The concepts and ideas of the Bauls arise from an informal process in rural social and religious life. It borrows not just from trickle-down and interpreted ideas of formal religions, but also from dominant aspirations and social behaviour patterns of rural society. Hence, it is more inclusive than exclusive, constructed from a syncretistic mix of values and ideas that have been part of rural society for a long time.
It is not just a belief structure based on theology and practices flowing from various liturgical sources, but also a social and personal coping mechanism. Formal religions dominate the educated and urban classes and zones, but rural societies are different. They are more open and belong to socioeconomically marginalised groups. Hence, they are more syncretistic, freely mixing ideas and practices from multiple sources.
The nature of rural social construction is rooted in the collective personality of those who have endured many centuries of complex socio-economic lives. It therefore reflects their understanding of humanity, as well as patterns of a syncretistic world dominated by spiritual quests and a rejection of exclusion, class, and social distancing.
Origin and Tradition
References to the Bauls or folk religious sects are found as early as the 16th century in Hindu religious texts, so the process of identifying and contextualising such wandering minstrel mendicants as a sect has a long history. Some scholars mention the specific time and place of its birth, and a few even mention names of its assumed founders. However, most scholars believe the origin lies in the traditional process of such group formations that have been ongoing for several centuries rather than individuals. At the core of Baulism is a belief in the wider humanity that rejects exclusionary ideas, including caste and socio-economic discrimination.
The Bauls’ practice of using songs and music to convey their philosophical ideas and communicate with the Divine has also made them a standout sect in the world of folk religions. They have no problem incorporating ideas and notions from formal religions and informal social streams into Baulism, which has enabled them to thrive over a long period.
In summary, Bauls focus on finding the Divine within oneself, disregarding formal religious belief structures, including the caste system of Hinduism, and subscribe to a life built around “freedom and love” as they understand it.
Bauls consider the human body to be the residence of the Divine. They view the human body and seek spiritual truth through music, dance, “sadhoona” (meditation), both mental and physical and follow certain esoteric practices, including ritualised sex mostly borrowed from Tantricism.
Meanwhile, whether it is Vaishnavism of the Gaur variety or rural Sufism, many have found a place in a belief-producing journey that began long ago in the midst of many faiths and expressions. Bauls are home to various traditions, including Nathism, Tantra, Shahajia, Vaishnavism, and Sufi influences, and this process of blending has defined their syncretistic nature.
Perhaps their rejection of formality is best exemplified in their stated search for the “Divine within the self,” often referred to as the “Moner Manush” (the Divine soul within). They reject places of worship, such as temples and mosques, to congregate and pray at their hub, called “akhras”.
However, they do stick to their “akhra” or centres to gather, pray, sing, and meditate, and even make it their home of sorts. So, the rejection is more about formal religious spaces, hence formal religions, more than rejecting a central point of focus. They have no scriptures and focus on introspection and personal experience, which again is a description of informal paths to spiritual gain.
Some Aspects of Baul Religious Philosophy and Practices
A key concept in Baul thought is “Divinity in the human body”. Lalon taught that God chose the human form as His eternal abode, an idea reflecting the Sahajiya principle that the microcosm— the human being – mirrors the macrocosm, the universe. Lalon spoke of the “Achin Manush” (“Unknown” or “Hidden Man”), referring to the Divine presence concealed within each person.
One of his verses says, “God chose the human body as His abode and resides within it… ‘Achin Manush’, ‘Moner Manush’, ‘Sohoj Manush’”. In practical terms, this meant Lalon taught that true worship is service to fellow human beings. As a song puts it, “He who worships human beings in this world – all his meditations become fulfilled… In this age, man is the incarnation of God.”
Practices, Symbolism, and Music
Lalon’s fellow bauls and followers practised a blend of devotional music, meditation, and trance to achieve their spiritual goals. They often used a “sandhya bhasha,” or secret language of riddles, to hide spiritual teachings from outsiders. Common symbols in Baul songs include the achin pakhi (“unknown bird”), fish, moon, pond and river. These images carried esoteric meanings related to yogic and sexual symbolism, as well as spiritual rebirth.
Lalon’s style was deliberately accessible yet coded: he set complex ideas to simple, catchy tunes, so that uninitiated listeners heard a folk song, while disciples recognised the hidden spiritual lessons. He is said to have compared his own life to being a “bartaman panthi” (man of the present world) in contrast to an “anuman panthi” (man of theoretical belief), underscoring his focus on real-life experiences.
Sadhona in Baulism
Sadhana in Baulism has a broader meaning than just meditation or spiritual practices, encompassing various ways to achieve its mystical goals. It attempts to capture the essence of the Baul way and what it seeks to convey. It focuses on multiple forms of mediation, mental, spiritual, and physical. Still, in doing so, it also expands the structural beliefs and paths they choose to reach their mystical destination, which is why they become Baul. In some sense, “sadhona” is a process that prepares the Baul for “blending with the Divine”, they believe.
Sadhana has two main parts: “Deha shadhona” (physical) and “Manosik sadhana “(mental meditation). Both exist as one, although some may attribute more importance to one aspect than the other. However, in the overall scheme of Baulism, its very nature of informality does not turn it into a dogma, but rather a process to reach the ultimate destination of a Baul.
Main Aspects of Shadhona:
- Initiation (Guru-Bhad)
A novice who seeks to become a Baul must become a devotee under a guru. That is, he must seek guidance, knowledge and learn practices from this person who already knows the way to reach the “Moner Manush” through “sadhona”.
- Physical /Body-Centered Practices
There are specific rituals and practices that disciples follow during the process of sadhona. They include pranayama (breath control), dietary restrictions (such as river fish, vegetables, and dairy), and a reclusive, minimalist lifestyle. They also practice ritualised sex with female disciples during menstruation as part of sadhona, though how widely this is done is not known, as Bauls are reticent on this issue.
- 3. Moving towards Becoming A “Living Dead”
By following the rules and practices of “sadhana”, the Baul gravitates towards becoming a “living dead,” which in essence means they are detached from worldly desires and embrace a spiritual existence.
- Freedom from Worldly Desires
Finally, they reach the final stage, which is “enlightenment” and become accessible to the Divine.
Baul sadhona is the core of their faith practice and includes both body (deho sādhanā) and mind (mana sādhanā). The esoteric tantric and Shahjiya practices relating to ritualised sex with female disciples have gained most curiosity and sometimes hostility from formal religious groups who hold differing views on sexuality. Bauls rarely discuss such matters with outsiders.
But Bauls do focus considerably on the body as the abode of the Divine. Thus, within sadhone, three aspects are considered most significant. a. The mystic energies of the four body fluids. b. On the nine doors (openings of the body) and c. prakṛiti or natural energy or “primal motive force”. d. breath (dom) sādhanā.
Deho Tatta (the Core), the Body and Music
Baulism is a group movement that is based on ten premises, or “tattas”. These include the following: Sreesti Tatta (the theory of creation), Param Tatta (the theory of supreme being), Gour Tatta (gourism), Sadhan Tatta (the theory of austerity), Manush Tatta (human revelation), Guru Tatta (Guruism), Nabi Tatta (prophecy), Dehatatta (mysticism of the body), and Nur Tatta (enlightenment).
Deha Tatta, Manush Tatta, Atma Tatta, and Guru Tatta are the most important of these Tattas or the foundation. Even though it seems that Bauls interpret all of their Tattas from a mystic perspective, upon closer examination, these Tattas prove to be more pragmatic in character and possess sociological value rather than a mystic one.
Mystic Songs, Deho Tatta and Esoteric Enlightenment
As befitting a mystic cult that communicates through music and words, Baul songs are full of enigmas, allusions, symbols, and secret codes as well. So, Baul songs can well have a meaning for the ordinary listener and another for their devotee and disciple.
Bauls core ideas are located in Deho Tatta (The body as the divine location), as stated by all, but within that, too many meanings may reside. The use of terms borrowed from major formal religions has developed many of its own. They use “imagery from daily life-activities, such as fishing, farming, sailing, trade and even robbery, foreclosure, and litigation as spiritual metaphors.” To understand them is to be part of them.
Tantra and the Body as the Temple
Bauls build the meaning of the body by the Tantrics. The material or gross body (sthula sarira) in which the skeleton, muscles, organs, etc., figure is one of its two versions. With nine or ten doors or openings—the ears (2), nostrils (2), eyes (2), mouth (1), anus (1), and sexual organ (1)—it is also enigmatic. The tenth door is a little mysterious according to Baul theology since it can be referring to a lotus with two petals situated between the eyebrows or the vagina, a female sexual organ.
According to Tantric tradition, the more incorporeal body is known as “suksma sarfra”. From the perineum to the top of the head, the system of chakras (centers) is positioned along the spinal column. In Baul songs, the number of petals is frequently used to refer to these chakras, which are represented as lotuses with different numbers of petals.
Chakras
In ascending order, the seven principal chakras are as follows: the four-petaled muladhar chakra at the base of the spinal column; the six-petaled svadhisthan chakra in the genital area; the ten-petaled manipur chakra at the navel level; the twelve-petaled anahata chakra at the level of the heart; the sixteen-petaled visuddha chakra in the throat region; the two-petaled ajna chakra between the eyebrows; and the thousand-petaled sahasrar chakra at the top of the head or above the head.
Muslim Bauls also use “stations,” “stages,” or mokams (Arabic maqamat) to describe the body. The four mokams are compared to the muladhar, manipur, ajna, and anahata chakras by Bengali Sufis. The la mokam, which is comparable to the sahasrar or ajna chakra, is another mokam they include. The term “lokam,” which translates to “no place,” refers to the transcending region where all dualities are reintegrated into the Supra.
There are many channels or sleeps in the subtle body that act as breathing conduits. In sadhana, three naps are crucial, just like in Buddhist and Hindu tantra. They are known to Bauls by the Hindu tantric designations of susumna, pingala, and ira: the susumna is located in the centre of the spinal column, the pingala is on the right, and the ira is on the left. These streams are associated with the sacred rivers Sarasvati, Yamuna, and Ganga. They meet in the Triveni, a crucial location in sadhana, situated in the Muladhara chakra.
To return to the Sahaj state, the initial state of non-duality that existed before creation, the Baul sadhana aims to reverse the cosmic process. Reflecting the macrocosm, each person’s microcosmic body contains the male and feminine principles of Puruja and Prakrti or Sakti. The Sahasrar, the highest chakra on the skull, is home to the male principle, which is comparable to semen. This is where the Supreme, who is known as the Atal Ishwar (the unmoving Lord), lives in perfect unity, devoid of any material attributes or forms.
There is no dualism between God and the devotee, or between the enjoyer and the enjoyed, in the Sahasrar because everything is merged into the still Lord. The ten sense organs (the five organs of perception and the five organs of action) and the six foes (lust, wrath, greed, infatuation, conceit, and envy) must be subdued for the sadhana to be successful. Man’s deadliest adversary is unbridled lust (kama), which is embodied by the god Kama (also known as Madan).
To influence the conversion of lust (kama) into genuine love, the male practitioner, Prema, poses as a woman. It is believed that by “becoming a woman,” his partnership with a woman will no longer be driven by a desire for sensual gain. During a woman’s menstrual cycle, the lowest Chakra, the Muladhar, has the Sahaj Manush or Adhor Manush, the active form of the Supreme. This is when the Bauls do their sadhana in an attempt to “catch” Him.
Sexuality
The Baul quest for “Adhor Manush”, the ultimate truth, heavily relies on sexuality. Similar to the Tantric, Bauls hold that the union of a man’s and a woman’s physical forms is the way to experience heavenly love.
In keeping with their eclecticism, the Bauls refer to the divine by a variety of titles, including Man of the Heart, Krishna, Allah and Ahad (“the One”). The deity is also known as the Uncatchable Moon, the Unknown Man, the Golden Friend, the Unknown Bird, the Natural Man (Sahaj Manus), or the Lord (Shai).
They have approached meditation somewhat discreetly for several reasons: the prohibition of the Guru, a fear that their core ideas might be misunderstood, a concern that the efficacy of their ascetic practices might be lost, and the controversy they might engender by meditating on female sexuality.
The Esoteric Essence
The Bauls believe that singing and dancing, which primarily identify the Bauls of today, are just a manifestation, only an aspect of their faith and belief. The Sahaja sadhak is not an ordinary man (samanya manush) who is bound by ordinary desires. He must rise above the animal existence and seek the eternal man (moner manush) (Bhattacharyya, 1993).
For this, their ritual practice is a way to merge with the Divine, which goes beyond everyday sexual practices. It is a way to control every physical impulse by retention of breath, thought and semen, to the point at which desire and egotism are annihilated. The mental and physical consequences are of feeling liberated while alive.
The use of psychotropic substances like marijuana, opium and ganja supposedly results in total control of the senses and ultimate in detachment from passions. The stringency of sahaja-sadhana and the incredible skill required to perform it has been compared to the act of plunging into the ocean without getting wet, or the frog dancing in front of the snake, or the tying of the elephant with the spider’s net, or the tying of the Mount Sumeru peaks with a piece of thread.
In summary, it may be stated that the Bauls are a folk sect who have collected many ideas and belief over time from many sources and mirrors how a rural society of the marginalised construct their belief, value and practicing structure to designate who they are and what is the objective of their religious, spiritual and philosophical life. It may seem arcane and esoteric, but within it lies a network of complex ideas originating from formal sources that, in contact with their informal reality, have gained new meanings and identities which together have become the world of the Bauls.
It would mean that any study of the Bauls must contextualise it within its given historical stage and socio-economics of rural Bengal. The world of Lalon Shah and his fellows, followers and disciples are no more but the message of humanity, non-conflict and inclusion will always be relevant though subscription to them will not make anyone a follower of their creed and faith.
Author
Afsan Chowdhury