BAUL BELIEFS AND PRACTICES

Baul beliefs are derived from many sources. Tantric Buddhism was strong in Bengal from perhaps the fifth century A.D. until the Muslim conquest in the early thirteenth century. Sufism or Islamic mysticism then arose in the area and became intermingled with the rising tide of devotional Vaishnavism (in Bengal, focusing on the relationship between Krishna and his mistress Radha) and its tantric offshoot, Sahajiya Vaishnavism. Shakta religion, the worship of the goddess (in forms such as Kali or Devi), grew from an esoteric meditative tradition to widespread devotional love, and it was also a strong influence on the Baul tradition. Shaktism was incorporated in the Baul songs both as worship of the physical woman and as imagery from Kundalini yoga. In Baul song and poetry, the deity may be called Bhagavan, Radha/Krishna, Shiva/Shakti, Allah, the man of the heart, the unknown bird, the great bliss (mahasukha), or infinite light.

Baul practice shows tantric influence, both in the importance of having a female partner and in its acceptance of Sexuality as a path to religious experience. The god is associated with creativity and is understood to dwell physically in the sexual fluids of the body. These fluids meet during sexual Ritual, which takes place when the male and female essences are believed to be strongest. At this time, the male and female aspects of the divine are understood to be fully present, and the god (often understood to be a divine couple, the god and goddess) can be perceived by the performers of the ritual. Many poetic metaphors are used to describe this process: the union of water and milk, catching the fish at high tide, the piercing of the moons. When the deity is fully manifest in the body, the body is recognized as a microcosm of the universe. As a Baul proverb states, "What is not in the body is not in the universe."

Baul religious belief and practice are expressed in song, there is no revealed text and no single founder. Some songs emphasize spontaneity (sahaja) and the states of religious ecstasy and creativity that come of their own accord, without effort. These states are highly valued by Bauls. Other songs describe the role of disciplined religious practice (sadhana), which seeks to induce the state of ecstasy (bhava).

BAUL ATTIRE AND INSTRUMENTS

Bauls usually dress in orange or saffron, to show their association with the religious life. Men wear thealkhalla, a robe of coarse cloth, small bells at the ankles, long hair (often in a topknot), and beards, and sometimes rudraksha beads (sacred to the god Shiva). Women may wear simple white or saffron saris and no jewellery.

Baul singers are usually men, and they play a variety of instruments to accompany the songs. Bauls use a variety of indigenous musical instruments to embellish their compositions. The "ektara," a one-stringed drone instrument, is the common instrument of a Baul singer. It is the carved from the epicarp of a gourd and made of bamboo and goatskin. 

Other commonly used musical paraphernalia include " dotara," a multi-stringed instrument made of the wood of a jackfruit or neem tree; "dugi," a small hand-held earthen drum; leather instruments like "dhol," "khol" and "goba"; chime tools like "ghungur," "nupur," small cymbals called "kartal" and "mandira," and the bamboo flute. 

The ektara is more popular in Western Bengal, while the dotara seems to be a preferred instrument in Bangladesh and the eastern and northern districts of West Bengal. Bauls often dance while they sing: swirling in wild abandon or keeping time with simple yet distinctive steps. To accentuate these movements, they wear ghungur (bells) or nupur (anklets) around their ankles.

BAUL PHILOSOPHY - THEIR LIFE AND EXISTENCE

                        

Baul religious and philosophical standpoints exist largely as an outcome of the commingling of Hinduism and Islam, containing as well some signs of Buddhist influence. Baul philosophy promotes a liberal view, renouncing caste and other social constructs in an effort to strip oneself of outside influence, revealing the moner manush (Eng: person of the heart). In this way Bauls focus heavily on the physical as the object of devotion. Their practice focuses heavily on the chaar-chand (Eng: four moons), representing the four fluids of the body and the naba-dwar (Eng: nine doors), representing the nine openings of the body. Another main philosophical theme lies in viewing the body as a microcosm for the universe, and in that way, everything in the universe is also contained in man. As such, the ‘moner manush’ is given the utmost respect by the Bauls, who feel that Bhagavan (Eng: the supreme being; the ultimate; absolute truth) can only be reached through the human form. In this way, Baul philosophy emphasizes love for all human beings. This, they feel, is the path leading to the Divine Love. Romantic love especially is viewed by Bauls as the link between God and man.

Bauls have a system of religious theology and practice that is characterized by the belief that God exists physically within the world, especially within the human body. This differs from more traditional Indian religious thought (both Vedic and dharmic) that understands the body as more Distant from the gods and emphasizes the importance of purity and transcendence of the physical world. For Bauls, the body is pure because the god is present. The teacher or guru is important because he can guide the student toward the vision of the god within (bhagavata darshan).

Bauls may live as religious ascetics or as laypeople. The householder Bauls live as married couples and perform daily rituals in their homes. The ascetic Bauls take initiation, often as renunciant vows (sannyasa diksha), and may wander through the countryside or live in the ashram orakhara(monastery). These ashrams are frequently supported by the local villagers. Bauls who wander from village to village may also contribute from their earnings from begging (madhukari) or singing. 

THE EMERGENCE OF BAUL CULTURE

A Baul Performance

Bauls are a religious and cultural group of India, best known for their songs and poems to the god who dwells within. They are found primarily in the state of West Bengal in India and in Bangladesh. The mystical Baul music cult is not just unique to Bengal though, it also has a special place in the history of world music.  There are three major communities or lineages (sampradayas). The first is associated with the Birbhum District, which is traditionally considered to be the source of the Baul tradition in West Bengal. This community is in the western part of the state, and it inhabits the districts of Birbhum, Burdwan, Bankura, and Midnapore. It shows many influences, including Tantric Buddhism and Shaktism (goddess worship). The second community is known as the Navadvipa sampradaya, which shows strong Bengali Vaishnava influence and is found primarily in the Nadia and Murshidabad districts. The third group is the Muslim Bauls or fakir sampradaya, found primarily in Bangladesh.

Not much is known of the origin, though it is conjectured that the cult of traveling musicians may date back to the 9th century. Not until the mid 18th century are they noted by historians as a major, identifiable cult. The word "Baul" has its etymological origin in the Sanskrit words "Vatula" (madcap), or "Vyakula" (restless), and is often used to describe someone who is "possessed" or "crazy." Originally, the Bauls were simply eccentrics who rejected the traditional social norms to form a distinct sect that upheld music as their religion. "Baul" is also the name given to the genre of folk music developed by this creative cult.