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[Jeebesh Bagchi]

dear Fellows,

Please please please post with a proper subject header. All these  
mails are archived and with a proper subject header it will be easier  
to locate and read later.

Please understand this simple request.

best
jeebesh

On 28-Mar-06, at 10:37 PM, Averee Chaurey wrote:

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> THIRD POSTING
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> My next visit was to the Joydev Mela , at Kenduli in Birbhum ,where  
> the largest number of Bauls congregate.
>
> This was my first visit to Kenduli , a place close to the hearts of  
> all Bauls . From Kolkata I take the train to Shantiniketan and  
> onwards by taxi to Kenduli which takes about 2 hours .Kenduli is a  
> small village , on the banks of the river Ajay . This is the mecca  
> for the Bauls .Kenduli is home to a shrine of Joydev and  
> Padmabati , whose love story has been sung for many years . Joydev  
> is the famous poet who wrote `Geet Gobind’. The annual mela is held  
> here in his honour .
>
> Thousands of people have gathered here for the festival ; as far as  
> the gaze goes all you can see is countless heads of people .Small  
> tents , about 50 in number , have mushroomed all over ; all of them  
> housing Bauls .These tents are known as ` akhras ‘. A huge open  
> stage or Mukta Mancha stands in the centre .It is from here that I  
> hear beautiful music and get to speak to some Bauls and  
> Baulinis .Interestingly , I get to meet Purna Das Baul ,who has  
> been responsible for popularising Baul music all over the world .In  
> spite of his busy schedule I did get to have a chat with him .He is  
> probably one of the most famous Bauls around having even found a  
> place on the cover of Bob Dylan’s 1968 album .I asked him to  
> comment on the current trends of Baul music ,the publicity it is  
> getting and on Baul fusion .`Most Bauls do not stick to authentic  
> tunes,’he says,`though the popularity of the music has brought in a  
> welcome change.’Purna Das thinks the older generation shies away  
> from the publicity blitz .He is not averse to the idea of Baul  
> fusion because as long as he chants the name of Krishna ,he thinks  
> it does not mean drifting away .
>
> As dusk sets in , the crowd has now swollen to scary proportions .  
> I meet a Baulini who lets me into her small hut .She looks after  
> her Baul sangi (partner) and rears children .Still she finds time  
> to sing and has inducted her child into the tradition . I hear the  
> little Chatu Das regale the audience .He is just 10 years old .
>
> I noticed that the music too has changed . Instruments like  
> harmonium and tabla which traditionally are not played with Baul  
> songs , now form a part of their renditions .Group shows with  
> musicians accompanying Bauls seemed to be an emerging trend .
>
> Yet, the philosophy remains the same :
>
> Dwija Sudra itar bhadra , nai re bhedabhed bichar .
> Brahmon ,Kshatriya ,Sudra mile mishe ekakar – Krishna Dasi
> (Brahmin Sudra, the high and the low , there is no difference ; all  
> are mingled together )
>
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> The next part of my work will focus more on women Bauls . The  
> gender bias notwithstanding ,I intend to culminate my work in a  
> play which will highlight the lives of these Baul women .
>
>
>
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