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Abstract
Folk music may be described as that type of ancient music which springs from the heart of a
community, based on their natural style of expression uninfluenced by the rules of classical
music and modern popular songs. Any mode or form created by the combination of tune, voice
and dance may be described as music. Folk music is any style of music which represents a
community and can be sung or played by people who may or may not be trained musicians,
using the instruments available to them.
One of the most important components of Bangladeshi culture is folk music. Here, folk music
has an immense variety, with songs being composed on the culture, festivals, views of life,
natural beauty, rivers and rural and riverine life. These songs are also about social inequality
and poverty, about the material world and the supernatural.
However, for a variety of causes, the number of Baul or Fakir has decreased over time.
Communalism, lack of patronage, a shift in lifestyle, and so on are only a few of them. They
have a lot more to give to our culture. They are the custodians of a very significant element of
Bangladeshi culture and its history. Nevertheless, they are turning to alternative lifestyles as a
result of the current precarious conditions. The religious leaders have been even threatening
them for practicing Sufism.
Can Architecture be a carrier of history and legacy and give those musicians as well as
philosophers a place for resolution?

Keywords: Folk music, Baul, Fakir, Philosophy, Community, Conflict, Resolution.

1 Introduction
Bangladesh, which is located in the south- eastern part of Asia, is one of the world’s richest
banks of cultural heritage, courtesy of its language, literature, philosophy, classical music,
architecture, painting, food, arts, and religion. The continent’s cultural heritage primarily
developed through a range of different political and religious reigns over the last 5000 years. As
a post-colonial nation, the cultural heritage of Bangladesh is similar to that of India’s since both
nations were under the rule of British administration. The events during the separation of India
in 1947, the language movement of East Pakistan in 1952, and the movement of liberation in
1971 gave the country a glimpse of political, social and cultural setting and helped to shape as a
nation. Various cultural activities such as plays, poetries, songs, paintings, and festivals
depicting the glorious facts of togetherness with differences in its religious beliefs and practices,
language and ethnic diversities, ecological and regional differences and others, supported the
nation-building process. Among hundreds of elements of intangible cultural heritage, Baul song
is considered as one of the most significant. The strong presence of Baul musical tradition in
Bangladesh clearly shows how the devotional tradition (Tantric, Vaisnava and Sufi) of Bauls are
still continuing to resonate with local people (see, Schendel 2009: 37). As recognition of its
importance, the traditional song of Baul was inscribed by the UNESCO on the Representative
List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008.
1.1 Aim
The aim of this paper is to find if Architectural intervention can present any resolution to the
conflict between Baulism and Modern Lifestyle.
1.2 Objective

• Study the history of different kind of folk music to understand and document the
philosophy behind and lifestyle of Baul-Fakir communities.
• To explore and evaluate the present practice of folk music and the condition of the
communities practicing them.
• To investigate the reasons behind the shift in lifestyle and the diminishing practice of
those philosophies and ways of life and to find out the relation with architecture and what
it can offer to sustain and support the legacy.

2 Methodology
• Literature Review: Study on the history of our folk music will help understand what the
songs are about, what are the philosophies behind them. It will also help to know about
the lifestyle of Baul-Fakir communities and changes in their lifestyle over time.
• Survey: Exploring the historical places and interaction with the communities will
strengthen the understandings and reveal more related details.
• Case Study: Knowledge about Architectural interventions related to these kind of
philosophies and communities will help finding out what may help in our context.
3 Literature Review
3.1 Folk Music of Bangladesh
There are a variety of genres of folk music from different cultures and communities in Bengal.
I’ve tried to study and document the characteristics and philosophies of those genres.

Fig 1: Conceptual mapping of different forms of folk music in Bangladesh

3.1.1 Classification
In Bangladesh folk music has a great variety, with songs being composed on the culture,
festivals, views of life, natural beauty, rivers and rural and riverine life.
According to some researchers Folk music in Bangladesh can be classified as given below.
But all those varieties of forms can’t be classified in this simple and linear way. Therefore, I’ve
made an attempt to make a list including all those genres.
Genre Region Description Quantity of
Performers

BAUL South-Western; Baulism is considered as a 'complete Individual

Kushtia and code of life'. Provides liberal
Birbhum are interpretations of life, love, religion and
remarkable for nature. A hierarchical relationship
Baul songs. between murshid (guru/shai) and
shishwa (disciple)(Rashid,2019).
BHATIYALI Originaly from Bhatiyali is a type of ancient folk music Individual
North-Eastern which springs from the heart of a group of
Region(Mymensin local and professional people. Bhatiyali is
gh); but is found a river song mostly sung by boatmen
nearly all regions of while going down streams of the river.
Bangladesh. This word comes from bhata meaning
‘ebb’ or downstream. Mymensingh district
along the river Brahmaputra and the
lower region of the riverside areas are the
place of its origin(Chowdhury, 2022).
BHAWAIYA Northern Region; Bhawaiya a genre of north Bengal folk Individual,
Rajshahi, Dinajpur, song, believed to have originated in Chorus
Rangpur, Pabna, rangpur and Cooch Bihar, India. The
Cooch Bihar name of this folk song, generally about
love between man and woman, derives
from bhava (emotion). Bhawaiya songs,
however, may also be spiritual in theme
as in 'fande pariya baga kande re' (The
heron cries entrapped in a net), 'chhar re
man bhaver khela' (O my mind, leave
earthly games), etc.
BHANDARI South-Eastern; Devotional music from the South. Individual,
Mainly Chittagong Chorus
JARIGAN Dhaka, Jarigan (Persian Jari/zari for lamentation Chorus
Mymensingh, and Bengali gan for song)or (song of
Sylhet, Faridpur, sorrow) is one of the few indigenous
Murshidabad music art performances of Bangladesh,
West Bengal, Barak Valley and
Brahmaputra Valley . Though varied and
divergent in form, most are based on
legends relating to Muslim heroes Hasan
ibn Ali and Husayn ibn Ali, grandsons of
Muhammad and other members of his
family at Karbala.
SARIGAN The lower marshy Sung especially by boatmen. It is often Individual,
regions of Sylhet known as workmen's song as well. Chorus
and Mymensingh Related to Bhatyiali.
 GAMBHIRA Rajshahi, Maldah Song (originated in Chapai Nawabganj) Duet
performed with a particular distinctive
rhythm and dance with two performers,
always personifying a man and his grand
father, discussing a topic to raise social
awareness.
DHAMAIL Sylhet, Barak The songs are first sung by the leader Chorus
valley of Assam, and then the others join the chorus. The
Tripura, lyrics mainly relate to Shyam (Krishna)
Meghalaya, and Radha.
Manipur

3.1.2 Present Practice

The process of commercialization and modernization is resulting in a new turn in the practice of
Baul music from its local subculture to global consumption.
Leaving traditional dresses, the new generation of Bauls are adopting modern attire and
outlook. The question that persists was whether today’s Bauls are moving away from the
actual Baul philosophy or forming a neo-philosophy staying or without staying true to
the Baul roots. (Rashid,2019)
Also, some bands of today such as Lalon Band, Joler Gaan, Dohar etc are trying to present
the folk roots to the listeners in their own styles.
3.2 Issues and Conflicts
for a variety of causes, the number of Baul or Fakir has decreased over time. Communalism,
lack of patronage, a shift in lifestyle, and so on are only a few of them. The religious leaders
have been even threatening them for practicing Baulism or Sufism.

https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/bengali/bd-islam-culture-01222021154929.html

https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/bengali/singer-attacked-09222021162932.html
https://archive.dhakatribune.com/opinion/op-ed/2016/12/22/an-attack-on-our-culture

https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/bauls-again-attacked-in-bangladesh-
116073000766_1.html

https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/4-bauls-hacked-chuadanga-1255381
These are some news of recent times on attacks on folk musicians. These incidents have been
taking place very often because of religious sentiments and social denials.
 4 Case Study
Viswavarati University Campus, Shantiniketan
Shantiniketan is a representation of educational philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore. The
place Bolpur has very reach Folk traditions and cultures. Rabindranath Tagore himself was
significantly influenced by Baulism.

Tagore’s Philosophy towards education -

- Environment for Education

- Freedom of Mind
- Flexible curriculum rounded by nature
- Spiritual Education
- Teacher Student relationship
- Aer, Music Relation to Life
- Cultural Synthesis
- Harmony with daily life
Architectural Interpretation of Tagore’s Philosophy -
- Man, Nature and Nature of Architecture
- Flexibility of Spaces
- Community and Context
- Climate and Culture
- Human Scale
 Fig 2: Learning Spaces in Shantiniketon

The place and the campus grew over the decades. Physical augmentation is a natural
phenomenon for any institution. Tagore and his team have done interesting building experiments.
There are a lot of cases, studios for scholar artist, buildings of Kala Bhavana and Uttarayana
campus. These are strong evidence of those ideas that render the place with an “eclectic
character”.
Fig 2: Images of different Spaces in Shantiniketon
5 Conclusion
The communal conflicts were always there. They are not new.
Baul communities have decreased over time but at the same time some modern musicians
are trying to reflect those characteristics and philosophies in their works, some are doing fusion
music to promote folk songs. Whether these practices are expressing actual Baul
philosophy or not is a question of debate.
For the modern aesthetic and the Baul roots to complement each other, these discussions
and arguments need to take place in a lateral manner.

An Institution where actual folk musicians can meditate, sing, pass their wisdom to
enthusiasts; where folk musicians from across the country will come, perform and share their
culture; where researchers will gain experience and spread out the knowledge for the world; an
Institution like this can be a carrier of the history and legacy, a place for resolution.

6 References
1. Ghulam Murshid (2006), Hajar Bachorer Bangali Samskriti, Dhaka.
2. Rajeshwar Mitra (1955), Banglar Sangit (Madhya Yug), Calcutta.
3. Das, Suman Kumar. (2019), Bauler Akhray Fakirer Deray. Prothoma Prokashona, Dhaka.
4. Ahmed, S. (2013), The philosophy of mystic poet Hason Raja and a folk music academy based on his
philosophy at his birthplace, Open Science Repository Architecture.
5. Saifur Rashid. (April 2019), Lalon's Philosophy, Baulism and Folk Musical Tradition in the Midst of Continuity
and Change, World Assembly and Scientific Conference of International Organization of Folk Art (IOV) on 'Folk
Culture: Present and Future Pathways' in Sarjah, UAE.
6. Sudheer Chakrabarty (March 2001), Baul Fakir Katha, Ananda Publishers, Kolkata.
7. Nur E Emroz Alam Tonoy, An attack on our culture, Dhaka Tribune, 2016, “An attack on our culture | Dhaka
Tribune”
8. Openshaw, J (2002), Seeking Bauls of Bengal, Cambridge University Press
9. Rumana Chowdhury (March, 2022), Bangladeshi Folk Songs: A ‘Nation-Thing’
10. Harsh B Dobaria (2019), Eclectic architecture of Shantiniketan, Indubhai Parekh school of Architecture, Rajkot-
36005, Gujarat, India.