Lalon Fakir

Part 2

Lalon Fakir is the supreme guru of the tradition had no

formal education and both Hindus and Muslims wanted to
lay claim to his religious affiliation. Hindus claimed he was
a kayastha and was adopted by a
Muslim moulobi (preacher). Lalon was none, as he always
endeavored to go beyond all politics of identities and
religiosity. His songs echo the note of devotion and love
for ordinary people. Lalon says-

Everyone wonders, "What's Lalon’s faith?"

Lalon says, "I've never ' seen' the face

of faith with these eyes of mine!"

Circumcision marks a Muslim man,

what then marks a Muslim woman?

A Brahmin I recognize by the Holy thread;

how do I recognize a Brahmin-woman?

Everyone wonders, "What's Lalon faith?"

Some wear a garland and some the tasbi,

that's what marks the Faiths apart.

But what marks them apart when

one is born or at the time of death?

Everyone wonders, "What's Lalon’s faith?"

The whole world talks about Faith,

everyone displaying their pride!

Lalon says, "My Faith has capsized

in this Market of Desire...."

Everyone wonders, "What's Lalon’s faith?"

(Translated by Samir Dasgupta)

Shob loke koy

Lalon ki jaat shongshare
Lalon bole jaat er ki rup
Dekhlam na ei nojore

Shunnot dile hoy musholman

Narir tobe ki hoy bidhan
Bamun chini poita proman
Bamni chini ki prokare

Keo mala keo toshbi gole

Tai to ki jaat bhinno bole
Jawa kingba ashar kale
Jater chinnho roy kishe

Jogot jure jater kotha

Loke golpo kore jotha totha
Lalon bole jater fata
Bikiyechi shat bajare –

Lalon often adopts the philosophical aspects of religion and

shows no interest in its practical aspect. His search is for a
liberal space of unity by breaking the narrow wall of
communal and religious segregation. Following Lalon’s
path, the Bauls introduce themselves as ‘vagrant’ and
‘without a mantra’. Lalon’s experience revealed to him that
besides the social conflict between the Hindus and the
Muslims, disagreement and conflict existed in their
religious practices too and annoyed Lalon composed:

God is bound by chains at his devotees’ doorsteps,

Hindu or Muslim, he little cares.

An ardent devotee is one intoxicated with love –

Kabir, a weaver of low caste, forsook his everything

To give himself to Lord Krishna of Braja.

Cobbler Ramdas was a beliver

In the power of prayer,

In his glory resounds the heavenly chime, they say.

The whole world is illumined by one moon,

From one seed was born every creature on earth.

What, then, are you quarrelling about?

Asks Lalon.

(Translated by Samir Dasgupta)

Bhakter dare bandha ache Sai,

Hindu ki jobon bole kon jater bichar nai

Sudho bhakti matoara

Bhakto Kabir jate jola

Se je dhorreche bajror kala

Dea sabasso dhon tai.

Ramdas muchi vober pore

Bhaktir bol se sobai kore

O tar sebai sarge ghota pore

Suni sadhur sastre tai

Ek chsnde hoi jagat aalo

Ek bije sab janmailo

Lalon bole miche koloho

Keno koris sodai.

Baul songs can be the medium of social change and

reformation. Bauls are always looking forward to a utopian
society where there will be no culture, no religion and no
distinction between poor and rich. The question is what will
there be? There will be fellow feeling and love for
mankind. That is reason why they always search for Maner
Manush (man of the heart) and Achin Pakhi (the unknown
Bird), which can never be captured.

Baul songs are discourses and must be understood as multi

semiotic form in which words, music and performance
conditions are all potentially significant and can carry an
ideological content which is often more important than the
ostensible verbal meaning. As an illustration of this aspect
a song by Lalon Fakir entitled 'Khachaar Bhetor Achin
Pakhi, Kamne Ashe Jae‘, (How an unknown bird flits in
and out of a cage.) can be recalled

Tell me how the nameless bird

Enters the cage,

Flies away…

If I could catch it once,

I would

Throw my mind’s chain around its feet.

This house has eight chambers with nine doors,

There are lattices on the walls,

And a hall of mirrors at the top.

Luck has abandoned you,

O mind ¬

Or why should the bird act so stange ?

Breaking open the cage once again

It vanishes into the forest !

(Translated by Samir Dasgupta)

Kanchar vitor Achin pakhi kamne ase jai

Dhorte parle mon beri ditam tahar pai.

Aat khutri noi darja anta

Moddhey jhoka kata

Tar upore sador kotha

Aiinamahal tai.

Kopaler fyar noile ki ar

Pakhir amon babohar

Kancha venge pakhi amar

Kon bone palai.

Mon tui roili kanchar ase

Kancha je tor kancha banshe

Kondin kancha parbe koshe

Fakir Lalon kande koi

The spontaneous Baul gatherings are still very popular and

highly effective. They are still very vocal against social
inequality based on caste and class, religious feuds,
untouchability and disintegration and they continuously
advocate the futility of religious commotion and thereby
want a peaceful assimilation of all religion conditioned by
love for humanity. Their music urge man to search for God
within himself and decry the role of mosques and temples
in the quest of God. They celebrate celestial love in earthly
terms which transcends religion, national borders and
language barriers.