"Although the image if a baul singing with his ektara appears intriguing, when it comes to listening to baul music, most urbanites prefer the integration of modern musical instruments in the songs. Even Lalon's music with its intense mystical elements has not been able to escape this fate. So is it more important to preserve the purity of Lalon's music or to spread his philosophy to the new generation?"
"The most amazing thing about Lalon is how a common person like him, after going through so much struggle, can rise to a transcendental stage," says Hossain, a forty-year-old corporate official and an avid fan of Lalon's music. "The tune of Lalon's songs attracted me as a teenager. However, at that time I never understood the meaning of th worlds. When I went to India for my studies, I once attended a Sufi conference in Delhi, where Farida Parveen delivered Lalon's songs. There, for the first time in my life, I felt the divine aspect of his songs. The appeal of the songs broke all language barriers and brought tears to the hundreds of foreigners in the audience there," hossain adds.
So even 120 years after his death, Lalon's music and message have retained the power to inspire and enchant.
"The baul philosophy has reached its entirety at Lalon," explains Dr Abul Ahsan Chowdhury, an eminent Lalon researcher and professor of Bengali, Kushtia Islamic University. He says that ot bauls, the teachings of the guru are like verses of holy books. which are presented sometimes through discussion and sometimes through lyrics as found in one of Lalon's songs" bhobe manush guru nistha jar, shorbo shadhon siddhya hoy tar". However, bauls are secretive about their praying techniques and the words of the songs are often covered in riddles that only the members of the baul community understand as in Lalon's famous song Achin Pakhi which describes the human body "Act kuthuri noi dorja ata moddhe moddhe jhalka kata tar opore sodor kotha aiyna mohol tar (The cage has eight rooms and mine closed doors; from time to time fire flares out; above there is the main room--the mirror chamber)".
What makes Lalon's songs special is the variation in tunes, beautiful rhythm and richness of language that at the same time is simple yet implies deeper meaning like the well-liked song "Milan hobay kotodiney amar moner manusher shone (When shall I meet my true love)". Although, superficially it may sound like a romantic song but the search for one's moner manush here implies the spiritual thirst for one's Creator. During Lalon's time, baul songs were mainly popular among the poor and oppressed as all the traditional religions had failed to recognise them. The baul philosophy offered simplicity based on the mysteries of creation and the creator and integrated the truth of religions like - Charyapada Vuddhism, Vaishnavism and Sufism. It defies man-made division, as notable in Lalon's "Jaat gelo jaat gelo bole eki ajob karkhana, shotto kaje keu noi raji shob dekhi tananana (I will be excommunicated, I will lose my caste cries everybody; what a strange affair is this, but no one wants to follow the path of truth; I see that everybody dillydallies).
Lalon himself never talked about his religious beliefs or identified himself to any caste or religion. However he voiced strongly against the practices of institutional religion. which earned him the enmity of both Muslim and Hindu priests and thinkers of his time. In fact, in his songs, he pointed out how places of worship created a barrier between man and the supreme, "tomar poth dhakeche mondir mosjidey; o tor dak shune hain, cholte na pai, amai rukhe darai murshide (Temple and mosque have covered your road, so O Lord! i cannot move even after hearing your call; my guru murdhid has stopped me)". Women have a special place in baul philosophy and in Lalon's songs women are given their due rights, respect and equality to an extent unthinkable even today "pap-punner kotha ami kare ba shudhai, e deshe ja pap gonno onno deshe punno tai, Tibbor niyom onusare, ek nari bahu poti kore, ei deshete hole porey babhichaare dondo hoy (Who should I ask about sin or morality, what is sin in one country is morality in another, in Tibet one woman can have many husbands, if it happens here she will be prosecuted for adultery).
According to Dr Choudhury, Lalon's songs are still very relevant in the present socio-economic and political context of the society where communalism and fundamentalism have risen to extreme levels. The secular and universal message of Lalon's songs provides inspiration and power to fight against the evils of society. However, Dr Choudhury is very much agingst the distortion and commercialization of the Lalon's songs and philosophy. He particularly criticises the way Lalon's death anniversary is celebrated through a Lalon Mela that is often sponsored by corporate houses. "You can hear Hindi songs playing from the microphones and shops selling plastic goods. The phone companies are more interested to extend their business Under the guise, Lalon gets lost," he says.
Although Lalon himself attached little value to his social identity and endorsement, vested groups whether politicians, singers, reformers or corporate bodies have been using his name and fame for their own interest. The true spirit of Lalon's work often gets lost among the commercial and profit-seeking attitude of modern society.
Farida parveen, the venerated Lalon singer also agrees with this, "It is okay that they are sponsoring the programme, but why would they put up their logo every where. This demeans Shainji," she protests. She complains that fakirs-bauls are not allowed to present their songs in the programme, even though they should have been the main focus of it. She balmes the administration of the Lalon Academy for such commercialization. "We expect that Lalon Academy should have the highest quality of instruments, the best instrumentalist and the finest singers, but this year those who sang were just jarring to the ear, lacking in rhythm and melody."
Although Lalon songs were basically confined to the baul sects. after Independence, it reached the urban mass thrugh established singers. who used instruments other than the ektara (one string instrument) and baya (a small drum played using the left hand). They even used classical bases for a polished presentation to appeal to the senses of the urban masses. Farida Parveen admits that the pronunciation is also refined to make the worlds and their meanings clearer, whereas the baul fakirs' pronunciations are likely to have local influence.
However, she thinks that the use of electrical instruments removes the human elements of the music. "Music has been caged within the keyboard. The essence of the bamboo flute is no longer found. When the flutist plays the flute, he tries to bring out the tune from the pain deep inside his heart. Can you find the same feel in the tune of an electrical instrument?" asks Farida.
Nonetheless, the younger generation appreciates electrical instruments and its use in songs and thus many current artists present Lalon's songs using fusion. Sumi, the lead singer of the popular band Lalon, defends the group's use of modern instruments, She says, "My request to those who criticize us will be that instead of criticizing they should try to do something positive in spreading the message of Lalon to the younger generation."
Unfortunately, the role of the Lalon Academy in protecting and promoting Laln's songs, initiating Lalon research and developing trained Lalon- geeti singers has been zero according to Farida Parveen's opinion. however at individual levels, researchers like Dr Choudhury are trying to collect authentic lyrics and music by Lalon while many others like Farida Parveen are trying to document the notations to protect the original tunes.
About fusion, music enthusiasts like Hossain says, "You will see this (fusion) is not likely to last long. It is a fad and will disappear with time. Rather it is the raw form of the songs that will remain through ages." Lalon's message and philosophy, rising above all our narrow mindedness and the need for constant gratification through the material and commercial, will continue to thrive among the common people of Bengal, who had originally embraced Lalon in the face of oppression and social deprivation.
