Bauls of Bengal: First and Pristine Sufis

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 24 May 2024 Mr Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi's excellent article on the Mystic of Bengal has inspired me to ferret out my old article on Bauls of Bengal who were called Swabhabik Rahosyobadi (Natural Mystics) by none other than Rabindranath Tagore. Strange though it may sound, it's true that we are seldom aware of our own attributes and capabilities. That it needed an English scholar to enlighten us on the spiritual influence of Bauls of Bengal's Bankura district is a rather sad commentary on our apathy towards the rich and varied spiritual traditions and wealth. Professor Arthur John Arberry, a British scholar of Arabic Literature, Persian poetry and Islamic studies, wrote in 1939 that the Bauls of Bengal started and perpetuated the great (Islamic) mystic traditions of Muslim mystics in their own natural, non-denominational, non-religious and non-sectarian manner. Photo: Chaupahari.come ------ There are striking similarities in the ways of Bauls and the mysticism of Sufis. Since 1967, when Baul singers Purna Das and Luxmun Das featured on the album cover of Bob Dylan's John Wesley Hoarding, the West has been fascinated by the mystical world of the Bauls and their rejection of the mainstream (Islam/Hinduism). The Bauls subscribe to a philosophy that doesn't acknowledge caste, creed and social hierarchies. The syncretism of the Sufis is similar to Baul philosophy. Even John Lenon's famed "Imagine" (1966) was actually inspired by the Baul philosophy: "Imagine there's no god, no heaven....." British scholar of Vedanta Sir Christopher Isherwood called the Bauls 'First Sufis' and ' Spiritual world's earliest evolved souls.' Even Jalaluddin Rumi's concept of "Dancing Darvesh" has its roots and vestiges in the whirlwind dancing steps of the Bauls, which they (Bauls) call ''Alaukik Nritya" (Divine Dance). The Bauls of Bangladesh were following their spiritual tradition much before the advent of Islam, which came into existence nearly 1500 years ago. Though their devotional songs can be traced back to the fifteenth century when they first appeared in Bengali literature, Baul spiritual traditions were much older. The Bauls never called themselves Hindus or Muslims. Their only identity is Hari Das (slave to God). And their God is both Saguna-Saakaar (having a definite form) and Nirguna-Nirakaar (formless). On this front, Bauls are much more evolved (than the Sufis). Most of the Sufis were highly accomplished poets like Rumi, Attar, Sanai, Khaqani, Nizami, Bayazid Bistami and Jami, having a great command of Persian and Arabic, whereas Bauls were simple village-folks, unspoilt by bookish or scriptural knowledge. While all Sufis from Central Asia and Arab Peninsula were the devout followers of Islam, Bauls didn't tie themselves to the apron-strings of any man-made faith. To quote western Urdu scholar Ralph Russell, ' Theirs (Bauls) was a pristine spirituality, bereft of scriptural adulteration.' Bauls have never had religious trappings. They worship a God or even gods. On this count, their philosophy is much greater than all the sophisticated religious ideologies put together. Even Jesus Christ and his mother were mentioned in the folk-songs of Bauls many centuries ago in the erstwhile East Pakistan. The loftiness of their spiritual experience with no barriers of customs and rituals is incredibly fascinating. The message of Bauls is universal and is articulated in one of the songs-Je Maane Maanush Ke / Bhagban O Maane Taake (Who serves mankind / God serves him). Can anyone cite a spiritually more audacious statement than this? The disarming simplicity of the life of a Baul, the absence of social obligations and classifications, the unhesitant devotion of the music of the soil are some of the features that make the Bauls truly affable. The most beautiful thing about the Bauls is that though they are against all social and religious conventions, they are not disconcertingly iconoclastic. They welcome everyone to their fold with no pre-conditions whatsoever. "We are all offspring of the same God," intrinsically believe the Bauls and the echoes of it can be heard in the teachings of the Sufis. The egalitarian mysticism of the Bauls inspired the Sufis, who came into contact with them when they arrived from Central Asia and Arabia. But Professor Reynold A Nicholson suggested that Muslim mystics sidelined Bauls during their active period in Bengal (Read Nichloson's Notes, published by the Department of Persian, Cambridge University). If Socrates called himself 'a global citizen' almost 4, 000 years ago, Bauls considered the whole world as 'a huge family' (Brihod Poribaar) centuries ago. Just because their history is not so well-documented, Bauls have never got the much broader canvas enjoyed by the Muslim Sufis. Despite their lack of formal education, Bauls admirably believe that there's no hell or heaven. It's just a state of mind, they believe. Alas, 'educated' Muslims are still cocksure that Hell, Heaven, Afterlife and all that jazz exist and they write bogus treatises on these non-extant concepts that are actually insults to human intelligence. No last rites are performed when a Baul shuffles off the mortal coil. His mortal remains are consigned to the flowing waters of a river or sea, symbolising the continuity of life. In one of his poignant songs, Purna Das sings, "Give me a watery grave. Fire burns, lonely darkness suffocates, why shouldn't I flow with water as my whole life I have lived like a river?" This exalted philosophy of Bauls is all the more relevant in today's world of differences and discrimination. Here I must add Nirad C Chaudhury's words, " While all great Muslim mystics in Bengal had a subtle or dormant desire to convert Hindus to the fold of Islam, Bauls never had that intention as they were beyond all religious affiliations, nay afflictions '' (Courtesy, Desh, January 1970). Humanity needs the universal spirit and message of Bauls. ----- The above article first appeared in TOI's now defunct supplement The Crest (2009). Some additions have been incorporated to make it relevant for NAI. ---- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. 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