Prof Dr Anwarul Karim :
A country is known by her fairs and festivals (utshab). These are undoubtedly ‘the jewels of culture’ of a country. Bangladesh is a country of colourful celebrations. We celebrate our faith, life, liberty, and achievement round the year. People irrespective of religion, colour, caste and creed join in these varieties of fairs and festivals. Nature seems too joins with people in celebrating these festivals. However, festivals in Bangladesh fall into four major categories: religious festivals, national events, cultural festivals, tribal festivals. Fairs and festivals are taken as the basic components of the culture of any country. These are ways of life.
In fact, festivals are common to all societies and cultures. These are deeply rooted in the social organism and they continue to entertain from generation to generation. Fairs and festivals are thus an integral part of our culture and heritage. These are an important segment of cultural heritage in Bangladesh. Fairs and festivals, both religious and social, always play a significant role in the life of the people of Bangladesh.
Baul music is the most popular music of Bangladesh. It reflects a universal impulse of humanity. For the last 200 years or more this music has left a tremendous impact on the mind of the people for its mysticism. No other songs in Bangladesh have gained so much popularity as those of the Bauls of Bangladesh. It has caught the attention of the world for its mystic music and metaphysical approach to life. Rabindranath Tagore was also drawn towards their songs and he assimilated their ideas and also musical tunes for his ‘Gitanjali’ (Song Offerings) and when he read out at the residence of poet Rottenstine in England some of the verses which he translated into English before a selected gathering, the audience looked spell bound, and on hearing those verses, they left the place without uttering a single word or thanking the poet for his work. Rabindranath felt ashamed and was completely broken hearted. But the following day, he started receiving phone calls and letters in which the listeners stated that they were so much bewitched and bemused that they forgot to thank him. They told him that the songs were so unique and amazingly new that these were marvels. Never had they heard of these songs which contained a unique philosophy unknown to the modern world. Buddadev Basu, a leading poet of West Bengal, India narrated this story in his book,’ The Poet Rabindranath’. Rabindranath Tagore, in fact, admitted clearly in many of his writings that he had borrowed Baul tune in many of his songs. These have inspired other poet composers of Bangladesh to use Baul tune in their songs. Poet Nazrul Islam too was greatly influenced by the Bauls and composed songs with Baul tunes and themes. A good number of poets in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India have written poems with Baul themes. Songs of Bauls have been translated into English. Scholars from home and abroad study Bauls and their music both in Bangladesh and in India for university degree or for general interest. Mention may be made about Professor Edward C. Dimock (Jr) and many others for contribution to Baul philosophy. They include : Edward C. Dimock (Jr.), 1) “Rabindranath Tagore – The Greatest of the Bauls of Bengal”( 1975) Journal of the Asian Studies, University of Michigan, USA, 2) The Place of the Hidden Moon, Erotic Mysticism in the Vaishnava Sahajiya Cult of Bengal, Chicago: University of Chicago Press (1966), USA.; Charles Capwell, 1) The Esoteric Beliefs of the Bauls of Bengal, Journal of Asian Studies,1974; 2) “The Changing Role of the Bauls in Modern Bengal.” In Anthropology and Music: Essays in Honour of David P. Mc Allester. Detroit Monographs in Musicology,1974; Josef Kuckertz, “Origin and Construction of the Melodies in Baul songs of Bengal”, Yearbook of the International Folk Music Council, 1975, USA; Carol Salomon, ” A Contemporary Sahajiya Interpretation of the Bilvamangal-Cintamani Legend as Sung by Sonatan Das Baul” In Patterns of Change in Modern Bengal, edited by Richard L. Park, Michigan 1979, USA. June McDaniel, The Madness of the Saints, Esoteric Religion in Bengal, 1989, Chicago, USA. A number of scholars in Japan, Germany and France and elsewhere also worked on the Bauls. Besides, many scholars in Bangladesh and India also made in- depth study on the Bauls. Hopefully a detailed bibliography would be made available to the scholars in future.
The Bauls have two festivals in a year. One is held on the occasion of Dol-Purnima or the Holi festival. This has been reportedly in vogue from the time of Lalon Shah (1774 -1890). The Baul festival is held during the full moon night of the Bengali month, Falgun (March-April). The festival has its practice among the Vaishnavism or those who take Krishna and Chaitanya as the Guru. The word Vaishnava is originated from the Hindu deity Vishnu. It suggests that the Baul cult was syncretistic nature. Lalon himself arranged this program. He used to term this festival as ‘massova’ or ‘mahotsava’ (great festival). From then on, hundreds of Bauls used to visit the Saurian Mzaar of Lalon Fakir in Kushtia. The Bauls used to visit the Mazar on their own. Although the local committee makes arrangement for food and lodging, the Bauls bring their own food for these days. But never have I seen any kind of dol-utshav or holy festival at Lalon Academy during my time. Three-day music was held in memory of Lalon. In my student life and before the establishment of Lalon Academy the local Baul Committee arranged the program. An open stage was made in the central position of the Akhra and the musical performance was held throughout the night. I experienced males and females came from different places. The Bauls came and stayed in the mazar compound under a canopy or flat tent for three days and arranged food for themselves. The committee also arranged food for the Bauls.
Lalon died on October 17, Friday, 1890 at his akhra in Seuria village. His death report was published in the weekly Grambarta Prokashika by Kangal Harinath Majumdar, Kumerkhali, Kushtia. He was the poet and also the Editor. The death report was also published in the Hitakari, edited by Mir Mosharraf Hussain of Lahinipara, Kumerkhali, Kushtia.
On this occasion, the Bauls and the followers of Lalon observe his death anniversary as Urs or Sadhu-Sheba. A three-day program is arranged and a similar type of function is also held as of Dol-Purnima every year by the followers of Lalon Shah. These festivals are held on full moon night. The Baul Faqirs arrange musical performances throughout the day and the night for three days. The death anniversary is considered as the ‘Urs’ by the Bauls. The local Baul committee of Lalon Mazar arranges food and lodging for the Bauls. The fund for such kind of festival is usually arranged by donations from local people and also from their resources. The festivals include feasting and it was free for all. In such a festival time initiation for the disciples was also made.
These Bauls are served with food three times a day. The morning food service is called Balya Sheva. Generally, Khinchuri is a kind of food that is cooked by mixing rice with a pulse. Payesh or khir made of rice is served. The noon and evening foodservice are called purna-sheva. It is a full meal. Plain rice is served with vegetables and fish and at the end of the meal doi or curd is served. After these, there has an arrangement of discussion and musical sessions, known as Adhivesh. They maintain certain rituals. For three days, the festival continues. It is called Sadhu -Sheba or service to the saints. The meals are served three times a day. In the morning a sparse breakfast is served. It is called Balya-Sheba. Lunch and supper are called ‘Purna-Sheba’. These two are full meals. When taking meals together the Bauls pronounce Alek Shain or Allah alek shain jointly in one voice. Bauls are vegetarians. No meeting of any kind is permitted. Fish and curd are served during the festival. As they start taking meal one at one end, shouts Allah, Alek, there is another on the other end who shouts, Shain (Allah) and with this, they begin eating. Bauls who come from different parts of the country for three days, also bring their food. There is a belief among the Bauls that they occasionally offer food to the mazar of Lalon Shah thinking that he shares it. The Bauls believe that Lalon Shah is not dead. He is alive. I found them praying to him for prosperity. Even the traders who belong to the cult have such a kind of belief. Lalon is taken as a demi-god.
Adhivesh or Adhiveshan is an open-air group discussion along with the performance of Baul song. In this session, Bauls go for question-answer. One Bauls raises a question using matters relating to dehatatva, the other one replies. Sometimes, the Bauls present riddles through songs to the other for an answer. This makes the program interesting. This proves how far one is more skilled than the other. The songs of the Bauls including Lalon have songs that speak of the cult and its activities through similes and metaphors. The Bauls, who are not inducted into the cult, would not be able to answer those questions.
(The writer is former Pro-VC, Northern University of Bangladesh).
