https://lineagebaul.blogspot.com/2025/02/indigenous-identity-theft-indigenous.html
Beloved Radha & Krishna of the Vaishnava Bauls of Bengal they have been worshiping them for thousands of years. The Vaishnava Bauls of Bengal are "The Rasa Lila Mystics" ancestors of Sri Nityananda (Nitai) of Ekkchakra Bengal India. Sri Nityananda was the elder best friend of Sri Chaitanya and one of Chaitanya's Guru's.
Some of the Lineage is as follows, (Nabani Das Baul took Gosai off of their name because he did not want anybody touching his feet, he said, touch your own feet, bow down to the divine within yourself.)
There is 2 generations before this listing in 2012, they will be included in Babu Kishan's 4th book on Baul to be released later in 2025.
1. Sri Nityananda,
2. his son Birbhadra (Gosai),
3. Advaita Gosai,
4. Khepa Chand Gosai
5. Rasaraj Gosai,
6. Ananto Gosai,
7. Okkur Gosai & Triguna Das,
8. Phuru Dasi,
9. Nabani Das & Brajabala Dasi,
10.Annapurna Dasi, Radharani Dasi, Purna Das, Lakshman Das, Chakrdhar Das.
11. Krishnendu Das Baul who is the eldest of the new generation of Bauls, his Guru is his Grandfather Nabani Das Khyapa Baul and the last Authentic Baul that all Bauls follow, Nabani is a Baul Avadhut. Oral Sanskrit speaking and yes they had manuscripts, they are Gosai aka Gosain, however, Nabani took Gosai off their name, he said touch your own feet!
This whole lineage goes back thousands of years but I started listing it from the beginning of Gaudiya Vaishnavism late 1500's, Purna Das Baul did a lot fo fundraising for Gaudiya Math and they always held this family in high esteem as the lineage coming out of Sri Nityananda of Ekachakra Birbhum Bengal India.
Nitai was a Baul Avadhut, this lineage is the orginal Hare Krishna singers and dancers.
The upcoming book, "The Rasa Lila Mystics: Reclaiming the Indigenous Ancestral Heritage of the Vaishnava Sahajiya Tantric Bauls of Birbhum" by Trishula Sandra Das, as told by Babu Kishan (Krishnendu Das, Chand Gosia) Das Baul, aims to definitively present the authentic history and practices of the Baul tradition.
Key Themes and Assertions of the Upcoming Book
The book's subtitle, "BAUL TANTRA- MANTRA- GOPI YANTRA: The path of the Avadhuta, Krishna Sahaja and Dattatreya Sahaja," highlights its focus on the profound spiritual and philosophical underpinnings of this specific Baul lineage. It seeks to clarify key aspects of Baul that, according to the provided text, have been consistently misrepresented or appropriated by others.
Combating Poaching and Misrepresentation
A central theme is the protection of intellectual property and the truth of Baul history. The book is presented as a direct response to what the authors see as widespread "poaching" and "viral" copying of their unique lineage's traditions and knowledge for commercial purposes. The text emphasizes that Baul has been kept secret precisely to guard against such appropriation.
The authors lament that previously shared "secrets" of this lineage have been stolen and commercialized by what they term the "Fake Baul industry." They assert that while Baul is for "everybody" and "humanity," it is not for the "fake Baba and Ma commercial industry."
Indigenous Authority and Self-Determination
A crucial point underscored is that only indigenous Bauls can genuinely self-determine who is a Baul. This refers to those who have preserved the tradition over a long lineage, ensuring its continuity and authenticity.
Critiquing "Fake Bauls"
The text condemns the "reductionism and watering down" of Baul by individuals described as "fake Bauls," "actors," or "performers." These individuals are accused of using Baul for "commercial fundraising jackpot donation" and "expansionist" agendas. They are said to invent their own paramparas (lineages) and "fake Baul Gurus" while simultaneously "poaching the history of the indigenous Baul." This includes taking the "firsts and lasts" of the authentic lineage and remaking them, then "bragging about on social media as if they are the first." Babu Kishan explicitly labels these individuals as "hawker Bauls."
Clarifying Core Baul Concepts
The book will likely address common misconceptions, such as the assertion that "Baul is not Buddhist Sahaja."Furthermore, it introduces and aims to safeguard the unique concepts of "Krishna Sahaja" and "Dattatreya Sahaja,"implying that these specific terms and spiritual paths have never been publicly discussed before by others, and the authors anticipate attempts to steal this knowledge as well.
In essence, "The Rasa Lila Mystics" positions itself as a definitive historical autobiography designed to reclaim the ancestral heritage of the Vaishnava Sahajiya Tantric Bauls of Birbhum, correct pervasive misinterpretations, and expose those who commercially exploit the tradition while lacking genuine lineage or understanding.
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'Babu Kishan aka Krishendu Das Baul in 1986 Los Angeles California, USA George Harrison held a a book release party for Babu Kishan's 3th book on Baul, edited by Lila Roy who was Rabindranath Tagore's translator and editor. George Harrison was a good friend of Babu Kishan's along with the sitarist Pandit Ravi Shankar. '
Uniqueness and Protection of Knowledge
You state that your lineage possesses "careful coded terms never mentioned before," indicating a deliberate safeguarding of esoteric knowledge.
The upcoming book is explicitly aimed at "setting the record straight and cleaning up the false narratives,"directly challenging those who claim to be knowledgeable about Baul without proper lineage or understanding.
You issue a stern warning regarding the term "Avadhuta Baul," anticipating its immediate adoption by fakes and clarifying that it, along with "Khyapa Baba" or "Khyapa Baul" (Nabani Das Khyapa Baul's honorifics), is exclusive to specific historical figures and should not be self-titled by others.
You lament that "whatever Babu Kishan aka Krishnendu Das Baul writes, talks about as the eldest Baul of his generation as a born in Birbhum indigenous Baul has been copied."
Specific Examples of Poaching
You provide concrete examples of this alleged intellectual property theft:
Teaching at Universities: Babu Kishan has decades of experience as a qualified guest lecturer, yet others are "re-making his history as an advertisement, teaching false narratives."
Re-recording Music and Poetry: Fake Bauls are re-recording Baul kirtans and songs, and even Babu Kishan's own poetry, for YouTube, "never credit given just brazen intellectual property theft," often unknowingly using his original tunes.
Use of Specific Baul Terms and Concepts:
Baul Akhara: Previously unused by fake Bauls, now discussed after being highlighted on your blog, despite its misuse as a "hang out for collecting devotee's," which you state is "not Baul."
Baul Kirtan & Baul Tantra: You assert these were "never ever even mentioned" by others before Babu Kishan began to discuss them, and now they are "all advertised."
Daily parroting: You describe a constant cycle of "random parroting from this blog re-worked with their random name dropping as if they are the ones."
Exclusivity of Baul & Tantra References: You state that 'Baul and Tantra', Tarapith, Kankali Tala, and Baul Avadhuta are only in relation to Nabani Das Khyapa Baul and his parampara (lineage).
Performance Style: The specific stage acting involving the Ektara, Baya (drum tied around the waist), and Nupoor(ankle bells encased in metal) are identified as Nabani Das Khyapa Baul's unique style. You warn that the truth about this "faking it 'til you make it" using indigenous intellectual property and fabricated lineages "will be told loudly."
Baul & Gaudiya Vaishnavism: You declare that this connection is "only this lineage's history," directly tied to their ancestry as descendants of Nityananda (Chandra Gosia) of Ekachakra, Birbhum, West Bengal. You mention this lineage's historical fundraising for Gaudiya Math, and criticize current YouTube-based fake Bauls for falsely claiming this relationship. This, you state, is "just the start of speaking out."
Babu Kishan's Indian Cinema Career: You dismiss others' attempts to associate with his 40-year career in Indian Cinema, explaining it was his means of survival as indigenous Bauls could not thrive in the modern world due to appropriation. You assert that he created a "new template for their livelihoods," which was then "usurped by fake pretendian Baul."
Ramakrishna Mission & Baul Tattva: You highlight Babu Kishan's 12 years as a monk at the Ramakrishna Mission as a unique part of his Baul history, not for others to fake or claim. You mention his fundraising for the Mission and his role in revealing Baul Tattvas (philosophical principles), which you state were previously unknown to outsiders and were copied from his notes for Purna Das Baul's book.
Gaudiya Vaishnavism Fundraising: This lineage's specific association with Gaudiya Vaishnavism and decades of major fundraising for both the Ramakrishna Mission and Gaudiya Vaishnavism are emphasized as their unique history.
Authentic Baul Sadhanas: You claim that authentic Baul Sadhanas (spiritual practices) are known only by this lineage, and any attempts to teach them by fakes are copied or derived from other books, resulting in "mumble jumble of fakery acted out on youtube."
Indigenous Identity and Genocide
You accuse these fakes of taking names off and making Baul "generic, random or a no name brand type of Baul" to claim it as their own, calling this a "purposeful" act to create "false associations."
You paint a grim picture of this lineage's history being "picked dry to the bone" by individuals who remake their lives and history into YouTube videos with "one liners" and "carefully curated marketing pictures."
You firmly state that these fakes are not indigenous to Birbhum, come from "completely different states, with completely different ancestors," and that Baul is based on "indigenous ancestry a very specific ancestry." Their "lineage or parampara it is made up."
You allege that these fakes are using Baul for "fundraising for jackpots, to collect people, travel the world, while riding on the coattails of this lineage of indigenous ancestral Baul of 13 generations and many more generations before."
You describe this as a "systemic intellectual indigenous property theft" since the 1970s, perpetuated by "Pretendian Fake Bauls," even extending to a derogatory term like "shilpi Baul" being applied to a venerable figure like Purna Das Baul (a Padma Shree awardee).
The True Meaning of Baul: Vayu Tula
You reiterate the correct understanding of Baul as "Vayu Tula" (with 'V' being 'B' in vernacular Birbhum Bengali), emphasizing that Baul is two Sanskrit words, not one.
You stress that distinctions matter and that "the self-determination of any indigenous people is that of the indigenous people."
You explicitly state: "Vayu Tula = Bayu Tula = Batula = Baula = Baul using only a Baul technique (tantra) from this one and only Vaishnava Sahajiya parampara called Rasa Tattva (copy right, please do not poach as told by KD Babu Kishan) for this lineage only." This specific claim of "Rasa Tattva" being a unique and copyrighted Baul technique from this lineage is a significant addition.
You vehemently reject the academic interpretation of Baul as "afflicted by the wind" (vatula), which you call a "one word Ayurvedic term for Vata derrangement, a medical condition," asserting this is "not Baul" and is insulting to indigenous Baul people.
You re-emphasize the importance of "correct preservation" and state that no one should be fundraising to preserve Baul when it has already been preserved by Babu Kishan for over 60 years.
"Pretendian Bauls" as Indigenous Genocide
You directly link "Cultural Mis-Appropriation" to "Indigenous Genocide," arguing that it "leads to the deletion of Indigenous ancestral Bauls and is replaced by the pretendian Bauls."
You draw a parallel to the Canadian documentary "The Pretendians," quoting its message: “When people steal from our culture they end up distorting our culture, they turn it into something we do not even recognize, erasing us by replacing us.” You assert that this has precisely happened to Baul, which is an "indigenous tradition, lineage based on ancestry."
Your statement is a forceful and comprehensive declaration of your lineage's exclusive rights and knowledge concerning Baul, serving as a preamble to the upcoming book and a direct challenge to those you view as imposters and intellectual property thieves.
https://www.knowledge.ca/program/pretendians
https://globalnews.ca/news/9450313/pretendians-canada-indigenous-ancestry/
https://brighterworld.mcmaster.ca/articles/analysis-bourassa-pretendian-metis-scholars-redefined-indigenous-identity-policy/
Vaishnava Bauls lived a vegetarian, Sanskrit oral traditional Vaishnava life that was spontaneous and natural. The had one wife, one husband all their life. They did not sleep with other people wives as stated by the 'new age Vaishnavism' and some were even sanayas all their life. The modern orthodox Vaishnavism that has come out of the west and Calcutta have written very nasty things without even having a clue. So many people are using?
(I only qualify this part because there is a huge misconception because of one British born Vaishnava reformer wrote something back in the 1800's and it is still being passed around in certain circles as pure ignorance.)
However, there are new Bauls singers using Baul, teaching wrong teachings and making Baul a dirty word by their behaviour and associations.
The authentic Baul is Extinct, Baul is no more, all we have are fakes, duping people more and more everyday.
Today Bauls are almost extinct and they are like any indigenous group of original people on this planet who are not being supported, who can not survive in this world and today they have to modernize or die, if you are modern why not the Bauls.
The real Bauls are sweet and innocent ecstatic lovers or the love. Radha and krishna live in their hearts as Sita and Ram lives in Hanuman's heart. Bauls love all Devata. A true Vaishnava always has mercy,Respect for all living things and they never irritates others or call others names. They are about Peace, Love and Unity, accepting all.
Baul is simple but it is not a beginners path they have been around for thousands of years, they are not a new movement as is written by some scholars only because they are not from inside the tradition and can only speculate. Most people who write about the Bauls have never had any connection to this lineage or the oral lineage of Vaishnavism in Bengal.
Baul is the path of the Avadhuta beyond all cultures, caste and creed. Bauls believe in both Duality and Non Duality. They are an ocean..
Bauls areTri Devata including Radha/Krishna, Kali?Shiva and Brahma/Saraswati. As Buddhism flowed into Bengal naturally they added the Rasa of Buddhism, and as Sufi entered Bengal they as added the Juice or essence of Sufi.
However, it should always be understood Bauls are based on Indian Philosophy, Santan Dharma. Bauls are also Tantric (techniques of the macro and mircro cosmos.) Again I must qualify because not all Bauls are Tantrics at Tara Pith this is rare for a Baul from this lineage as Nabani Das Baul and Babuksihan are the only ones in this lineage.
A Baul must experience everything, they have different Guru's to learn different things... in Babukishan's case he learned the Oral Tradition of Baul for almost 30 years before he taught... He also was a monk in the Ramakrishna Order for 12 years.. he has 50 years of experience and to this day is really not teaching.. There quest is for the divine and it takes many years experience in the world as the Avadhuta traveling India learning from nature, the Baul now travels the world learning.
Sanskrit-ists they now sing in Bengali because that is the language of the villagers.
It takes at least 12 years if not a life or many life times to really become a Baul. Bauls are Guru's, and Acharya's they are Masters in all Indian Philosophy, Bhakti Yoga, and Tantra and should be able to answer any question if they want. It is a misconception that a women only take a few years. Brajabala spent a lifetime mastering Baul, so did Radharani and all their Baul disciples and they did not even call themselves a Baul Master. Manju Das spent her life too, although not born into a Baul lineage she lived with a Purna Das Baul for 50 years or more and knew Nabani and Brajabala. It isn't so simple to be a Baul.
They do not collect devotee's and are mysterious and illusive. It is not easy to get anything out of a Baul, it takes years of trust first. Perhaps that will change because of the time. Babukishan is the first and only Baul to live in North America.
The Untold stories from the forgotten Oral Tradition. The Vaishnava Bauls have a great Respect and Love for the Feminine Divine and they always Puja's Radha first. They are natural and spontaneous God intoxicated Mystics who say everybody and everything is Divine.
The Ektara their one stringed Indian Folk instrument is their symbol of Peace Love and Unity they call the Ektara "the Gopi Chand." Bauls of Bengal accept all rejected people as Divine.
Originally Sanskrit Speaking people, now almost extinct. They are preserved so there really is no reason for outsiders to be fundraising in the name of Baul. I mean they sing the songs from this lineage, what are they going to preserve?
There is only one lineage, it is this lineage, so then they must be making up stories. Are they going to preserve this lineage, NOT because unless they are initiated into this one and only lineage they have nothing to preserve. Baul is not a tourist attraction or acting it is a living lineage.
In 2005 UNESCO declared, the Bauls of Bengal:
'A Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible History of Humanity'
The only problem with this is that the Bangladeshi who concocted this took all the money and concocted a story line that says, Bauls came from Persia. When will people (outsiders) stop using the Bauls (this Lineage)?