Reclaiming the Narrative: The Unstoppable Voice of Krishnendu Das Baul (Babu Kishan)
In 1986 Los Angeles, California, USA, George Harrison hosted a book release party for Babu Kishan's third book on Baul. This book was edited by Lila Roy, Rabindranath Tagore's personal translator and editor. George Harrison was a close friend of Babu Kishan's, as was the sitarist Pandit Ravi Shankar. This is just one testament to the global reach and esteemed connections of this one and only Vaishnava Sahajiya Baul lineage, which represents indigenous Bhakti Yoga, tracing its roots back even before Sri Chaitanya.
The new "pretendian" non-indigenous Bauls never historically used terms like Bhakti Yoga, Kirtan, Tantra, or Tara Ma. Yet, as time progresses, a new breed of fake "pretendian Bauls" are "riding on the coattails" of every song and every aspect of this authentic lineage, twisting it into their fabricated stories and lineages. This is blatant plagiarism of the intellectual property of this unique Baul lineage. Vaishnava Baul Kirtan is a very specific tradition that originates solely from this pioneering family.
This lineage represents the roots of Gosai Das Baul and Dasi Bhakti, ancient indigenous people who possess the right to their own self-determination. It is indigenous fraud to appropriate their achievements, their travels, their songs, their style of dance, their dress, their Kirtans, and every aspect of their pioneering spirit, while removing their names and proclaiming that self-titled actors are the true inheritors. The era of "fake it 'til you make it" and "riding on the coattails" of this lineage is over. Copying from this lineage and from this blog is poaching and intellectual property theft.
This is the indigenous ancestral lineage of Sri Nityananda of Ekachakra, Birbhum, West Bengal, India. For further historical context, refer to: https://lineagebaul.blogspot.com/2018/09/lila-roy-rabindranath-tagores-personal.html.
The Audacity of Theft: False Narratives and Shameless Appropriation
Do not plagiarize Babu Kishan's (Krishnendu Das Baul's) lived life stories, nor his ancestors' songs and kirtans, including their historical travels and accomplishments that are already completed Baul history, nor his lyrics or the lyrical poems of this "one and only lineage." Of course, it sounds insane that this must be explicitly stated, but this is the reality today. Just because someone has achieved social media fame does not mean it has been earned through telling the truth. Satya (truth) is the first tenet of Baul, yet sadly, people today are following fakes who use Baul to fundraise and collect donations in the name of Baul.
While removing the names of the indigenous Bauls from the narrative, these fake "pretendian" so-called Bauls are traveling the globe, creating false narratives that shift every time Babu Kishan reveals a new piece of Baul history. They don't care whether the information comes from YouTube videos or any other source; these fakes simply take it, rearrange their style and talking points to align with our blog or websites.
It is an outright lie to claim there are "20,000 Bauls left in Birbhum, West Bengal." This is 100% false, and you will be publicly called out and exposed soon. You can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all the people all of the time. Unfortunately, today, you can fool many people as we delve deeper into the "post-truth era," and these individuals do so with no shame. No shame implies a lack of true consciousness.
The Vaishnava Sahajiya Tantric Bauls of Birbhum, West Bengal, India, are 'indigenous ancestral' Vaishnava Tantric Bhakti Yogis and Yoginis on the path of the Avadhuta. Baul Kirtan and Baul Bhakti Yoga originate solely from this lineage. They have been poached from this lineage, and this poaching has intensified "on steroids" over the past two decades. Thank God, I haven't released the chapters on 'Baul Bhakti Yoga,' because everything Babu Kishan has written over decades, and everything I have written on this blog, has been poached. It is beyond bizarre. Everything I have written on this blog has been poached.
Compare what is written here with what is currently being promoted elsewhere. It's important to understand why Baul is secret, and perhaps I have revealed too much. Babu Kishan warned me. I just didn't think this level of shamelessness was possible from "pretendian Baul actors" in this post-truth era. Every aspect of their original activities, right down to their contacts, has been replicated.
Baul is only synergistically connected within Hinduism (Sanatan Dharma), Indian Philosophy, Bhakti, Kirtan, Vedas, and Tantra of Birbhum. This ancestral lineage represents the only Krishna and Dattatreya Sahaja, the only Vaishnava Sahajiya Bauls. There is no other lineage, and no other Vaishnava Sahajiya Bhakti Yoga and Kirtan Bauls have a legitimate claim. What I write here is then poached from here or from this lineage.
This lineage is the only Bhakti Yoga, Kirtan Baul path, and it has only ever been mentioned by Babu Kishan. The terms "Das Baul and Dasi (Gosai)" regarding Baul exclusively come from this ancestral lineage, indigenous to Birbhum Bauls, who are now near extinction. It is only through this lineage that anyone genuinely knows anything about Baul. To fabricate fake lineages and fake Baul Gurus is seriously disturbed.
It has become a fashion for "pretendian Bauls" to copy and "ride on the coattails of this lineage." Do not be fooled by these fake Bauls; they are adept at social media and skilled actors, having practiced this for a considerable time. Their lives, songs, and all the "firsts" of this lineage have been plagiarized for far too long.
The Erosion of Authenticity: Baul Bhakti Yoga and The "Baba/Ma" Business
This is crucial to understand: now that Bhakti Yoga has gained popularity in the West over the past two decades, and it's being advertised that "Baul Bhakti Yoga and Kirtan" are being taught, you must understand that these individuals have no roots in Baul and are merely Baul actors. They have poached this knowledge from Babu Kishan's (Krishnendu Das Baul's) blog and websites. One day they claim to be Buddhist, the next they act like Radha, and now they are Krishna. They snatch whatever they can from the writings of this blog and Babu Kishan's past work. He knows who they call their "Baul Guru," and those individuals are not Baul. These imposters are armed with fake Baul lineages and fake Baul Gurus, all while using the intellectual property of this indigenous Baul lineage.
I have meticulously documented Baul for almost 20 years, observing what has been happening regarding Baul and documenting what has been appropriated from this lineage. The "pretendian Bauls" have repeatedly engaged in the intellectual theft of songs, kirtans, and everything this lineage has accomplished—their history copied, their names removed, and new fake lineages created, including fabricated Baul Gurus. They even attempt to associate themselves with Babu Kishan's career in Indian Cinema.
Remember, Baul does not "collect people."
I know it sounds outrageous, but Babu Kishan (Krishnendu Das Baul) has been on this path for almost 60 years, both within India and extensively outside, especially in the USA, where he taught Bhakti Yoga for decades. He even founded a Baul institution in California in the 1980s and 1990s, only to see it destroyed by his own brother. He has done the work, while others merely skim everything he has already completed as part of Baul history, which is full and final.
Babu Kishan (Krishnendu Das Baul) has been on this path for over 60 years as an indigenous Baul from the very soul and soil of Birbhum, West Bengal, India.
Copyright and Calling Out the Fraud
Copyright, as told by 'Krishnendu Das Baul' (Babu Kishan), who has preserved Baul for more than 60 years, was instrumental in pioneering Baul globally, establishing many "firsts and lasts" in Baul history and her-story. Babu Kishan is the eldest grandchild of Nabani Das Khyapa Baul and Brajabala Dasi, his initiating Gurus, and the eldest son of Purna Das Baul and Manju Das, the first and only famous Baul singers in India and globally. Before Nabani, no Baul ever sang on a stage.
Copyright: No poaching the stories lived by and only as told by Babu Kishan, his (Indian Cinema) name, and his birth name as given by Nabani Das Khyapa Baul, 'Krishnendu Das Baul' (Gosia Chand). "Krishnendu" means "Krishna's Moon" (Chandra or Chand). Baul is indigenous and ancestral only to the soul and soil of Birbhum. We are very serious about the copying and intellectual theft that has been occurring for decades regarding Baul; it has become an epidemic with some "pretendian fake Bauls" who are not indigenous to Baul.
There is no such thing as a "Baul Master," "Baul Artist," "Western Baul," "Muslim Baul," "Bauls of Bangladesh," or "Fakir Baul." Baul is not from Persian, Uzbekistan, or Turkey; to claim so is 'indigenous identity theft.' The toxic re-twisting, reworking, and creation of false narratives, fake Baul Gurus, and fake "pretendian lineages" is indigenous fraud.
It is completely bizarre how outsiders have used and abused Baul, either for a copycat singing career (because Purna Das Baul was the first famous Baul to travel the world) or, now, how fakes are fundraising for financial jackpots, claiming they will "preserve Baul" or "build Baul ashrams around the world," when Baul has already been preserved in every way—tradition, dress, instruments, songs, practices. This lineage's Baul histories are already lived, completed, and final. Baul is complete. There is no need for any random, non-indigenous fake "pretendian Bauls" to steal the indigenous intellectual property of these Bauls by copying their style, songs, and dance, reworking them, and pretending that these fakes are the ones who lived the stories, by fabricating false associations such as teaching at Universities, having attended or been interested in the Ramakrishna Mission, and being "Music composers" with loose associations to Indian Cinema (Bollywood). This is absurd, as Babu Kishan is the only "first and last" Baul to have an actual 40-year career in Indian Cinema at all levels of management and as a music composer and filmmaker. They are truly trying to fake and cover all their bases to compete with Nabani Das Khyapa Baul, Purna Das Baul, and Babu Kishan, hoping to be recognized on social media as a "big self-titled Baul Master"—which they are not, and there is no such thing. When your "Guru" is a fake Baul Guru and you have fabricated a lineage that does not exist but copied everything from this lineage, that is indigenous fraud.
This book is about reclaiming Babu Kishan's (Krishnendu Das Baul's) own history in the recording, preservation, and global dissemination of Baul. His name has been completely erased by his family and by the "pretendian Bauls." He is reclaiming his lineage, ancestral memories, and all the work he has done regarding Baul, teaching at universities, and the songs of his lineage. He has preserved and reclaims his family's history and her-story, which have been so sorely appropriated by fake "pretendian Bauls" who have removed their names. This is indigenous identity theft and looting of the indigenous Bauls through massive fundraising jackpot schemes, falsely claiming they are going to preserve Baul while simultaneously looting this lineage, their songs, dress, style of music, travels, and accomplishments. It is Indigenous Fraud when those seeking financial jackpots are not even Baul. Do not remove the names of the Bauls. If they say "Das Baul or Dasi" and have fabricated another Baul lineage, they are fake because there is only ONE Baul lineage, and secondly, they have lied—they have not told the truth.
Included in the book is a critique of what academic scholars have written about Baul and how damaging their speculations are. They lack true knowledge; they are not trained in Baul. Baul is Vaishnava first. There is no way a Baul is a leather tanner of one generation out of the blue. Of course, people write all sorts of books, and I have critiqued many of them on lineagebaul.blogspot.com, demonstrating why they are not Baul, why they have no right to self-determine who is Baul because of their speculations and all the false narratives they have created, and why they are not indigenous to Baul. Their ancestors have not preserved Baul; they do not speak or even know the languages of Baul.
Here is one example: 'Some believe he was the composer of the well-known song Hṛd Mājhāre Rākhibo Cheṛe Debo Nā, and of Kichu din mone mone, later popularized by the stunning performances of Paban Das Baul and Parvathy Das Baul.’ - Lorea. This statement is not only insulting; it is insidious and loudly needs to be called out. These two songs were written by and popularized by Nabani Das Khyapa Baul and his son Purna Das Baul. They were stolen from recordings produced by Babu Kishan in the 1970s. They were popularized and composed by this lineage; they belong to the intellectual property of this lineage, used and recorded by many who never gave credit, just taken (stolen) and used for outsiders' social media fame. We live in 2025; this is unacceptable. The songs mentioned were already played on the radio all over Bengal and India. This is indigenous identity theft, indigenous fraud. Paban and Parvathy are not Bauls; they are "pretending Bauls," and Babu Kishan knows their history. Parvathy stole the song directly from Babu Kishan’s YouTube channel. We have analytics that will show how many times she listened over and over, only to see it uploaded with the wrong poet's name—Roshik, who is a nickname of a poet from this lineage. The true poet of those two songs was Nabani Das Khyapa Baul ("Mirror of the Sky"), and we can prove it without a shadow of a doubt. These songs were already popular, written by Nabani Das Khyapa Baul and made popular by his son when they were commercially produced by Babu Kishan and constantly heard on the radio. These songs were copied directly from this lineage's recordings, as are many others. These songs are the intellectual property of this lineage; they were taken and re-recorded while "pretendian Bauls" sang them for their own commercial success, even using the wrong poet's name to mislead or, worse, no poet's name at all. This is Baul today: lying, cheating, and acting like a Baul with the soul of thieves. Yes, Bauls do care who the poets are, and now you are going to find out just how much an indigenous ancestral Baul cares. Do not poach from this blog and then repeat the stories as if you know, because I will tell you, these stories will be told very soon.
The Vedas and Truth: A Foundational Principle for Baul
"1. The Vedas and Lies "Satyam Eva Jayate" ("Only truth triumphs.") (Rigveda 10.177.2) The Rigveda also states: "Truth brings harmony with ṛta (cosmic order), while falsehood disrupts it." Ṛta, a fundamental concept in the Vedas, represents the universal order closely linked to truth and justice.
The Upanishads and the Concept of Satya The Upanishads, the philosophical texts of the Vedic tradition, emphasize truth as the path to spiritual growth. The Chandogya Upanishad states: "Satya is Brahman." (Chandogya Upanishad 8.3.5) "Truth itself is Brahman (the Absolute Reality)." This teaching highlights that in the Vedic tradition, truth is not merely a moral virtue but a metaphysical principle. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (5.10.1) declares: "One who always speaks the truth ultimately attains moksha (liberation)."
Dharma Shastras The Dharma Shastras, such as the Manusmriti, which outlines Hindu laws, offer specific perspectives on lying. The Manusmriti (4.138) states: "Truth must always be upheld, but if a lie can save a life or prevent injustice, it may be permitted." This view suggests that while lying is generally condemned, it may be justified in rare cases for a greater purpose.
The Mahabharata and Ramayana The two great Vedic epics contain several stories illustrating the consequences of lies. Yudhishthira in the Mahabharata: Yudhishthira, renowned for his truthfulness, once spoke a half-truth in a critical situation. As a result, he immediately felt guilt and suffered negative karma. Rama in the Ramayana:Rama, the embodiment of Dharma (righteous duty), never lies, demonstrating the supreme importance of truth in the Vedic tradition. Does lying distance a person from their Dharma? In Vedic wisdom, lying is generally considered a sin because it disrupts the universal order (ṛta) and distances an individual from the ultimate truth (Brahman). However, texts such as the Manusmriti acknowledge certain circumstances where lying may be acceptable.
Overall, Vedic teachings place great emphasis on Satya (truth) as a divine principle and the path to liberation."
The Complete History of Baul: A Living Legacy
As you can infer, Baul indeed became the focal point of books, movies, and singers, and there is a profound historical story behind this one and only indigenous ancestral lineage. From Nabani Das Khyapa Baul and Brajabala Dasi to Purna Das Baul and Manju Das, and finally to their eldest grandson and eldest son, the story of modern Baul and all that Babu Kishan (Krishnendu Das Baul) brought to the tradition is a complete narrative. Baul is complete; the living history has been complete for decades.
There is no need for any random non-indigenous fake "pretendian Bauls" to steal the indigenous intellectual property of these Bauls by copying their style, songs, and dance, reworking them, and pretending that these fakes are the ones who lived the stories. There is no need for them to fabricate false associations such as teaching at Universities, having attended or been interested in the Ramakrishna Mission, or being "Music composers" with loose associations to Indian Cinema (Bollywood), when Babu Kishan is the only "first and last" Baul to have an actual 40-year career in Indian Cinemaat all levels of management and as a Music Composer and Filmmaker. They are truly trying to fake and cover all their bases to compete with Nabani Das Khyapa Baul, Purna Das Baul, and Babu Kishan, hoping to be recognized on social media as a "big self-titled Baul Master"—which they are not, and there is no such thing. When your "Guru" is a fake Baul Guru and you have fabricated a lineage that does not exist but copied everything from this lineage, that is indigenous fraud.
This book is about reclaiming Babu Kishan's (Krishnendu Das Baul's) own history in the recording, preservation, and global dissemination of Baul. His name has been completely erased by his family and by the "pretendian Bauls." He is reclaiming his lineage, ancestral memories, and all the work he has done regarding Baul, teaching at universities, and the songs of his lineage. He has preserved and reclaims his family history and her-story, which have been so sorely appropriated by fake "pretendian Bauls" who have removed their names. This is indigenous identity theft and looting of the indigenous Bauls through massive fundraising jackpot schemes, falsely claiming they are going to preserve Baul while simultaneously looting this lineage, their songs, dress, style of music, travels, and accomplishments. It is Indigenous Fraud when those seeking financial jackpots are not even Baul. Do not remove the names of the Bauls. If they say "Das Baul or Dasi" and have fabricated another Baul lineage, they are fake because there is only ONE Baul lineage, and secondly, they have lied—they have not told the truth.
Included in the book is a critique of what academic scholars have written about Baul and how damaging their speculations are. They lack true knowledge; they are not trained in Baul. Baul is Vaishnava first. There is no way a Baul is a leather tanner of one generation out of the blue. Of course, people write all sorts of books, and I have critiqued many of them on lineagebaul.blogspot.com, demonstrating why they are not Baul, why they have no right to self-determine who is Baul because of their speculations and of all the false narratives they have created, and why they are not indigenous to Baul. Their ancestors have not preserved Baul; they do not speak or even know the languages of Baul.
The "Strange Case of Fake Pretendian Bauls" and the Path Forward
The "strange case of 'fake pretendian Bauls'" has been very destructive to the indigenous Bauls. The appropriation, reductionism, and watering down of the songs, style, whatever they did, and following them around the world, fabricating fake lineages and fake Baul Gurus. They copied everything, removing names and pretending they lived their stories by remaking their stories and copying everything they did and where they went.
Truth quotes: Baul holds truth as the starting point: Satya is to tell the truth.
This new book offers a glimpse into Babu Kishan's fourth book on Baul (the other three are out of print), set to be released this year, 2025. This book embodies over 60 years of experience, research, preservation, and historical "firsts and lasts" lived by this lineage, chronicling the actual lives of the one and only lineage of the Vaishnava Sahajiya Bauls of Birbhum, West Bengal, India.
This is from the one and only lineage of Baul (Chand Gosia). This is the historical story lived by the last authentic indigenous Bauls who walked on Earth, with fragments of a marginalized people barely able to survive, having to compete with fake "pretendian Bauls" who come from middle-class families. In many ways, reclaiming the indigenous ancestral memories of this lineage provides a great case study in how indigenous sects in India are mistreated and usurped by outsiders who water down and reduce their legacy.
This book presents the accurate story of the lineage, with their names intact, not removed and claimed by outsiders by making the stories generic and random, as if "all Bauls" lived these stories. This new book is the story told to me over a 20-year period of listening to Babu Kishan's actual lived stories of who the Bauls truly are. No more speculation is needed; no more exploiting Baul. It stops here. This is about how this lineage brought Baul out of the villages of Birbhum, introducing and pioneering Baul to all of Bengal, to all of India, and into international global fame. The names are written in stone; no more randomizing Baul or making Baul generic while "pretendian fake Bauls" claim this lineage bit by bit, faking Baul, making false associations. The truth must be brought to light. The "Pretendian fake Bauls" have done this by fabricating fake lineages and fake Baul Gurus. It is absolutely astounding it has gone on as long as it has, for decades.
So famous, in fact, that Baul aroused and became the focal point of many famed Indian singers, actors, film producers, artists, politicians, Presidents, and international stars such as Bob Dylan and The Band, George Harrison, The Rolling Stones, Osho, Anandamayi Ma, Sita Ram Das Omkarnath, and many others. Yet, many so-called self-titled "experts" are talking and making false associations with these people who only associated with this lineage. They read it through Babu Kishan's writings and now have tried to repeat it. What kind of joke is this? It will be qualified in a big way when the book is released.
The "strange case of 'fake pretendian Bauls'" has been very destructive to the indigenous Bauls. The appropriation, reductionism, and watering down of the songs, style, whatever they did, and following them around the world, fabricating fake lineages and fake Baul Gurus. They copied everything, removing their names and pretending they lived their stories by remaking their stories and copying everything they did and where they went.
Actionable Steps: Protecting Indigenous Baul
Truth quotes: Baul holds truth as the starting point: Satya is to tell the truth.
This is a rough draft, still needing editing, but it's crucial to put this information out there now. If not, the "fake Bauls" will have created YouTube videos poaching Baul from the writings on this blog, all documented in my files, which will be made public. This has gone on for too long. This is what happens when dishonest people have no shame or sense of truth.
Copyright: No poaching and plagiarizing for YouTube videos. This unfortunately must be brought to the attention of the public, because Jackpot fundraising and donation collecting when you are not indigenous to Baul is indigenous fraud. Fundraising to "preserve Baul" when Baul has been preserved by this lineage and for over 60 years by Babu Kishan is indigenous fraud and indigenous intellectual property theft. So think next time you steal a Baul song from this lineage or directly from Babu Kishan's YouTube channel and feel entitled to re-record it. We will openly call all this out now; it has gone on for too long. "What is real appears as false, and what is false appears as real"—this is Kali Yuga, the time we live in. Stop indigenous fraud.
As the legal context highlights: “Their adoption of Indigenous identities allows them access to jobs, money, and opportunities that are set aside for Indigenous people. Pretendians raise issues with respect to employment/labour law, charter, and privacy issues. It also calls into question recent Supreme Court of Canada case law. These identity issues – whether it is an individual right to identify as Indigenous, whether the Indigenous nation has any say, whether there are any necessary requirements to claim an Indigenous identity – are very much in the spotlight as writers, filmmakers, lawyers, and academics are exposed in the press for having little or no right to the Indigenous identities they have been claiming. Some have made these dubious claims for decades and have built fame, prestige, and careers on them."
This one and only lineage does not follow others; others follow them. These "pretendian Baul actors" fabricate stories and teach false narratives while "riding on the coattails" of this lineage. This has been proven, and I have hundreds of documented examples and proof.
Babu Kishan says these types of people, the "pretendian Bauls," are HAWKERS. I didn't understand, then he explained that those who change their story all the time are hawkers; they do whatever brings attention. If what they do doesn't work, they move on to the next thing at all costs. This is not new; this has been going on for decades and probably started with their self-proclaimed, so-called "Baul Gurus."
"Baul Hawkers" are random wandering people who have no roots in Baul. They watched us closely, learned our songs, then followed where we traveled in India and worldwide. They copied our style—Nabani Das Khyapa Baul's style in every way, including dance (Ektara or Gopi Chand/Gopi Yantra, unique to this lineage), the Baya (the drum tied around the waist), and his and Purna Das Baul's (only) style of ankle bells called Nupoor ("ankle bells encased in metal"), our dress, songs, Baul Kirtans, and our style of Baul Vaishnava Sahajiya Bhakti Yoga that only comes from this lineage.
Even Baul Tantra is now being discussed by those who emerged "out of the woodwork with woodwork" (meaning, newly manufactured claims from nowhere). No other fake Bauls ever talked about Kirtan! Our songs are taken and re-recorded without permission directly from YouTube and the radio or past albums recorded solely by this lineage. They boldly feel entitled to take whatever they want, listening to and re-recording, acting out the songs in our style while attributing the whole lot to a fake Baul Guru. Copied directly from Babu Kishan's (Krishnendu Das Baul's) YouTube channel and off the radio. Without permission, they re-recorded our songs, without giving credit, and removing our names.
They used our stories, making them "random." By "random," we mean removing the names of the Bauls who lived the stories. For example: Baul's association with Rabindranath Tagore, Vivekananda, Ramakrishna Mission, Anandamayi Ma, Bob Dylan, Allen Ginsberg, The Rolling Stones. These fake "random Bauls" had nothing to do with these people; only very specific Bauls with names—Nabani Das Khyapa Baul, Purna Das Baul, and Babu Kishan—were involved. These are their stories to tell; "random Bauls" had nothing to do with this Baul history.
If not for Nabani Das Khyapa Baul, Purna Das Baul, and Babu Kishan (Krishnendu Das Baul), no random "pretendian Baul" would have anything to appropriate or any reason to steal the intellectual property of this lineage. Don't be fooled; stay away from the cult mentality. "Hawkers are hawkers," and this is what the hawkers do: they sell Baul as a commodity to gain recording contracts, free press, and trips around the world, displaying their wares to anybody who will be sucked in.
This lineage has many "firsts and lasts" regarding Baul. Just watch how they copy and try to present themselves as if they are the ones, while they copy every corner of the indigenous Bauls—this lineage's already lived lives. It is not a joke; it is a puzzle that I have put together, documented, and have proof of. There is a difference between appreciation of indigenous Baul and serious appropriation.
These "hawkers" take every aspect of the lineage Bauls' lives and re-display it, acting as if they were the ones, reworking the already lived history of this lineage. They tell you they are "masters" and they are going to teach you, and act like they know Baul. They do not; they copied it directly from this lineage, from Babu Kishan's life's work. Always waiting for a new song, a new word, a new chapter from a book to teach. I documented one fake Baul listing all the chapters in Babu Kishan's father's book "Baul Philosophy," advertising the titles of the chapters as to what they will be teaching in workshops. You literally cannot make this up!
First it is about tone and music, even Indian Cinema. Then, "Bauls are monks," "Bauls are from Turkey," then "Buddhism," then "Lalon," then "Ramakrishna," "Anandamayi Ma"—when they have done none of the work. They are copying Babu Kishan's life. They use any idea of the lived history of this lineage, rework it for social media pictures, and claim they are "legendary Bauls." I have documented everything on the internet presented by these fake "pretendian Bauls" for over 20 years. Babu Kishan has documented all the fakery for over 60 years.
If Babu Kishan had not written anything over decades about Baul, they would not know anything about Baul; they would not have a story to claim. This is because their "fake Guru" copied everything from this lineage, and they feel entitled to do the same without the indigenous or ancestral adhikara (authentic lineage of Baul, entitlements, competence, or authority) to do so. Make no mistake, the authority of a lineage or sampradaya only lies within the lineage of Baul. There is no other lineage of Baul. Babu Kishan is the first to ever talk about lineage regarding Baul, and then every random, wandering "fake Baul" all of sudden has a fake lineage with a fake Baul Guru. Babu Kishan knew these so-called self-titled "Baul Gurus"; he documented who they are and knows their stories of where they came from. Their lineage is a fake lineage, and it can be proven.
"Hawkers" have big smiles, trying to recruit others while saying "come and join them." When Bauls do not "collect people," that should tell you enough. Are they fundraising or asking for donations? Those are the "Hawkers." They have made foundations copied word for word from our original first Baul foundation. "Hawkers" are idea thieves; they are hunters ready to poach whatever they can, trying to sew it all together a new product to sell.
"Hawkers" change their methods of acting when one idea does not work they change their directions, maybe they will be tantrics promoting Tara Ma one time, the next they are Bhakti Yogis or associated with Ramakrishna or Anandamayi Ma, when only this lineage has lived this history.
"Hawker Bauls" call themselves "Baul Artists" one minute and "Baul Masters" the next and really how would you know, you would not. "Hawker Bauls" have a new scheme when the last one didn't work, they keep churning out schemes. Fake Bauls are not the only hawkers today, today throughout Indian spirituality there are hawkers with stories that would blow your mind, yet they have nothing to ground their stories in, just a game.
They give flippant advertising stories and one liners bragging about how much they travel? This is not Baul, and not based on any Baul reality, but in social media pictures and the accumulation of like on social media.
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