Fakir Lalon Shah emerged in the 19th century, coinciding with the rise of the educated middle class in Bengal. It occurred in the colonial period, when class interactions increased and rural and urban societies came closer due to the economic policies of colonialism. Thus, the metropolitan elite came to know more about rural cultures and of the lot, and none captured more interest and imagination than Lalon Shah and the Bauls. It may be coincidental, but it is indeed symbolic that the most eminent Bengali, Rabindranath Tagore and his family played a significant role in bringing them to the public sphere.
Many have introduced and promoted Lalon Shah’s work throughout this period, which was synonymous with the Bauls. Some of the more well-known names are Kangal Harinath, Mir Mosharraf Hossain, Jalandhar Sen, Akshay Kumar Maitreya, and the Tagore family members are just a few.
Ershad Kamol, in his work “Finding the Original Baul,” addresses that many Baul experts believe that Lalon Fakir had composed two thousand verses, while rural Bauls claim that he had written over ten thousand. This confusion, inevitable in the absence of a written record, has meant many pseudo-Lalons claim some of his work to be their own. Similarly, many works have been passed off as written by the Bard. The works of musicians such as Gopal Shah, Adam Chan, and the followers of Sati Mayer Ghar were later claimed to be those of Lalons. These names create a prominent presence as the initial phases of Lalon’s life were structured from their subliminal attachment with the sadhu himself.
Kangal Harinath
Harinath Majumdar (1833-1896), known as Kangal Harinath, was known for his pioneering contributions in Bengal newspapers and for protesting against peasant oppression in Bengal. He was close to Lalon Shah and founded a Baul musical group named “Kangal Fikirchand-er Dol” or “the group of the penniless Fikirchand”.
In his work “Lalon O Kangal Harinath: Moromi O Manobdorodi”, Abdullah Al Amin says that the connection brought much-needed attention to the rural humanism represented through poetry and music. He mentions that Rammohan, Debendranath, Vidyasagar, Dinabandhu Mitra, Keshab Chandra Sen and others ignored him due to socio-cultural status and as “rural intellectuals”.
Kangal Harinath took to Lalon as an exploration of rural culture with deep empathy and used to visit Lalon’s akhra in the Cheuriya village. Lalon Fakir’s work, both his songs and expressions for social reforms, were printed in words through Kangal Harinath’s press, Grambarta Prakashika. Lalon Fakir’s death was first announced in the paper under Harinath’s press.
Although there is no documentation of their paired compositions in music or poetry, his poetic verses shadow the ideologies of Lalon Fakir. Tyajjo Ashol Dhon (Forsaking True Treasure) (1916) speaks of the melancholy of spiritual trepidation of forsaking the truth, the sign of a foolish man.
Mir Mosharraf Hossain
Mir Mosharraf Hossain (1847-1912), one of the pioneering Muslim authors of the 19th century, was also an admirer of Lalon Fakir. In his work, he speaks of the intricate wisdom of the relationship between the guru and shishya (teacher and disciple). Published in Hitkari magazine in 1890, he writes about Lalon’s mystical approach to bringing art and nature together while simultaneously recognising the social disparities of the oppressive system.
Figure 1.1: Mir Moshrraf Hossain
Mir Mosharraf Hossain had worked closely with Kangal Harinath’s Grambarta, bringing the voices of the silent into light and highlighting the unpretentious intentions of Lalon Fakir and his work to the broader public. Although Mir Mosharraf Hossain came from a Zamindar(landlord) family himself, he overcame class prejudices to write a play titled Zamindar Darpan (The Mirror of the Zamindar), which described how the zamindars oppressed the peasants.
In another case, his essay “Go-Jeevan” (The Life of the Cow) led to legal hassles testing the level of tolerance of his religious community, the Muslims. He also experimented to produce literature imaging Baul sentiments. Prohor’s article on “Mir Mosharraf Hossain in the world of Baul music inspired by Kangal Harinath” descriptively elaborates on the journey of Baulism and his association with Lalon Fakir and his disciples. He had written songs based on Lalon Fakir’s music. However, singing was not his forte.
One day, he visited Harinath at his house in Kumarkhali and invited all of “Fikirchand’s Dal” to be his guests at home. But Harinath was firm, saying they would not only not be guests but would not even accept a little tobacco because the group’s creed prohibited staying in non-members’ houses. He was only able to host them if he joined the group. His music composition had significantly impacted his allegiance to the Sufistic ideals of Lalon Fakir.
Adhir Roy, in his research “The Role of Lalon’s Followers in Preserving and Propagating His Humanist Ideals”, points out that Moshrraf Hosain is a significant figure through his famous lyrical volume “Sangeet Lahari” (1887), which contained a collection of 91 songs, including 15 Baul songs. It was often said that Moshrraf Hossain was the mystic scholar who acted as the bridge between Rabindranath Tagore and Lalon Fakir, forming a profound and impactful influence on the Tagore family through the humanistic and spiritual influence of Lalon (p.207).
Jaladhar Sen
Among the most critical rural journalists, Rai Bahadur Jaladhar Sen also highlighted the works of Lalon Fakir. Known as a philanthropist, traveller, journalist, and writer, there are excerpts of Jaladhar Sen’s writing on Lalon Fakir. Going back to Joydeep Mukherjee’s text, the evidence of Tagore and Lalon Fakir meeting in person can be seen through the lens of Jaladhar Sen’s work as he writes, “he (Lalon) sang from morning to afternoon in Tagore’s hut in Shilaidaha”. Akshay Kumar Maitreya’s work “Lalan Fakir o Gagan” (1895) follows a series of works that Lalon had sung. However, there is no evidence of such a meeting so it may be a bit of an admiring fantasy.
He writes that Lalon was classless and casteless, which led him to enjoy the companionship and communal gatherings of both Hindus and Muslims. His name epitomised his principle as Lalon Shah, the amalgamation of the Hindu-Muslim identity.
Togawa Masahiko’s research “Sharing the Narratives: An Anthropologist among the Local People at the Mausoleum of Fakir”, mentions Kumar Maitreya and Tagore’s contribution as it highlights “an indigenous tradition inherited from the virtues and religious philosophies of ancient civilization, as an antithesis to European civilization and the religious divisions and discord of the time” (p.24).
The Tagore family
Lalon Fakir and Tagore’s family connection rose from proximity – Lalon was a tenant in the Tagore zamindary, and they even supported the Akhra through donations, and a standard subscription to humanity for all, overcoming class structure and caste restrictions. It focuses on the spontaneity in spirituality, music, and poetry.
Dr. Srabani Sen’s “Rabindranath Tagore and Lalon Shah” focuses on the involvement of Tagore family members, such as Tagore’s brother Satyendranath Tagore and his sister-in law Jnanadanandini Devi, his elder brother Jyotirindranath, and nephew Surendranath Tagore. It was stated that the Tagore family, one of the prominent Zamindar families at the time, donated spaces in Shelaidaha, Kushtia, and Pabna-Shahjadpur. This led them to close contact with the Baul of those regions as they shared a sense of spirituality through music.
Lalon Fakir’s and Gagan Harkara’s music impressed Rabindranath and Jyotirindranath. Rabindranath Tagore was unfazed by the Zamindari responsibilities or his class culture, and this is why his curiosity to understand the mysticism of music went beyond Calcutta and landed in the rural world of the Bauls. Joydeep Mukherjee’s Folk Tradition of Bengal (and Rabindranath Tagore) details the sublimity of Lalon Fakir’s work that impacted Tagore. Much of his understanding of Lalon Fakir’s work and shadhona is seen in his work, especially in his novel Gora, alluding to the presence of a Baul presence:
Figure 1.2: Excerpt from Gora, Chapter 1.
Readers can also find Fakir’s song “Khanchar Bhitor Achin Pakhi Kemone Ashe Jai” present in the novel, testifying to the appreciation of Baulism and of Lalon by Tagore.
Notably, several women from the Tagore family also contributed to the preservation and portrayal of Lalon’s works. Sarala Devi collected many songs and popularised his work through her publications. She was the first to discuss Lalon and Gagan Harkara in an article published in the Tagore family magazine, “Bharati”. Lalon first gained wider recognition among Bengali intellectuals through an article titled “Lalon Fakir Gagan” by Sarala Devi, published five years after Lalon died in the Bharati magazine (Bhadra, 1302 BS/1895 CE). It included eight songs by Lalon, two by Gagan, and one without attribution.
Figure 1.3: Sarala Devi
Sujata Mukherjee’s “Popular Sects and Elite Culture in 19th Century Bengal; Some Aspects of Interactions and Assimilations” points out that Devi’s essay “Lalon’s life and his songs,” published in 1895 under Bharatt, provided a portrayal of the kayastha family culture that dominated the era. Indira Devi Chaudhurani, in the magazine Bina Badini, published musical notes of Lalon Fakir. To preserve the ideas and essence of Baulism, Indira Devi published two musical notations of Lalon songs in 1895 and 1899 under the title “Paramarthik Gan”—Indira Devi Chaudhurani later published Lalon’s songs as notations in the Bina-Badini magazine.
Srabani Sen further points out that Rabindranath perhaps eventually slowly lost interest in Lalon, and over time, conflicts and divisions began to arise within his community of disciples. After the death of Lalon, the Baul community had become divisive in terms of ownership and control of communal and artistic spaces.
Years later, Rabindranath composed fresh melodies from folk songs he learned from Sarala Devi. In Bharati, she wrote that she collected many songs by Lalon or his disciples from a poor mendicant close to Kushtia.
Tagore’s Preservation
Tagore himself played a monumental role in preserving and writing about Lalon, which would answer questions about the musical genius he was. This effectively responded to queries and interests amongst the Bengal intellectuals who wondered about the mysticism the Tagore family was so effectively inspired by. Rabindranath referenced Lalon’s songs for the first time in his novel Gora, serially published by the Prabasi magazine during Bhadra 1314 (August/September 1907). The very same Lalon song—\“Khanchar bhitor ochin pakhi kemne ashe jay” (“How does the unknown bird go in and come out of the cage?”)—has been employed in the chapter “Essay on Music” of Jibansmriti (1319 BS/1912 CE).
Rabindranath Tagore’s exposure to Lalon’s music brought him more intimacy and motivation especially during his time as Shelaidaha Zamindar. Lalon’s songs were sung by the mystic poet Gagan Harkara and Lalon’s disciples. He was moved by the melodic variation, poetic beauty, and profound philosophical themes in Lalon’s songs. Two melodies especially moved Rabindranath from Gagan’s songs published in Bharati, which he adapted during the 1905 anti-partition movement of Bengal. The first lines of those songs were “Ami kothay pabo tare” and “O mon, osar mayay bhule rove.” Rabindranath reworked these into “Amar Sonar Bangla” and “Je tomay chhade chharuk.” While Gagan’s tunes deeply attracted him, Lalon’s melodies did not influence him as strongly, so it is presumed that Rabindranath composed fewer songs based on them. Rabindranath was also the Zamindar of Cheuriya, where Lalon’s shrine was located. A letter from disciple Moniruddin Shah to Rabindranath requesting him to take care of the Akhra and preserve Lalon’s tradition suggests that upkeep of the Akhra and custodianship of Lalon’s tradition was partly the zamindar’s role.
Surendranath, son of Satyendranath, was a friend of Lalon, as we know from the collection of Rabindranath’s letters. In 1895, Sarala published an article on Lalon and Gagan in Bharati, after an initial report in Hitakari. Indira Devi, Rabindranath’s niece, had also published two songs by Lalon, Paramarthik Gaan and Supreme Songs in Bina-Badini, in 1895 and 1899. These belong to the oldest authentic transcriptions of Lalon’s songs. Their novelty, spiritual depth, and mystical expression touched Rabindranath so much that he earnestly tried to collect and save all Lalon’s songbooks.
During his stay in Shelaidaha, Rabindranath collected two ancient notebooks of Lalon’s songs from Moniruddin Shah, now preserved in Rabindra Bhavan, Santiniketan. Edited by Abul Hasan Chowdhury, they were published later as “Rabindranath Sangrahita Laloner Gaaner Pāṇḍulipi” (Manuscripts of Lalon’s Songs Collected by Rabindranath). Moreover, Bama Charan Bhattacharya, a servant of the Tagore estate, amassed various folk materials, including Lalon’s songs.
Rabindranath’s reflections on Baul spirituality became integral to his worldview. He discovered this inspiration in Shelaidaha. Through his engagement with the Baul community there, he transformed into what some call “Rabindra-Baul.” His art, dress, philosophy, and spirituality all reflect Baul sensibilities. Like the Bauls, Rabindranath dismissed institutional religion and embraced an inner spiritual intuition as true faith. At the time, Bengal and India faced religious-based political conflicts, which concealed various class tensions. Like many, Tagore did not endorse this conflict and was influenced by Lalon’s songs, which became rich in the tapestry of identity, intangibility of class, caste, and religion.
The Baul’s creed is the religion of self-discovery, beyond rituals and doctrines—a religion of heartfelt emotion and simplicity. Rabindranath once confessed:
“What my religion is—I cannot say definitively and clearly even now. It is not something written down in some scripture in the form of commandments or doctrine.”
This resonates with a famous line from Lalon:
“Everyone says Lalon Fakir—Hindu or Muslim,
But Lalon says—I do not even know myself.”
Rabindranath wrote:
“I have heard Baul songs from true Bauls in Shelaidaha; I have seen their old notebooks.”
These may have been the very notebooks of Lalon Fakir, as Rabindranath later introduced twenty of Lalon’s songs to the literary elite through the Haramoni section of Prabasi magazine starting in Ashwin 1322 B.S.
The Lalon mysticism may lie in bringing people, irrespective of class, caste, religion, and race, together in a form of spell that is communal and spiritual for all. Baul rejected the markers of this identity as their lived experiences with these tags seemed to be marked by more troubles, violence, and displacements. Mysticism lies in the questioning of the soul that brings people from different regions to believe in the goodness of the divine, the heart of nature of humanity, to become compassionate and giving to the earth, where we belong. The Bauls were produced by their own historical experience of caste, class, and sectarian oppression, so they rejected these markers. Tagore, over time, also developed similar notions about not just rural-urban class and caste and religious differences, but also indicated that as a global marker. In Shelaidha, among many Lalon disciples who visited Tagore, the prominent ones were Sheetal Shah, Bholai Shah, Panchu Shah, Malam Shah, Manik Shah, and Moniruddin Shah. Devendranath Tagore and Rabindranath’s elder brothers also had contact with Lalon. A close connection between Cheuriya and Shelaidaha was observed when Tagore nurtured a close relationship with Lalon’s disciples.
Compilation of Hibbert Lecture: Baul for the World
The Religion of Man is a 1931 compilation of lectures by Rabindranath Tagore, edited and drawn mainly from his Hilbert lectures at Oxford University in May 1930. The indications of Lalon’s teaching were present in this work.
Fig. The library card for “The Religion of Man”
In this series of lectures, he follows a heartfelt acknowledgement of the Baul and folk music of Bangla and the land of the mystics. This publication allowed folk music admirers to venture into the greatness of folk tales, music, and the world of understanding the self. Tagore writes,
“Our religions present the dreams of the ideal unity, which is man himself as he manifests the infinite. We suffer from the sense of sin, which is the sense of discord, when any disruptive passion tears gaps in our vision of the One in man, creating isolation in our self from the universal humanity.” (1931, p.96)
We further find Tagore to conclude the chapter “Spiritual Freedom” with a song by a Baul to represent the eternal unity of the infinite and finite soul:
“It goes on blossoming for ages, the soul-lotus, in which I am bound, as well as thou, without escape. There is no end to the opening of its petals, and the honey in it has so much sweetness that thou, like an enchanted bee, canst never desert it, and therefore thou art bound, and I am, and mukti is nowhere”.
Even though there is no definite proof that Rabindranath Tagore and Lalon Fakir met and were close acquaintances, we find the immense impact that Lalon Fakir left behind through the lens of his disciples and admirers.
Author
Sumaiya Tasnim