Gopi Yantra / Gopi Chand / Ektara
All rights reserved by Babu Kishan
Do not copy and take the names off, no poaching !
This Pioneering Lineage "Vaishnava Tantric Bauls of Birbhum" Bengal use a yantra called the 'Gopi Yantra' as their Yantra 'instrument of focus' while others use a mandala the mandala (yantra) for this lineage is the Gopi Yantra. The Ektara was only brought into focus by this lineage. They have been using it for thousands of years a Vaishnava Tantrics. The difference between orthodox Vaishnava and the Vaishnava Bauls of Birbhum is that they are Tantrics. They are Vaishnava Tantrics but embody all 3 murti's Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva.
. This lineage also, calls it the Gopi Chand aka the Ektara. Other Tantrics use a geometrical Yantra as their focus, the Baul uses the Gopi Yantra. There are many types of Yantra's not just the geometrical artist drawn Yantra's.
A one stringed instrument that is this lineages Baul symbol of 'peace and unity' for the Bauls of Birbhum Bengal. The pioneering lineage brought these instruments to the public domain, the Ektara and the Khamaka which Nabani Das Khyapa Baul revised with the 2 strings used today and he named it the Ananda Lahari. A perfect example to show how others copy everything from this lineage.
Nabani had a particular style, Ektara, Baya (waist drum), Nupoor his style only of an ankle bell encased in metal. This has to be said, for historical purposes because some others who are self title Bauls are wandering around singing Nabani Songs and acting out his style but making up lineages. Life is not fair, this is the way of today, what is real is seen as unreal and what is unreal is seen as real this is called Kali Yuga!
You can see his style of ankles bells at sitting by his knee, those are called Nupoor, only he wore these, then his father Purna Das Baul, now today a few are wearing them but making up fake lineages, trying to claim and collect people, which is what Baul never does. A Baul mystically goes around helping people. You can fake it til you make it, but you can never be Nabani Das Khyapa Baul.
The gopi yantra originates from this living lineage of Vaishnava Baul the lineage of Sri Nitai (Nityananda) of Ekachakra Birbhum Bengal India and thousands of years before Nitai.
The Gopis are the lovers of Krishna, when Krishna would play his flute they would go mad with divine love and come running to Krishna. The sound of the Baul 'Gopi Yantra' can make one mad with divine desire of love, the Gopi Yantra is a mystical trance instrument. This yantra is infused with Shakti, Nabani's was super powerful and many wanted his Gopi Yantra.
The Ektara is the symbol of the Bauls the one string signifies uinity, this lineage calls it the Gopi Chand, because they are forever in Yoga or union with their beloved Radha and Krishna.
The above black and white Photo was taken by Rabindranath Tagore, it is a photo of the only legendary and last authentic traditional Baul he left the planet in 1969.
Nabani Das Baul is the Grandfather and Guru of Babu Kishan aka Krishnendu Das Baul. Nabani and Brajabala raised Babu Kishan until he was 8 years old when in 1969 Nabani passed away and Babu Kishan was sent to Calcutta to be with his birth Parents Purna Das Baul and Manju Dasi and his 2 younger brothers. His stay with them did not last long as he was sent like an orphan to the RamaKrishna Mission. Many stories to be told, some very sad, and some very good.
When Babu first came to Calcutta his birth mother Manju used to bribe him with sweets to call her Maa. It was very difficult for Babu because from the moment he was born all he knew a Bora Baba and Ma was Brajabala Dasi and Nabani Das Khyapa Baul.
Babu Kishan spent 12 years at the Ramakrishna Mission of course he would eventually spend much time with Purna Das Baul and Manju Dasi and after 12 years when he was going to become a Sanayasin they pulled him out and he became the most dedicated manager, music producer for them. This was some of their most successful time for them. Babu Kishan wanted so badly to have that family and be loved he would do anything for them.
