rabindranath honoured Nabani because he was an ecstatic mystic full of wisdom, he admired his poetry, his tune and his depth in sadhana as a Tantric Yogi and Baul Avadhut. Rabindranath respected Nabani's ancient lineage and its richness, authentic cultural significance and tradition of wisdom, along with the energetic live wire shaktified pure ecstatic love that Nabani embodied.
Tagore appointed Nabani Das Baul as a Professor of Baul music and dance at the Tagore Vishva Bharti University that Tagore created in Shantineketan. Nabani is the first and last Baul to teach at Vishva Bharti University. One of Nabani's students was Indira Gandhi, her father Jawaharlal Nehru had the greatest respect for Nabani. The Indian Independence movement was in full swing. Nehru appointed Nabani a state singer in 1947, where Nabani along with Nehru and his contingent travelled all over India, playing for people, sharing the magic of Baul and Nehru's political messages.
Like his grandfather, KD Babukishan also traveled with his parents around India as state singers for Indira Gandhi, with whom Babu's mother was best friends with her until her tragic death. They also were state singers for Rajiv Gandhi until Rajiv's death.
Guru Shishya Parampara Sampradaya Lineage KD Babukishan and his Guru Grandfather Baul Saint Nabani Das Khyappa Baul. Bauls are Tantrics, Indian musicians who know the Tantra of Sound, Mystical Bards, Guru's, Pandits, Acharya's who are simply called Baul.
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, was wise enough to know what the scholar Sri Chaitanya had figured out 500 years before, that Bauls were able to draw people together through their energetic shakti and ecstatic charismatic chanting, singing and dancing. Dry scholarship and talking doesn't necessarily awaken people to a new movement. Sri Nitanyanda of Ekchakra Birbhum was a Vaishnava Baul and the ancestor of this lineage, he was elder to Sri Chaitanya. It was Nitanyanada who taught his Baul tradtion of kirtan, singing and dancing to Sri Chaitanya.
Sri Chaityana started his Hari Krishna movement based on the ecstatic 'Hari Krishna Hari Ram' singing and dancing of the Vaishnava Baul of Birbhum. The Bauls would start with the Hari Krishna chant early in the mornings as a wakeup call announcing their presence to the villagers of Bengal, inviting them to listen and learn about spiritual life.
Baul is a rare, esctatic, super charged and sweet heart-opening devotional singing and Baul Kirtan is full of ecstatic energy that turns even the hardest of hearts to honey, bringing the rasa of ananda (bliss) alive. They play a one stringed trance inducing instrument called an ‘ektara’ also called the ‘Gopi Chand’ or ‘Gopi Yantra’ which is the Bauls symbol of peace and unity for all. A Baul plays a variety of instruments including a rare one or two stringed instrument called a ‘Gubgubi’ which Nabnai himself named the Ananada Lahari meaning ‘waves of bliss’. Baul is a Guru Shishya Parampara Sampradaya, they are sadhu's and belong to sadhu sangha which are called Akaras. There used to be 22 such sanghas, now there are only 2, they are almost extinct.
There is a lot of misinformation about the Bauls today, misrepresentations abound among a new generation of Baul singers, scholars, writers, documentary film makers, information found on wikipedia, Gurus from other sects including Osho who wrote many books on the Bauls and was deeply inspired by Nabani Das Khyappa Baul. All of them have completely missed the point of who these sweet devotional people are. They repeat the same thing over and over and it is not accurate. Many fakes are changing this beautiful tradition, they dress the part, singing out of tune trying to copy what can not be copied. Baul is only achieved through sadhana. The fake Bauls say they are sadhakas to attract students, some say they are sexual tantrics as sex always sells. This has gone on for a long time. Unaware foreigners attracted by sexual tantra of the west, and Indians attracted by the dream of sexual freedom, flock to Shantineketan. Yet the real Bauls are now almost extinct, and those that still remain, live marginalized in poverty.
Bauls have been described as mad, fakir, dervish, aula, Muslim, afflicted by the wind, illiterate, beggars and folk singers, yet they are none of the above. Bauls were the biggest peacekeepers accepting all people. Understanding the history of Bengal is very important to understanding Baul. When Bengal was in strife under Islamic invasion they accepted Sufi into their fold, learning and adding some Sufi techniques in their practice. When Buddhists flowed into Bengal and were challenged by Brahamins, Bauls were the only people who gave them refuge and accepted them. Baul is a sect onto its own based on Sanatan Dharma with a sprinkle of Sufi and Buddhist practices.
Stories abound about Bauls being from Persia, Uzbeckistan or Bangladesh, but many of these speculations are coming out of Bangladesh which is a Muslim country. They have somehow appropriated Baul culture and use this as a way to raise huge amount of money, apparently in order to preserve Baul Tradition as their ‘National heritage’. Baul tradition was born thousands of years ago and is indigenous to and originates from Birbhum Bengal. There were no Bauls in Bangledesh, even when Bangaldesh was Bengal they were not from the place now called Bangladesh. Baul has always been based on Sanatan Dharma, the eternal dharma of India as found in the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Puranic and Vedic wisdom. There were no Bauls in Bangladesh prior to the 1970's because Babu's mother Manju was a well know family in that area before it became Bangladesh.
Baul is a tradition of Krishna and Kali kirtan.
Kenduli Birbhum Bengal is the home of the Joy DEV Baul Mela. JOY Dev wrote the Gita Govinda about the love between Radha and Krishna. 1986 Photo by Babukishan of Kenduli at the Joy Dev Mela. The Pous Mela in Shantineketan was created by Rabindranath Tagore in honour of Nabani Das Baul to bring together intellectuals, poets, and creative artists from around the world.
This story comes from the oral tradition of the oldest living Baul lineage as told by Babukishan aka Krishnendu Das Baul, a ‘Lineage Baul Guru’ and the only Baul Guru Scholar from inside the tradition of the Vaishnava Bauls of Birbhum Bengal. Babukishan has lectured all over the world for decades at the University level and has done Baul preformances on some of the biggest stages in the world since the 1970's.
Baul is not only an ocean of devotion but is also, an ocean of Indian Philosophy, Yoga, Tantra, Vedic, Puranic, and Upanishad wisdom. The title 'Baul' implies one is a Guru, Pandit, Acharya, an authority, they were the Shastra before books, they are oral storytellers, spiritual Bards, Bhakti Yogi's, Masters of Nada Yoga, and Vayu Dharma. However, being an oral tradition did not mean they didn't read Bengali and Sanskrit manuscripts and Shastra.
KD Babukishan was born in 1962 in Suri Bhirbhum W Bengal into the lap of Nabani Das Khappa Baul and his wife Brajabala Dasi. KD Babukishan is the birth son of Purna Das Baul and Manju Dasi, however and for whatever reason he was left right after his birth to be raised by Sri Nabani, his Sad Guru and grandfather. Nabani and Brajabala raised their little grandson who was born premature with crooked limbs, it was thought he would die the next day. They named him Krishnendu (Krishna in Bengali). The name Babukishan was given to him by Mahesh Bhatt a Hindi film Director and Suraj Sanim one of the biggest Hindi film writers.
Nabani was an adept Sadhaka at Tarapith he took his sick tiny premature grandson with crooked limbs to Tara Maa right after he was born praying and begging for his life; Ayurvedic medicine, prayers and mantra were used to heal baby Krishnendu and his limbs were straightened through daily Ayurvedic massage given by Nabani and Brajabala Dasi. It should be noted that Nabani was a healer and he had healed thousands of people eveywhere he went, taking their karma and transmuting it.
Nabani knew the Tantra of alchemy and traditional herbs, he was a close friend of the famed Ayurvedic doctor and healer Dr. Kali Goti who also helped with healing Babu. Nabani was an adept at manifesting siddhi's, he knew all the Guru's, Saints, Siddhas, Yogis, Naths, Swamis, Sadhus, Sadhakas of the time and had them all give dharshan and blessings to his little baby Krishnendu. Babu went everywhere with Nabani and was a regular at Tarapith learning tantric and Baul sadhana. hanging out with the Gurus and Tantrics one could say he owes his life to Tara Maa and Kali Maa. The village Rakha Kali Maa temple where he played, was right beside the Ratha Yatra Cart with Radha and Krishna. The village favoured many gods. Babu saw and experienced a world that does not exist today, those times are gone. I specualate that perhaps this was Babu's karma and a continuation of his past life.
Nabani's samadhi was in 1969, when KD Babukishan was only 8 years old. He thought Nabani was his father, until he learned his real father was Nabani's eldest son Purna Das Baul who had since had two other sons that were raised outside Baul tradition, in contemporary Calcutta. Most people on a path would agree that our family is not who we are. Guru is our real family if we are lucky to have one, Babu was lucky to have Nabani who left him his spark. Losing Nabani was to be the greatest loss of little KD Babukishan's life and the greatest loss to the whole Baul community. Nabani was not an ordinary Baul he was an extraordinary genius. Babukishan was by his side when he went into samadhi.
On his grandfather’s passing, KD Babukishan recalls: “suddenly he reached out and gave me his hand at the same time a huge thunder cracked as his whole body turned a blue whitish and an electric current shocked me and ran through my body at the same time automatically the tulsi plant fell over and the Bhagavad Gita hit Boro Baba on his head, he was gone. He held my hand so tight I felt an electric current run through my body my third eye opened, I saw the universe my Boro Baba had given me what is called a Bramhma dharshan. I felt a huge force of power and light in my body, I couldn't break free of Boro Baba's grip.”
This is a section of the wall at the Joy Dev temple in Kendula.
The Joy Dev Baul Mela is held here the Vaishnava Bauls attend ever year to do puja to the great poet (kavi) Joy Dev. The bridge going across the Ajoy river is named Nabani Setu after Nabani Das Baul. The mela is completely different today, the Bauls have been marginalized and pushed out by the new kirtan singers. The Bauls honour Joy Deva and the love he had for his soul mate Padmavati because Bauls believe in Soul Mates as Radha and Krishna live and dance in their hearts, this is the real Rasa Lila dance. The temple wall is made from soil that has been burnt hundred of years ago. The Joy Dev Baul festival takes place every year on Markar Sanskranti when the Sun moves into Capricorn.
The Baul kirtan for Nabani went on for weeks, they chanted HARI KRISHNA HARI RAM for 8 days in a continuous flow, and then 6 more weeks taking breaks for some food and rest. Thousands of people came to pay their respects. Nabani was a famous father figure, Baul Guru of Birbhum, a state artist and the whole state of Birbhum was closed. He was burried in traditional Baul way, sitting in a padmasana.
Some time after his grandfather’s death, his Grandmother sent him to live in Calcutta with Purna Das Baul and Manju Dasi, his birth parents, as she felt he’d be better off there and that he needed to be educated. KD Babukishan's went from the highest energy and biggest love bliss to a material life in Calcutta and a family where he didn't fit in. He recalls how his mother Manju used to bribe him with cookies to call her Maa.
Those days were hard for a little boy, suddenly surrounded by strangers, in the strange city, and before long, they packed him off to Ramakrishna Mission, where he remained for the following twelve years. Living there was tough, but the Swami’s there respected the Bauls, and often told him the story how Ramakrishna loved the Bauls, and said many times how he wanted to be born a Baul in his next life.
The family sometimes let him stay with them and even travel with them, touring with his father. When he was nine, they went to London and Europe on his first of many overseas trips. They went to perform at the fundraiser for Bangladesh in 1971, 1972, and 1978. There was a big group of Indian musicians who played at Hyde Park at the concert sponsored by the Beatles and The Rolling Stones. That is where he first met and became lifelong friends with George Harrison and the Rolling Stones. Later in 1986, George Harrison along with Ravi Shankar helped him publish his 3rd book on Bauls, now out of print. During that trip they traveled to Mick Jaggers place in Nice, France and where his father recorded with them for the album Jai Bangla. Mick Jagger was their limousine driver, and drove them from the airport to his place, and in 2004 he returned the favour when The Rolling Stones performed in Mumbai.
Just as he was in the process of becoming a sanaysin, his father pulled him out of Ramakrishna Mission to work as his tour manager.
The easiest way to pronounce Baul is (Ba–oo-l). Bauls are known as 'wind catchers' , the Masters of Pranayama which they call Vayu Dharma. Baul comes from the words Vayu (air) and T'ula (to raise the vital air). Ba stands for Va in Bengali language. Bauls practice various yogic tantric techniques and their singing and mantric chanting. The aim of the Baul is God Realization & Self Realization in the human body, humanity is first and foremost to the Bauls – to be a good human, to realize God within this body temple.
Bauls are considered to be Sahaja which means natural and spontaneous. It implies natural on the spiritual level and on the mystical level of the miraculous. It means that easy natural state of living without planning, design, contriving, seeking, wanting, or striving for attention.
Bauls practice techniques similar to Daoist Qigong they are Masters of energy work and mysticism.
FAMOUS BAULSPurna Das Baul is the first famous Indian Vocalist to come to America. First arriving in 1967 on a tour from San Francisco to New York staying in Woodstock NY at Bob Dylan's home as guests of Sally and Albert B Grossman (Bob Dylans manager). The recorded music from that time is called 'Bauls at Big Pink'. Purna Das Baul and his brother the late Laxshman Das Baul who was a much loved Baul a Bob Marley of the Bauls appeared on the cover of Bob Dylan's Legendary album John Westly Harding, Bob Dylan was a super fan of Lakshman Das Baul. Sally Grossman has remained a loyal a very dear friend of the Bauls and Laxshman Das Baul since 1967. At 81 years of age Lashman Das Baul passed away in April 2015 ending a legendary period of Baul history.
Left - Lakshman Das Baul, Bob Dylan, Purna Das Baul, I don't know the fellow in the back.
The Bauls at Big Pink produced by Al Aronowitz the father of Rock Journalism and another beloved friend of Babu's who passed in 2004, Garth Hudson and Robbie Robertson of the Band 1967 / The photo of Nabani Das Khyappa Baul was taken by Rabindranath Tagore. The Bauls on this album are Purna Das Baul and Lakshman Das Baul
Baul Samarat (King of the Bauls) Purna Das Baul at 82 years old has recieved the highest awards as a vocalist in India including many President Awards, Padma Shri and a rare award from the JAGANATHA TEMPLE called 'Nada Brahma Award' which only 3 have received including the much celebrated Ravindra Jain and Lata Mangeshakar. This family of Vaishnava Bauls are celebrated at the Jaganatha Temple in Orissa they know they are ancestors of Nityananda, Jai Nitai.
Allen Ginsberg's had always honoured Nabani Das Baul as his Guru who he first met him in the early 1960's while traveling in Bengal. Ginsberg became a very dear friend of KD Babukishan whom Babu visited every year in America from the 1980's until Ginsberg passed, they are both poets and have a love for Nabani Das Baul. Ginsberg is the one who insisted to Sally and Albert B Grossman (Bob Dylan's manager) to bring Nabani to America, however, in 1967 Nabani's health was failing and he sent his two son's Lakshman and Purna Das Baul.
Kshiti Mohan Sen was a well-known scholar of ancient and medieval India and close associate of Rabindranath Tagore served as the Vice Chancellor of Visva-Bharati University in Santineketan for years. Kshiti Mohan Shastri described Nabani Das Baul "the last real true Baul" he wrote a book on Baul and regarded Nabani as the greatest ocean of intelligence he was as a huge admirer of Nabani. Kriti Mohan Sastri is the Grandfather of Armarta Sen a Professor, Economist and Philosopher living in New York.
KD Babukishan walks between worlds in a true tantric form with one foot in the spiritual world and one foot firmly on earth, in the world but not of the world. He is a highly awarded Bollywood Indian Cinema Music Composer, Indian Music Producer, a Master of Indian Music, Classical, Folk, Bhajan, and Kirtan composing scores for 150 films, Film Designer, Film Maker, he has recorded and worked with the who is who of Indian music and Western music.
KD Babukisha was raised a Baul and spent 12 years as a Ramakrishna monk in Calcutta, BA in Indian Philosophy, MA of Indian Music from Calcutta University, Poet, the first Baul to be educated in the oral tradition and outside. A Sanskrit Scholar from the Oral Tradition, Sanskrit Education at the Masters level and because of his love of Sanskrit he spent countless years learning from Dr. Roma Chowdhri who was like a mother to Babu she was a legendary world renowned Bengali Sanskrit scholar who dedicated her whole life to Sanskrit.
Baukishan now lives in Vancouver Canada with me Trishula his Monar Manush wife and partner of almost ten years, traveling back and forth to India. Babu's life changed dramatically when he was in the 2004 Tsunami in Indonesia where he witnessed, tens of thousands of souls leaving Bhumi Maa all at once, one of Maa's biggest smashen grounds. He has lived through the 1971 war between Bengal and Bangladesh, he has lived through many many terrorist attacks in Mumbai and lived many lifetimes in this one lifetime. Babu's main cause has always been to preserve his Baul tradition and it has been proven a difficult task it seems that over many decades his dream, all of his time and energy have been thwarted by his Calcutta family and many other road blocks, but he never gives up.
"The way my braid is, that’s how it will stay.
I’ll get into the water, I’ll splash water around, but I won’t get my hair wet.
I’ll swim about this way, and that way.
I’ll dive into the water, and won’t listen to what people say.
I’ll enjoy myself but not suffer because of it.
Gosain Rasaraj says: “Listen, my friend , that beauty leaves me speechless".
I won’t be chaste; I won’t be unchaste.
I won’t leave my Lord".
Famous Baul song (poetry) by Rasaraj Gosai (Nabani Das Baul's 'Fathers elder brother')
approx - 1920 -1930
This is a really old painting by the famous Bengali artist 'Nadalal Bose' of Babu Kishan's Grandfather GURU - as you can see Nabani's style was 'Ektara Baya and Nupoor'! All who follow this style have followed Nabani Das Khyapa Baul because he is the creator of this style. :)
Nabani Das Khyapa Baul.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nandalal_Bose
The statue below was commissioned by Rabindranath Tagore for "Ram Kinkar Baij' another famous Bengali Artist to create this stature of Nabani Das Khyapa Baul.
approx - 1920 -1930
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramkinkar_Baij
Nabani Das Khyapa Baul was a great friend with both artists and with Rabindranath Tagore.
Signed,
Sandra A. Das (Author, Researcher, and Independent Publisher) wife of Babu Kishan.
On behalf of KD Babu Kishan (Krishnendu Das Baul) & The Lineage of Nabani Das Khyapa Baul
#India #GovernmentofIndia #ICCR #SangeetNatakAkademi #BJP
#GajendraSinghShekhawat , #MinistryOfCulture , #CultureMinistryIndia
#SuvenduAdhikari , #ChiefMinisterWB , #WestBengalCM #MinistryOfCultureIndia , #AmritMahotsav #SangeetNatakAkademi , #ICCR , #ICCRIndia #CulturalAmbassadors #AkademiAwards
#Birbhum #Ekachakra #BengalHeritage #SanatanDharma #VaishnavaSahajiya #PriorArt #IndigenousHeritage #CulturalAppropriation #MithunChakraborty #WestBengalGovernment #Birbhum #Ekachakra #BengalHeritage #SanatanDharma #VaishnavaSahajiya #CulturalSovereignty
#krishnakali #KaliKrishna #One&onlyBaulSampradya #BaulSampradaya
#Bhavesh #TheRanveerShow #BeerBiceps #TRSPodcast #PrakharKePravachan .#CyrusSays #Dostcast #VinamreKasanaa #Shivoham #JaipurDialogues #SanjayDixit #SangamTalks #AbhijitChavda
Key Baul Figures & Lineage
#NabaniDasKhyapaBaul #PurnaDasBaul #BabuKishan #KrishnenduDasBaul #lineagebaul #baullineage #NabaniDasBaul #dasbaul #NityanandaofEkachakra #ChandiDas #Joydev #GosaiVaishnavaDasBaul ##NeemKaroliBaba #baulparampara
Core Baul Concepts & Philosophy
#Baultantra #GaudiyaVaishnavaandBaul #Baulphilosophy #VaishnavaSahajiya #VaishnavaSahajiyaTantricBauls #KrishnaKaliunity #Krishnakali #RaaiRajaLila #Baulsadhana #BaulAvadhut #BaulAvadhuta #BaulthepathoftheAvadhuta #BaulsahajaKrishnaDattatreyasahahaja #Baultantramantragopiyantra #BaulKirtan #BaultheRasaLilaMystics #BaulVayuTula #Baulwindcatchers #mirrorofthesky
Geographic & Cultural Context
#BirbhumBaul #Birbhum #EkachakraBirbhum #Tarapith #TarapithandBaul #TaraMa&Baul #Kolkata #Shantiniketan #shantiniketanbirbum #Bengal #baulofbengal #baulofbirbhum #India #IncredibleIndia #indianmusic #sangeetnatakakademi
Critique & Preservation
#Baultruth #Baulculturalappropriation #Baulrealhistory #EndangeredBaullineage #Baulendangeredlineageparampara #Baulhistory #baularchive #archivedbaul
Baul Music
#baulmusic #baulgaan #Bauldocumentary #baulsangeet #baulkirtan #ektara #gopiyantra
Related Figures & Movements
#RabindranathTagore #BaulTagore #osho #VaishnavaBaul #TantricBaul #vaishnavaaghori #Ramakrishna #BaulandRamakrishna
General & Other
#baul #historicalBaul #pioneeringBaul #baulwomen #baulsaint #legendarybaul #baulartist #BaulGuruShishyaParampara #Baulparampara
"Authentic Baul" #AuthenticBaul
"Vaishnava Sahajiya Tantric Bauls" #VaishnavaSahajiyaTantricBauls
"Birbhum Baul" #BirbhumBaul
"Nabani Das Khyapa Baul" #NabaniDasKhyapaBaul
"Babu Kishan Baul" / "Krishnendu Das Baul" #KrishnenduDasBaul
"Baul Guru Shishya Parampara" #BaulGuruShishyaParampara #Baulparampara
"Baul philosophy" #Baulphilosophy
"Krishna Kali unity" #Krishnakali
"Raai Raja lila" #RaaiRajaLila
"Real Baul history" #Baulrealhistory
"Baul cultural appropriation" #baulculturalappropriation
"Endangered Baul lineage" #Baulendangeredlineageparampara
Baul and Ramakrishna is only associated with KD Babu Kishan as he is the only Baul to be a monk in the Ramakrishna Mission for 12 years, this is a first and last in Baul.
Baul and Tantra is only associated with Nabani Das Khyapa Baul and KD Babu Kishan, Baul and Tarapith is only associated with them both too. Those others are not Baul as Baul Artist of an non-indigenous Baul is not a Baul but a users, poser, actor trying to remake the already lived lives of this parampara, do you speak the language, do you know what they are singing or who is the owner of the songs, or even if the songs are Baul songs, no you do not, so don't make emotional promotional comments when you do not even understand. You are cheering for a fake Baul and have no clue.
The practice of "Baul Kirtan-anga" Copyright, all songs will be reclaimed that belong to this lineages.
(only this lineage, parampara, no one used Baul kirtan until they read it on this blog, this is downright appropriation and false advertising by fake opportunistic self-titled so-called Bauls for marketing purposes, they have appropriated this lineages intellectual property, it can be proven and must be brought to the attention of the public because they are asking for donations and fundraising for jackpots, awards, grants and are not Baul, their Guru is a fake Baul Guru.
The "Rasa Lila Mystics" this is the only lineage parampara that is Vaishnava and Vaishnava Sahajiya Gosia Chandra Das Baul and Dasi, there is not another, never was. #BaultheRasaLilaMystics
"Baul Tantra Mantra Gopi Yantra". Copyright, no poaching
"The path of the Avadhuta". Copyright there are no other Baul Avadhuta's and that title only belongs to this lineage or singular parampara, there is not another. They make Baul a no name generic Baul while claiming the intellectual property and the already lived firsts and lasts of this lineage. I have documented thousands of misuse of Baul for over 20 years, if you would like to see my research contact KD Babu Kishan, his website is listed throughout this blog and website
"Baul Sahaja is Krishna & Dattatreya Sahaja". Copyright and only mentioned by KD Babu Kishan
The Windcatchers (Vayu Tula). #BaulVayuTula. #baulwindcatchers
#India #lineagebaul #baultantra #baullineage #baulofbengal #babukishan #baulwomen #baulavadhuta #baulsaint #legendarybaul #nabanidasbaul #mirrorofthesky #rabindranathtagor #osho #vaishnavabaul #vaishnavaaghori #baul #baulmusic #tantra #babukishan #baulgaan #nabanidasbaul #purnadasbaul #bengal #india #indianmusic #shantiniketan #baullineage #bengalibaul #baularchive #archivedbaulbn#Baulhistory #BaulofBengal #BaulofBirbhum #dasbaul #Kolkata #Bauldocumentary #baulkirtan #Baulsadhana #ektara #EkachakraBirbhum #gopiyantra #baultantra #NabonidasKhyapabaul #bauldocumentary #baulsangeet #RabindranathTagore #BaulTagore #shantiniketanbirbum #jainitai #jaiguru #NityanandaofEkachakra #BaulAvadhut #Birbhum #Tarapith #Kolkata #IncredibleIndia #India #VaishnavaBaul #TantricBaul #sangeetnatakakademi
"Authentic Baul" #AuthenticBaul
"Vaishnava Sahajiya Tantric Bauls" #VaishnavaSahajiyaTantricBauls
"Birbhum Baul" #BirbhumBaul
"Nabani Das Khyapa Baul" #NabaniDasKhyapaBaul
"Babu Kishan Baul" / "Krishnendu Das Baul" #KrishnenduDasBaul
"Baul Guru Shishya Parampara" #BaulGuruShishyaParampara #Baulparampara
"Baul philosophy" #Baulphilosophy
"Krishna Kali unity" #Krishnakali
"Raai Raja lila" #RaaiRajaLila
"Real Baul history" #Baulrealhistory
"Baul cultural appropriation" #baulculturalappropriation
"Endangered Baul lineage" #Baulendangeredlineageparampara
The practice of "Baul Kirtan-anga"
The "Rasa Lila Mystics" Raasa leela Mystics, Raas Tattva (this lineage only)
"Baul Tantra Mantra Gopi Yantra".
"The path of the Avadhuta".
"Baul Sahaja is Krishna & Dattatreya Sahaja". #BaulsahajaKrishnaDattatreyasahahaja
The Windcatchers (Vayu Tula). #BaulVayuTula. #baulwindcatchers
Sha
Key Baul Figures & Lineage
#NabaniDasKhyapaBaul #PurnaDasBaul #BabuKishan #KrishnenduDasBaul #lineagebaul #baullineage #NabaniDasBaul #dasbaul #NityanandaofEkachakra #ChandiDas #Joydev #GosaiVaishnavaDasBaul ##NeemKaroliBaba #baulparampara
Core Baul Concepts & Philosophy
#Baultantra #GaudiyaVaishnavaandBaul #Baulphilosophy #VaishnavaSahajiya #VaishnavaSahajiyaTantricBauls #KrishnaKaliunity #Krishnakali #RaaiRajaLila #Baulsadhana #BaulAvadhut #BaulAvadhuta #BaulthepathoftheAvadhuta #BaulsahajaKrishnaDattatreyasahahaja #Baultantramantragopiyantra #BaulKirtan #BaultheRasaLilaMystics #BaulVayuTula #Baulwindcatchers #mirrorofthesky
Geographic & Cultural Context
#BirbhumBaul #Birbhum #EkachakraBirbhum #Tarapith #TarapithandBaul #TaraMa&Baul #Kolkata #Shantiniketan #shantiniketanbirbum #Bengal #baulofbengal #baulofbirbhum #India #IncredibleIndia #indianmusic #sangeetnatakakademi
Critique & Preservation
#Baultruth #Baulculturalappropriation #Baulrealhistory #EndangeredBaullineage #Baulendangeredlineageparampara #Baulhistory #baularchive #archivedbaul
Baul Music
#baulmusic #baulgaan #Bauldocumentary #baulsangeet #baulkirtan #ektara #gopiyantra
Related Figures & Movements
#RabindranathTagore #BaulTagore #osho #VaishnavaBaul #TantricBaul #vaishnavaaghori #Ramakrishna #BaulandRamakrishna
General & Other
#baul #historicalBaul #pioneeringBaul #baulwomen #baulsaint #legendarybaul #baulartist #BaulGuruShishyaParampara #Baulparampara
"Authentic Baul" #AuthenticBaul
"Vaishnava Sahajiya Tantric Bauls" #VaishnavaSahajiyaTantricBauls
"Birbhum Baul" #BirbhumBaul
"Nabani Das Khyapa Baul" #NabaniDasKhyapaBaul
"Babu Kishan Baul" / "Krishnendu Das Baul" #KrishnenduDasBaul
"Baul Guru Shishya Parampara" #BaulGuruShishyaParampara #Baulparampara
"Baul philosophy" #Baulphilosophy
"Krishna Kali unity" #Krishnakali
"Raai Raja lila" #RaaiRajaLila
"Real Baul history" #Baulrealhistory
"Baul cultural appropriation" #baulculturalappropriation
"Endangered Baul lineage" #Baulendangeredlineageparampara
Baul and Ramakrishna is only associated with KD Babu Kishan as he is the only Baul to be a monk in the Ramakrishna Mission for 12 years, this is a first and last in Baul.
Baul and Tantra is only associated with Nabani Das Khyapa Baul and KD Babu Kishan, Baul and Tarapith is only associated with them both too. Those others are not Baul as Baul Artist of an non-indigenous Baul is not a Baul but a users, poser, actor trying to remake the already lived lives of this parampara, do you speak the language, do you know what they are singing or who is the owner of the songs, or even if the songs are Baul songs, no you do not, so don't make emotional promotional comments when you do not even understand. You are cheering for a fake Baul and have no clue.
The practice of "Baul Kirtan-anga" Copyright, all songs will be reclaimed that belong to this lineages.
(only this lineage, parampara, no one used Baul kirtan until they read it on this blog, this is downright appropriation and false advertising by fake opportunistic self-titled so-called Bauls for marketing purposes, they have appropriated this lineages intellectual property, it can be proven and must be brought to the attention of the public because they are asking for donations and fundraising for jackpots, awards, grants and are not Baul, their Guru is a fake Baul Guru.
The "Rasa Lila Mystics" this is the only lineage parampara that is Vaishnava and Vaishnava Sahajiya Gosia Chandra Das Baul and Dasi, there is not another, never was. #BaultheRasaLilaMystics
"Baul Tantra Mantra Gopi Yantra". Copyright, no poaching
"The path of the Avadhuta". Copyright there are no other Baul Avadhuta's and that title only belongs to this lineage or singular parampara, there is not another. They make Baul a no name generic Baul while claiming the intellectual property and the already lived firsts and lasts of this lineage. I have documented thousands of misuse of Baul for over 20 years, if you would like to see my research contact KD Babu Kishan, his website is listed throughout this blog and website
"Baul Sahaja is Krishna & Dattatreya Sahaja". Copyright and only mentioned by KD Babu Kishan
The Windcatchers (Vayu Tula). #BaulVayuTula. #baulwindcatchers
#India #lineagebaul #baultantra #baullineage #baulofbengal #babukishan #baulwomen #baulavadhuta #baulsaint #legendarybaul #nabanidasbaul #mirrorofthesky #rabindranathtagor #osho #vaishnavabaul #vaishnavaaghori #baul #baulmusic #tantra #babukishan #baulgaan #nabanidasbaul #purnadasbaul #bengal #india #indianmusic #shantiniketan #baullineage #bengalibaul #baularchive #archivedbaulbn#Baulhistory #BaulofBengal #BaulofBirbhum #dasbaul #Kolkata #Bauldocumentary #baulkirtan #Baulsadhana #ektara #EkachakraBirbhum #gopiyantra #baultantra #NabonidasKhyapabaul #bauldocumentary #baulsangeet #RabindranathTagore #BaulTagore #shantiniketanbirbum #jainitai #jaiguru #NityanandaofEkachakra #BaulAvadhut #Birbhum #Tarapith #Kolkata #IncredibleIndia #India #VaishnavaBaul #TantricBaul #sangeetnatakakademi
"Authentic Baul" #AuthenticBaul
"Vaishnava Sahajiya Tantric Bauls" #VaishnavaSahajiyaTantricBauls
"Birbhum Baul" #BirbhumBaul
"Nabani Das Khyapa Baul" #NabaniDasKhyapaBaul
"Babu Kishan Baul" / "Krishnendu Das Baul" #KrishnenduDasBaul
"Baul Guru Shishya Parampara" #BaulGuruShishyaParampara #Baulparampara
"Baul philosophy" #Baulphilosophy
"Krishna Kali unity" #Krishnakali
"Raai Raja lila" #RaaiRajaLila
"Real Baul history" #Baulrealhistory
"Baul cultural appropriation" #baulculturalappropriation
"Endangered Baul lineage" #Baulendangeredlineageparampara
The practice of "Baul Kirtan-anga"
The "Rasa Lila Mystics" Raasa leela Mystics, Raas Tattva (this lineage only)
"Baul Tantra Mantra Gopi Yantra".
"The path of the Avadhuta".
"Baul Sahaja is Krishna & Dattatreya Sahaja". #BaulsahajaKrishnaDattatreyasahahaja