The Baul are a group of mystic minstrels of mixed elements of Sufism, Vaishnavism and Tantra from Bangladesh and the neighboring Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and Assam's Barak Valley and Meghalaya. Bauls constitute both a syncretic religious sect of troubadours and a musical tradition. Bauls are a very heterogeneous group, with many sects, but their membership mainly consists of Vaishnava Hindus and Sufi Muslims. They can often be identified by their distinctive clothes and musical instruments. Lalon Shah is regarded as the most celebrated Baul saint in history.
Bengali music comprises a long tradition of religious and secular song-writing over a period of almost a millennium. Composed with lyrics in the Bengali language, Bengali music spans a wide variety of styles.
The music of West Bengal includes multiple indigenous musical genres such as Baul, Ramprasadi, Bishnupuri Classical, Kirtan, Shyama Sangeet, Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Geeti, Dwijendrageeti, Prabhat Samgiita, Agamani-Vijaya, Patua Sangeet, Gambhira, Bhatiali, Bhawaiya, Bengali Rock.
Ektara is a one-stringed musical instrument used in the traditional music of the Indian subcontinent, and used in modern-day music of Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.
Chhau dance, also spelled Chhou dance, is a semi classical Indian dance with martial and folk traditions. It is found in three styles named after the location where they are performed, i.e. the Purulia Chhau of West Bengal, the Seraikella Chhau of Jharkhand and the Mayurbhanj Chhau of Odisha.
Susheela Raman is a British musician. She was nominated for the 2006 BBC World Music Awards. Her debut album Salt Rain was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2001. She is known for energetic, vibrant, syncretic, and uplifting live performances built on the sacred Bhakti and Sufi traditions of India and Pakistan.
'Bapi' Das Baul is an 8th generation Baul performer of Bengali mystical folk music. He moved from Kolkata to Paris in 1993 and is now known for his fusion work with the groups Senses, Baul Bishwa, Zap Mamma, Fun-Da-Mental, trans global underground, State Of Bengal, Studio Pagol and others in the musical scenes of Paris and London.
The culture of West Bengal is an Indian culture which has its roots in Bengali literature, music, fine arts, drama and cinema. Different geographic regions of West Bengal have subtle as well as more pronounced variations between each other, with Darjeeling Himalayan hill region and Duars showing particularly different socio-cultural aspects.
The Jaipur Literature Festival, or JLF, is an annual literary festival which takes place in the Indian city of Jaipur each year in the month of January. It was founded in 2006.
Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India is a 2009 travel book by William Dalrymple.
Puran Das Baul, popularly known as Purna Das Baul Samrat, is an Indian musician and singer, in Baul tradition. The artist is sometimes cited as Purna Chandra Das, though 'Purna Das Baul' is used to avoid confusion with other artists and individuals with the same name. He has traveled in 140 countries, throughout the world and presented the Baul tradition.
Tana Tani is a studio album by musicians State of Bengal and Paban Das Baul, released on 12 April 2004 by Real World Records.
Bolepur Bluez is a Baul Rock fusion band from Kolkata, India. The band's stated goal is to recreate the traditional music of West Bengal, usually played by the traditional inhabitants known as Bauls. Through a fusion of modern-electric 'rock' instruments with traditional acoustic sounds, Bolepur Bluez aspires to bring Baul music to international audiences. In 2010, they participated in India's Got Talent, where they received a positive reception.
Basudeb Das Baul is a Bengali baul singer and musician from Bolpur in Birbhum district, West Bengal, India; who also plays khamak, ektara, and dotara as an accompaniment. He is known for pioneering traditional Baul music on the international music scene. He also works on the music score for the Australian film The Waiting City as a featured soloist in 2009. A critically acclaimed Bangladeshi movie "Hawa" also featured one of his celebrated song "Atta baje deri koris na" in his own voice.
Le Chant Des Bauls - Manuche O Rautan is a 2002 Bengali Baul song album by Paban Das Baul, Gour Khyapa, Nimai Goswami and Mimlu Sen. It was released by Brussels based Belgian record company Fonti Musicali on 23 September in 2002.
Inner Knowledge is the debut solo studio album by Bengali Baul singer and musician Paban Das Baul. The album was released in the United Kingdom on 4 November 1997 by Real World Records and was produced by Michael Brook.
Music of the Honey Gatherers is the second solo studio album by Bengali Baul singer and musician Paban Das Baul. The album was released in the United Kingdom on 24 May 2010 by Riverboat Records and World Music Network.
Mimlu Sen is an Indian author, translator, musician, composer and producer.
