Parvathy Baul takes you into the world of the wandering minstrels

Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) in collaboration with the Dhatri Foundation and Ekathara Kalari presented ‘The World of The Bauls’, a unique festival that provided an authentic glimpse into the mystic world of the Bauls. Conceptualised by Katyayani Agrawal, founder-trustee of Dhatri Foundation, and curated by Parvathy Baul, the festival comprised a book launch, a session on Baul philosophy, a panel discussion and a question/answer session on ‘Yoga of Baul’, a photo exhibition of Baul masters and their daily practices, wood-cut artwork of the versatile Parvathy, who took the visitors on a guided tour through the exhibition explaining the intricacies of the Baul tradition and satsang.

Inaugurated by Rambahadur Rai, president, IGNCA, who also released the book Baul Premik, authored by the late Sanatan Das Baul, the two-day festival delved deep into the origin, history, and philosophy of this ascetic tradition and present dimensions of the ‘Baul gaan’ that attracts large crowds across the globe.

Parvathy Baul at the two-day festival.
| Photo Credit: SUBHRAJYOTI TALAPATRA

The bauls sing, play their instruments, and dance all at once, totally drenched in devotion. In fact, Baul Gaan is the essence of Indic spirituality.

Parvathy, the dedicated disciple of Sanatan Das, has established in his memory the Sanatan Siddha Ashram and Ekathara Kalari in Veerbhoom, West Bengal. She shared that her guru believed that Shiva is the first Baul, who left home to live in the smashan bhumi. “There are two paths of sadhana — Aghori Shiva, who does smashan sadhana, the path of Kali tantra, and sahajiya sadhana done with Vamachar (tantrik rituals). The other path comes from guru parampara, where the sishya assimilates the wisdom by living in close proximity to the guru.

Baul is also seen as a Yogic Parampara. Parvathy stated that singing is asimple way to realise the truth. “Baul song is maha-mantra. It is shabda-jnana. Shabda is Brahman, and you can feel him through song and music”.

Artistes along with Parvathy Baul performing at the the Baul Satsang.
| Photo Credit: SUBHRAJYOTI TALAPATRA

The baul music may sound like folk but there is a difference, explained Parvathy. It starts in vilambit and gradually goes to the climax of drut. It is closer to the Vaishnava padavali keertan because it has come from Dhrupad Prabandh and the Buddhist Charya-Geeti. Lalan Fakir has used old raags where Bilawal itself has 16 variants. She hummed a song that sounded like raag Desh but it was a variety of Bilawal. Baul music is also influenced by Rabindra Sangeet and Dhrupad of Vishnupur gharana.

Parvathy Baul.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The ‘madhurya bhakti’ of Radha-Madhav-Gopi bhava echoed melodiously throughout the Baul Satsang, where not just Parvathy but also Vishveshwar Baul, Madan Das, Lakshman Das, and many more Bauls touched the hearts of the rasikas.

The Delhi-based reviewer writes on classical arts.