Photograph by Rabindranath Tagore: of Nabani Das Khyapa Baul
BAUL IS an ORAL and INTANGIBLE
CULTURAL HERITAGE of HUMANITY
UNESCO 2005
Kshitimohan Sen Shastri 1880 –1960 was a Bengali scholar, writer and a Sanskrit professor. He was an acting Upacharya of Visva-Bharti University in Shantiniketan Birbhum from (1953–1954). He is the maternal grandfather of Dr. Amaryta Sen. Kshitimohan said, Nabani Das Khyapa Baul was the last authentic Baul on earth he was inspired and a beloved friend of Nabani Das Baul's. Kshitimohan appreciated Nabani's Mastery of Sanskrit and his pure mystical genius. There were many well known great friends of Nabani Das Khyapa Baul but these 2 Kshitimohan Sen Shastri, , and the great Santal Sculpture Ram Kinkar Baij were often found around him.
Below is a rare recording of Nabani Das Khyapa Baul (1890-1969) singing a Baul song.
Below is a rare recording of Nabani Das Khyapa Baul (1890-1969) singing a Baul song.
When the Roots of Baul and Folk Music are cut the tree of these will die!
Babu Kishan is the first and only authentic Baul educated at the University level to lecture and teach the History of Baul to the Universities around the world starting back in the 1970's and to connect Baul to travel through ICCR. He is the first Baul to take Baul Music from Hindustan Records to the World famous music label EMI and HMV and other record companies. He is the first Baul to compose Baul Fusion Music. A rare Baul as he probably one of the last still alive from the oral Sanskrit tradition of Vaishnava Baul. Babu Kishan is a complete University regarding all Folk Music of Indian, with a specialty in Bengali Folk music and Culture, and his own Living Lineage of Vaishnava Baul, Classical Music and Indian Spirituality. |
Nabani gifted Babu with the power of siddhi in storytelling, poetry, Tantra Vidya, Bhakti Vidya, Vaishnava Baul Kirtan from the original roots of these practices. Not from a reinterpreted western approach or new Baul singers who have cut the songs into pieces without doing sadhana or knowing who wrote the Baul songs, this has cut the roots off and without roots the tree is dying. Most of the famous Baul songs recorded and sung today are Babu Kishan's compositions his poetry, his grandfathers poetry, his lineages poetry. There is only one Line or Lineage of Baul. |
Babukishan has been a Cultural Representative of India for 40 years, traveling worldwide as a representative of India by himself and through the: (Sangeet Natak Academi "Indian National Academy of Music Dance and Drama") and (ICCR "Indian Council of Cultural Relations"). Babu Kishan has written 3 book on Baul, now out of print. A New Book on The history of Baul, about his one and only lineage of Baul, coming in 2017. Soon to be released, there are so many inaccuracies, watering down and cultural appropriations about Baul, it is time for the full and final history. Baul is extinct and the songs from his family, his lineage are Culturally Appropriated. |
Krishnendu Das Baul aka Babu Kishan is an expert in the Folk Music of Bengal and India. He was a Music consultant during the 1980's for CBS India and Manager A&R, he was specifically hired to categorize all of India's Folk and Classical Music because he is an expert Master of Indian Music. Babu Kishan is a Master of Indian Folk and Indian Classical as a Music Composer and Master of Indian Music he has personally produced Indian Music since the 1970's. He has produced 45 albums and 150 Indian Musical Scores.
Babu Kishan has traveled throughout India hundreds of times with Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and his family singing Baul Mystic Music and playing on all the largest stages in India and around the world.
The Vaishnava Bauls are known as the wandering rural Bengali street singers. Babu Kishan and his pioneering family brought Baul out of the villages of Bengal to India and the world. Babu Kishan was born in Suri Bengal a village, into an ancient Lineage of Folk and Mystical Music. He was awarded the Youngest Music Composer of Bengal during the 1970's. He is a multi instrumentalist playing 15 instruments.
He has been recording and preserving the folk music of India for 40 years. Born on the soil and soul of Bengal into a ancient Vaishnava Baul family, with a Masters degree from Calcutta University in Folk Music.
He has recorded, produced, promoted
through India's top Music Labels the biggest Folk Musicians of India including,
Dr. Bhupen Hazarika
Purna Das Baul
Manju Das
Gostho Gopal
Aarti Mukerjee
Sapna Awasthi
Sapna Chakroborty
Amar Pal
Allan Fakir
Abida Parveen
Sharada Sinha
Anuradha Paudwal
Hemlata
Mahendra Kapoor
Phalguni Pahak
Daiyanti Bai
Mshola
Gopa Bose (UK) now
and many more.
'Click' - on the 2 links below to listen to Folk Music Composed, Produced by Babu Kishan then known as Krishnendu Das
Babu Kishan has traveled throughout India hundreds of times with Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and his family singing Baul Mystic Music and playing on all the largest stages in India and around the world.
The Vaishnava Bauls are known as the wandering rural Bengali street singers. Babu Kishan and his pioneering family brought Baul out of the villages of Bengal to India and the world. Babu Kishan was born in Suri Bengal a village, into an ancient Lineage of Folk and Mystical Music. He was awarded the Youngest Music Composer of Bengal during the 1970's. He is a multi instrumentalist playing 15 instruments.
He has been recording and preserving the folk music of India for 40 years. Born on the soil and soul of Bengal into a ancient Vaishnava Baul family, with a Masters degree from Calcutta University in Folk Music.
He has recorded, produced, promoted
through India's top Music Labels the biggest Folk Musicians of India including,
Dr. Bhupen Hazarika
Purna Das Baul
Manju Das
Gostho Gopal
Aarti Mukerjee
Sapna Awasthi
Sapna Chakroborty
Amar Pal
Allan Fakir
Abida Parveen
Sharada Sinha
Anuradha Paudwal
Hemlata
Mahendra Kapoor
Phalguni Pahak
Daiyanti Bai
Mshola
Gopa Bose (UK) now
and many more.
'Click' - on the 2 links below to listen to Folk Music Composed, Produced by Babu Kishan then known as Krishnendu Das
INDIA FOLK MUSIC IS THE INDIGENOUS MUSIC OF INDIA
FOLK MUSIC IS ON THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION, IT IS BEING DESTROYED OR WATERED DOWN AND CULTURALLY APPROPRIATED BY THOSE WHO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THESE TRADITIONS. THINGS CHANGE BUT IF WE DO NOT PRESERVE OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE AND LET IT DIE OR GET INTO THE HANDS OF OTHERS WHO CULTURAL APPROPRIATE, THOSE WHO MAKE UP STORIES AND CHANGE FOLK MUSIC TO SUIT THEIR AGENDA, IT WILL BE GONE FOREVER.
IT IS BEING CULTURALLY APPROPRIATED BY THOSE WHO EITHER IGNORE OR DO NOT KNOW THE HISTORY OR WHO THE POETS ARE.
BABU KISHAN IS PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS LINEAGE BAUL AND FOLK MUSIC,
he has dedicated his whole life since he was a child to Indian Folk Music.
Babu Kishan has been a Cultural Representative of India for 40 years.
Traveling worldwide since the 1970's as a 'Cultural Representative of India' by himself and through the:
'Sangeet Natak Academi "Indian National Academy of Music Dance and Drama'
and
'ICCR "Indian Council of Cultural Relations'
Indian Folk Music should be preserved by an insider,
someone who knows Indian Folk Music from the soil and soul of India,
someone who has spent their whole life with Folk Music.
FOLK MUSIC IS ON THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION, IT IS BEING DESTROYED OR WATERED DOWN AND CULTURALLY APPROPRIATED BY THOSE WHO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THESE TRADITIONS. THINGS CHANGE BUT IF WE DO NOT PRESERVE OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE AND LET IT DIE OR GET INTO THE HANDS OF OTHERS WHO CULTURAL APPROPRIATE, THOSE WHO MAKE UP STORIES AND CHANGE FOLK MUSIC TO SUIT THEIR AGENDA, IT WILL BE GONE FOREVER.
IT IS BEING CULTURALLY APPROPRIATED BY THOSE WHO EITHER IGNORE OR DO NOT KNOW THE HISTORY OR WHO THE POETS ARE.
BABU KISHAN IS PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS LINEAGE BAUL AND FOLK MUSIC,
he has dedicated his whole life since he was a child to Indian Folk Music.
Babu Kishan has been a Cultural Representative of India for 40 years.
Traveling worldwide since the 1970's as a 'Cultural Representative of India' by himself and through the:
'Sangeet Natak Academi "Indian National Academy of Music Dance and Drama'
and
'ICCR "Indian Council of Cultural Relations'
Indian Folk Music should be preserved by an insider,
someone who knows Indian Folk Music from the soil and soul of India,
someone who has spent their whole life with Folk Music.
Friends of Babu Kishan's, Amitav Ghosh (Famous Author), Prabodh Parik (Famous Gurjarati Poet) with Babu Kishan aka Krishnendu Das (Music Composer, Filmmaker, Poet, Baul).
Babu Kishan's spiritual music is heard in all temples of India he is the first person to record the Hanuman Chalisa singing by Hari Om Sharan, he has recorded Anuradha Padwal, Anup Jalota, Suresh Wadkar, Mahendra Kapoor, Sadhana Sargam, Ravindra Jain, Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, Kavita Krishnamurti, Jai Mataji Temple, Shirdi Sai Baba Temple, Sita RamDas Omkarnath, Balak Bramachari, Anandamayi Ma, Osho, Swami Narayan, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Nitin Mukesh and many more...
Babu Kishan has created more than 44 albums in: HINDI, BENGALI, SANSKRIT, BHOJPURI, PUNJABI, GUJURATI, RAJASTANI & ENGLISH: with reputed music labels as, Universal Music, EMI, Polygram Music, CBS, Star Music, Sony, HMV,T-Series, and TIPS music and film labels, he has composed for feature film music and background music, private albums, Documentary films.
He has composed music for more than 150 musical film scores.
He toured with Bob Dylan’s & The Band in their 1985 East and West tour. He has performed and recorded with music industry greats such as George Harrison, Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, Chakka Khan, Ravi Shankar, Zakir Hussain, Tom Petty, Miles Davis, Allan Fakir, Herbie Mann, Third World, Bob Dylan's the Band Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Ziggy Marley, R.D.Burman, and many others independently.
R.D Burman was Babu's Bollywood Guru and friend for more than 13 years. RD Burman's father
SD Burman was a super fan of Babu's Grandfather Nabani Das Baul.
Babu Kishan is rare, he has been to the top and has witnessed India through 5 decades though the eyes of all the top in Indian Music and Film he has met them, worked with them traveled with them. Politicians, singers, actors, and he was state singers for Indira Gandhi, Sanjiv Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi as part of the family personally traveling all over India. His Grandfather Nabani Das Khyappa Baul was Baul Guru dance teacher to Indira Gandhi and state artist singer for Nehru during the Indian Independence movement. He has done hundreds and hundreds of travels throughout India performing.
Babukishan has been a cultural ambassador of India for 40 years traveling worldwide recognized through the Government of India's Sangeet Natak Academi "Indian National Academy of Music Dance and Drama" and ICCR "Indian Council of Cultural Relations"
He has performed at The Royal Albert Hall in London to the Carnegie Hall and all Big Stadiums in India in front of millions of people.
Some Past Lectures and Baul Performances @ Universities around the world.
UCLA, Columbia, Chicago University, Boston University, Pennsylvania Music College, Baltimore Music College, Philadelphia Arts and Music College, Kansas University Music, St Louis University, Washington and Lee, University of Washington, University of Toronto, Harvard, Mumbai University, Whistling Woods Film Institute in Mumbai, San Francisco College of Arts, Berkeley University Music School, Red Wood University, San Diego University, University of Victoria, Cambridge and Oxford in UK, Berlin Music College, Stuttgart University, Bremen University Germany, Hamburg University, Cologne University, University Germany, Zurich University, Geneva University, Brussels University, Rome University of Fine Arts, University of Honk Kong, University of Bangkok, University of Singapore, Delhi University, University of Mauritius, University of Johannesburg South Africa ... more to be listed
Festivals
World Music New York, Los Angles, San Diego, San Francisco, Taiwan, Mauritius, Seattle, Woodstock, Washington, Chicago, London, Germany
Montreal Pop Music Festival, and many, many more dating back to 1972,1974,1975 as his family along with Ravi Shankar and others were the Indian Musicians who performed as part of the fundraiser for Bangladesh created and hosted by the Rolling Stones, Beatles ect.. This is when he first met the Mick Jagger.
Babu Kishan has created more than 44 albums in: HINDI, BENGALI, SANSKRIT, BHOJPURI, PUNJABI, GUJURATI, RAJASTANI & ENGLISH: with reputed music labels as, Universal Music, EMI, Polygram Music, CBS, Star Music, Sony, HMV,T-Series, and TIPS music and film labels, he has composed for feature film music and background music, private albums, Documentary films.
He has composed music for more than 150 musical film scores.
He toured with Bob Dylan’s & The Band in their 1985 East and West tour. He has performed and recorded with music industry greats such as George Harrison, Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, Chakka Khan, Ravi Shankar, Zakir Hussain, Tom Petty, Miles Davis, Allan Fakir, Herbie Mann, Third World, Bob Dylan's the Band Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Ziggy Marley, R.D.Burman, and many others independently.
R.D Burman was Babu's Bollywood Guru and friend for more than 13 years. RD Burman's father
SD Burman was a super fan of Babu's Grandfather Nabani Das Baul.
Babu Kishan is rare, he has been to the top and has witnessed India through 5 decades though the eyes of all the top in Indian Music and Film he has met them, worked with them traveled with them. Politicians, singers, actors, and he was state singers for Indira Gandhi, Sanjiv Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi as part of the family personally traveling all over India. His Grandfather Nabani Das Khyappa Baul was Baul Guru dance teacher to Indira Gandhi and state artist singer for Nehru during the Indian Independence movement. He has done hundreds and hundreds of travels throughout India performing.
Babukishan has been a cultural ambassador of India for 40 years traveling worldwide recognized through the Government of India's Sangeet Natak Academi "Indian National Academy of Music Dance and Drama" and ICCR "Indian Council of Cultural Relations"
He has performed at The Royal Albert Hall in London to the Carnegie Hall and all Big Stadiums in India in front of millions of people.
Some Past Lectures and Baul Performances @ Universities around the world.
UCLA, Columbia, Chicago University, Boston University, Pennsylvania Music College, Baltimore Music College, Philadelphia Arts and Music College, Kansas University Music, St Louis University, Washington and Lee, University of Washington, University of Toronto, Harvard, Mumbai University, Whistling Woods Film Institute in Mumbai, San Francisco College of Arts, Berkeley University Music School, Red Wood University, San Diego University, University of Victoria, Cambridge and Oxford in UK, Berlin Music College, Stuttgart University, Bremen University Germany, Hamburg University, Cologne University, University Germany, Zurich University, Geneva University, Brussels University, Rome University of Fine Arts, University of Honk Kong, University of Bangkok, University of Singapore, Delhi University, University of Mauritius, University of Johannesburg South Africa ... more to be listed
Festivals
World Music New York, Los Angles, San Diego, San Francisco, Taiwan, Mauritius, Seattle, Woodstock, Washington, Chicago, London, Germany
Montreal Pop Music Festival, and many, many more dating back to 1972,1974,1975 as his family along with Ravi Shankar and others were the Indian Musicians who performed as part of the fundraiser for Bangladesh created and hosted by the Rolling Stones, Beatles ect.. This is when he first met the Mick Jagger.
First Let'sDiscover
Vaishnava Baul is an oral Sanskrit tradition, the stories are recorded in the songs. The whole Bhagavad Gita is one song, then there is house of oral storytelling and teaching about he Bhagavad Gita. Baul starts with Radha and Krishna 5000 years ago. Babu is the eldest son of Purna Das Baul and the late Manju Dasi. He was raised by Sri Nabani Das Khyapa Baul and Brajabala Dasi in Siri Birbhum until age 8, then moved to Calcutta and spent 12 years at the Ramakrishna Mission.
Manju Dasi his mother is the first Women Baul to travel the world starting back in the 1960's until the mid 2000's she traveled every corner of the globe and performed on every stage, her story is truly what legends are made of. Manju was an extremely talented Folk musician, an HMV/EMI and Polydor artist. Manju was the first Female Baul (Baulini) and perhaps the only to date to be a"A class female Baul singer in India" she was the first Baul to introduce Harmonium to Baul, before her the Bauls did not use the harmonium. Manju was the first Baul to introduce official Lalon Fakir songs to Radio, TV, recordings and film. Brajabala Dasi and Radharani Dasi were Baul Women Guru's who taught all the women. The people who are fundraising to preserve Baul do not mention and deleted their names , this is Cultural Appropriation. Without mentioning the names of this family there is no Baul there is no other lineage (period). Why because they are history and the only lineage, the rest is just made up stories, trying to take the stories of this tradition, their stories, their songs deleting the names and making up your own. This is Cultural Appropriation. Today it has become fashionable to say that you are preserving the Bauls? The Bauls are already preserved Babu Kishan and his family and their ancestors have preserved their tradition for thousands of years. The songs are already recorded. Everything is stored away safely from all that is going on today. Perhaps they knew this day would come and if they did not protect what belongs to them it would be taken. To the New Baul singers, how can you preserve what does not belong to you. How can you preserve Folk Music when you have no roots in it or education from inside the tradition or other wise. |
Now let's WORKPreserve
Folk Music of India and Bengal must be preserved by someone who understands Folk Music and Baul.
For an example: Baul is being Culturally Appropriated by outsiders who are using Baul as a way to survive and try to gain fame. They take the names off the stories of this family. They make up lineages and are singing the songs all wrong, slowly watering down and reducing what Baul is. They make it up as they go to suit their needs at any given time. BabuKishan is the only one of the very few living authentic oral Sanskrit authorities alive today regarding the Bauls from inside the tradition who is also, a Scholar . He is a pioneer in preserving Baul and no Baul would have songs to sing if he and his family had not recorded all back in the 1950, onward. Today fake Bauls are singing their songs recorded in the 1960's and as if they are the writer of the song. Not only that there are some who are putting other poets names on songs that were recorded by this family long ago. Babu Kishan aka Krishnendu Das is starting to speak now because he is seeing a prolific amount of mis-information on Baul by the many scholars, PhDs, new Bauls singers and writers who are lacking information in what the authentic Baul lineage is really about, they are making it us as they go, copy and paste over and over. Each day he see's another story or more speculation on who the Bauls are, it is has become the biggest joke to those that know this family and friend and well wisher of this Baul Lineage. You must know there is no other lineage of Baul. 
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IT'S UP TO USChange
True knowledge and wisdom from the real Folklore, the real authentic Folk traditions comes from understanding the music and languages of the land.
It has to start from the people who have lived the traditions, outsiders can not understand because they do not have an understanding of the deep culture of the land. They do not understand how the people of the land think, it is easy today to take pictures and copy and paste all sorts. We live in a world of internet Guru's who have not lived the tradition. We must bring out the real and give the real a voice. Support our Folk Traditions at the ground level. There are other Folk traditions without a voice. We must support this silent voice. The true authentic hidden away in the cracks that have the true stories. It is too easy for others to lay claim to what can Never be owned and say well you did not copy right your songs. It is too easy to make excuses for the ones who have held, and preserved their folk traditions only to see them watered down and reduced. Cultural Appropriation is a real issue and needs to be acknowledged. The stories of the soul and soil of the land need to be respected. 
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Web site created and written by Sandra Trishula Das
Copyright 2017 - 2030
All rights reserved
Copyright 2017 - 2030
All rights reserved