What is Bavul music?

The music of the Bauls, Baul Sangeet, is a particular type of folk song. It is said that Lalon Fokir (1774 -1890), the greatest of all Bauls, continued to compose and sing songs for decades without ever stopping to correct them or put them on paper.

What are the characteristics of Bauls music?

Usually, in Baul music, in Baul-gan, which means Baul folk music, the three most important characteristics are an unmeasured introduction that may precede the performance of a song; the use of only two types of meter; and the change of meter that may occur during the performance of a song.

Are Bauls Hindu?

Music is their only source of sustenance: Bauls live on whatever they are offered by villagers in return, as they travel from place to place, riding, in effect, on the vehicle of their own ecstasy. Individuals consist mainly of Vaishnava Hindus and Sufi Muslims.

Who are the Bauls and where do they usually live?

Bauls consist of both economically and socially marginal groups. They identify themselves with neither Hindu nor Muslim society. The majority of Hindu Bauls residing in the state of West Bengal in northeastern India, and most Muslim Bauls live in Bangladesh (Lopez 187).

Is the Baul music cult unique to Bengal?

He has written several books about Hinduism for children and young adults. The mystical Baul music cult is not just unique to Bengal, but also has a special place in the history of world music.

Who are the members of the band Baul?

Their membership consists both of Hindus (primarily Vaishnavites, or followers of Lord Vishnu) and Muslims (generally Sufis, or mystics). Their songs frequently deal with the love between the human personality and a personal god, who resides within the individual.

Where did the music of the Bauls come from?

Dr. Jeanne Openshaw writes that the music of the Bauls appears to have been passed down entirely in oral form until the end of the 19th century, when it was first transcribed by outside observers. There are two classes of Bauls: ascetic Bauls who reject family life and Bauls who live with their families.

What kind of religion does the bauls have?

Bauls live like a community, and their main occupation is the propagation of Baul music. But they are the most non-communal of all communities: As a group, they have no formal religion, for they only believe in the religion of music, brotherhood, and peace.