Shamay Gele Sadhon hobe - Jasim Uddin's favourite Lalon Song

Jasim Uddin first published an article on Lalon Shah in Bangobani, Calcutta, in 1926. Rabinranath Tagore writes, "These people roam about singing their songs, one of which I heard years ago from my roadside window, the first two lines roaming inscribed in my mind:

Nobody can tell whence the bird unknown
comes into my cage and goes out.,

The Bauls of Bengal are spiritual sect of traveling minstrels whose songs of joy, love, and longing for a mystical union with the divine have captivated audiences for the past century. They are saffron-clad folk singers who traditionally live in the huts of rural Bengal though they can be found traveling, dancing, and singing their way around the world. Their livelihood depends entirely on donations which have been given to them freely over the centuries. They are teachers and spiritual gurus and they are a peace loving people that embrace all and quarrel with none. In fact, Bengalis are known to be among the most friendly and intelligent people in Indian Subcontinent..

The Bouls are the folk heroes of Bengal. "The popular romantic imagination everywhere seeks expression through its chosen bards: we have our Bob Dylans and Leonard Cohens, the Bengalis have thier Bauls. These wandering minstrels carry with them from village to city the soul of Bengal, perhaps of India, and every Bengali knows it even if today he is becoming uncertain what that soul really is"

The mysticism of Lalon songs largely remains unrevealed and unexplored till date. This is so because Lalon's songs, which are countless, were passed on orally through his disciples and were mostly unwritten. Only a limited number of songs that could be preserved were later transcribed by his followers.

Fakir Lalon Shah (1774-1890), the most illustrious Baul poet of Bengal, was born in Chapra, Kushtia. It is said that when Tagore came to Shilaidaha of Kushtia to look after his zamindari, he invited Lalon to his place. The Baul songs of Lalon with its simplistic tune and in-depth philosophical lyric had a profound impact on Tagore. Later, Tagore used the style extensively in his Baul trends and even termed Lalon as Kabbya Lakkhi. Tagore took the initiative and published some of the songs in the monthly Prabasi of Kolkata.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• www.jasimuddin.org