https://lineagebaul.blogspot.com/2025/02/indigenous-identity-theft-indigenous.html
Indigenous Fraud, Indigenous Baul Identity Theft!
This post addresses the critical issue of indigenous Baul fraud and identity theft, highlighting what is presented as the singular, authentic Baul lineage.
The Authentic Baul Lineage: Babu Kishan and His Ancestry
Babu Kishan, also known as Krishnendu Das, is presented as the first person to publicly speak of a "Lineage" or "Sampradaya" in relation to Baul, beginning in the 1960s. This lineage is distinct from the "traveling Bauls" commonly seen today or in past decades. If others are using the intellectual property of this lineage, it is asserted they do not have permission.
This lineage is described as separate from what is currently presented as Baul, which includes "fake Baul Gurus and fake Baul lineages." These "fake Bauls" are said to have no relation to the authentic lineage, beyond the alleged intellectual theft. The "new Maa and Baba Bhakti business" is also dissociated from this lineage, with Babu Kishan referring to those involved as "hawker Bauls" who exploit Baul for donations and fundraising.
Babu Kishan's knowledge is stated to originate from his grandfather and Diksha Guru, Nabani Das Khyapa Baul. The Vaishnava Sahajiya Tantric Bauls (Chand Gosia Das Baul and Dasi) are emphasized as being based on ancestry and indigenous to Ekachakra, Birbhum, West Bengal.
It's contended that the world would not know about Baul if not for this specific lineage. Others who followed are described as not having been initiated into Baul but simply adopting their songs, dress, and movements, even following them internationally. The term "pretendian Bauls" is used to describe those who allegedly fabricated "fake lineages."
The History of Online Presence and Alleged Appropriation
The blog post points to Babu Kishan's first Baul website in the 1990s (Babukishan.com, defunct since 2006) as a source from which millions of people copied information, regardless of accuracy. Since 2009, with the creation of Lineagebaul.blogspot.com, a new group of "Pretendian Bauls" are accused of copying everything from this lineage. They are alleged to have created "fake Baul Gurus and Fake lineages," taken songs, styles, dances, instruments, and even claimed to be indigenous to Baul. This is characterized as indigenous identity theft.
Such individuals are accused of falsely claiming qualifications to teach at universities or associations with figures like Anandaymayi Ma or the Ramakrishna Mission. They are also said to gaslight people into providing donations or fundraising for "preserving Baul," despite Babu Kishan having allegedly preserved it for over 60 years.
Motives and Misrepresentations
The reasons for this alleged fraud are attributed to a desire for fame (like Purna Das Baul), recording contracts, and social media recognition as a "Baba" or "Ma Baul Master." The post asserts there is no such thing as a "Baul Master" in the authentic tradition, and those claiming the title are committing indigenous identity theft.
Accusations include:
Stealing songs, style, dance, and instruments from the lineage.
Receiving "indigenous Baul awards" despite not being authentic.
Creating foundations for fundraising.
Bragging about performing on major stages, a distinction previously reserved for Nabani Das Khyapa Baul (who performed as part of the freedom movement and at India's inauguration) and Purna Das Baul.
Purna Das Baul is highlighted as one of the first Baul singers and Indian vocalists to represent India globally, receiving numerous awards. The post asserts that "pretendian Bauls" should not receive awards as they are not initiated into Baul and are "liars."
The theft of songs from Babu Kishan's YouTube channel is mentioned, with analytics as proof. It's emphasized that the first tenet of Baul is to "tell the truth." Babu Kishan is stated to have recorded over 80% of his father's music decades before these "fake pretendian Bauls" were born. These individuals are accused of stealing songs and misattributing poets. The proliferation of "Baul lineages" after Babu Kishan named his blog "Lineage Baul" is also noted as suspicious.
The Peril of "Extinction" and False Lineages
The post argues that as Baul faces "extinction," "fake" artists are creating new, false "LINEAGES, Sampradayas and Parampara" based on individuals who were not Bauls. This is facilitated by the general public's lack of understanding of the language. These individuals are accused of copying the authentic lineage's songs, dress, and activities, including teaching at universities and recording songs. One "pretendian Baul" is said to falsely claim to have created Baul fusion in the late 1990s, when Babu Kishan allegedly did so two decades earlier. They are also accused of making false associations and spreading incorrect teachings.
The post firmly states there is "100% certainty there is no such thing as a 'Western Baul' or even a Western Baul lineage." The Sanskrit word Vamsa is provided as meaning "family lineage" and emphasizes that lineage is based on ancestry. It argues against creating a Sampradaya based on a few generations of a poet who never claimed to be a Baul. This is deemed "100% appropriation," especially as Baul is indigenous to Birbhum. Fundraising for "fake lineages" whose "Baul Guru is not even from Bengal" and did not call himself a Baul is questioned.
The True Meaning of Lineage and Sampradaya
The post aims to clarify the terms "lineage" and "sampradaya." It asserts that scholars, writers, journalists, and "fake Bauls" are misusing these terms, especially since the rise of social media. The post strongly claims there is "only one lineage and Sampradaya of Baul." This clarification is deemed necessary due to the "copycat nature" of what Baul has become.
What is the Definition of Lineage?
"Lineage" is not an Indian term, derived from Old French and Latin, meaning "descent, extraction, race" or "line of descent."
From Cambridge University, it refers to "the members of a person's family who are directly related to that person and who lived a long time before him or her."
It signifies "lineal descent from an ancestor; ancestry or pedigree."
Babu Kishan used "lineage" in relation to his ancestry because he assumed others would not understand "Sampradaya."
Sampradaya
Sampradaya is the actual Sanskrit term. In Hinduism, it refers to "a traditional school of religious teaching, transmitted from one teacher to another."
It also means "a school of thought or philosophical conclusion or siddhanta, embodied by a community of orthodox practitioners."
Parampara means "one after the other"—an "historical chain of spiritual preceptors." in a long line, not based on a one generation poet?
While this lineage of Vaishnava Tantric Sahajiya Bauls is not orthodox, it is presented as a living lineage that has evolved. However, current practices by "fakes" are described as having "nothing to do with Baul." Baul is said not to "collect people," preach, or take donations for themselves (their system of donations is called Dakshina, which was shared with villagers).
The family ancestry of this lineage is traced back to the 14th century through Nityanada (Gosia Chand Das Baul) of Ekachakra Birbhum, West Bengal, as a "Sanskrit living lineage" and "Sampradaya based on being indigenous (Gosai Chand)." The distinction is made that Bauls are Tantric indigenous to Vaishnava Baul and existed before Gaudiya Vaishnavism.
Sole Baul Lineage: You state this is the only true Baul parampara (Guru Shishya sampradaya) originating from Birbhum, West Bengal, connected to ancestral indigenous Bhakti Yoga and Kirtan, and dating back to the Radha and Krishna narrative over 5000 years ago.
Unique Vaishnava Connection: You emphasize that this lineage is the only one that historically wore Vaishnava tilaka (forehead markings), and that other Bauls only recently adopted Vaishnava elements due to "pretendian fake Bauls."
Exclusive Avadhuta: You declare Nabani Das Khyapa Baul as the only Baul Avadhuta of the past century or more, presenting this as the definitive Baul history.
Cultural Appropriation: You express concern that other individuals are "looting" and "reworking" the unique songs, dress, style, dance, and instruments, essentially appropriating the "firsts and lasts" established by this lineage.
Exclusive Knowledge and Associations: You claim that:
'Baul and Tantra' (Baul tattva) has only been revealed and is only associated with this lineage.
'Baul and Gaudiya Vaishnavism' have always been closely tied to this lineage, citing Nityananda of Ekachakra as an ancestor and highlighting the lineage's extensive fundraising for the Gaudiya Math.
'Ramakrishna and Baul' is only associated with this lineage through KD Babu Kishan, who was a monk with the Ramakrishna Mission and a major fundraiser.
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We
"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" #BaulKirtan
The "Rasa Lila Mystics" #BaultheRasaLilaMystics
"Baul Tantra Mantra Gopi Yantra". #Baultantramantragopiyantra
"The path of the Avadhuta". #BaulthepathoftheAvadhuta
"Baul Sahaja is Krishna & Dattatreya Sahaja". #BaulsahajaKrishnaDattatreyasahahaja
The Windcatchers (Vayu Tula). #BaulVayuTula. #baulwindcatchers