Bauls are a religious & cultural group primarily from the state of West Bengal India. Best known for their songs & poems to god who dwells within. The term "Baul" is usually understood to mean "madman" or religious ecstatic & Bauls often describe themselves as crazy for God

There are 3 major communities or lineages ( sampradayas ). The 1st is associated with the Birbhum District, which is traditionally considered to be the source of the Baul tradition in West Bengal. This community inhabits the districts of Birbhum, Burdwan, Bankura, and Midnapore.

It shows many influences, including Tantric Buddhism and Shaktism. The second community is known as the Navadvipa sampradaya, which shows strong Bengali Vaishnava influence and is found primarily in the Nadia and Murshidabad districts.

They live as religious ascetics.. The householder Bauls live as married couples and perform daily rituals in their homes. The ascetic Bauls take initiation, often as renunciant vows ( sannyasa diksha ), and may wander through the countryside or live in the ashram or akhara.

These ashrams are frequently supported by the local villagers. Bauls who wander from village to village may also contribute from their earnings from begging ( madhukari ) or singing.

There are great gatherings of Bauls at festivals called melas or mahotsavas, at which hundreds of Bauls meet to sing and share stories. There are large tents and awnings, incense, fires, and flowers. Some of the largest of the gatherings are in Birbhum, in Jayadeva-Kenduli etc.

They play a variety of instruments to accompany the songs. The most common is the gopijantra or ektara, a 1 stringed instrument made from gourd & split bamboo. They may also play the dotara, a 2 stringed lute with a long neck & various drums, sometimes small cymbals, harmonium.

Bauls usually dress in orange or saffron, to show their association with the religious life. Men wear the alkhalla, a robe of coarse cloth, small bells at the ankles, long hair & beards & sometimes rudraksha beads. Women may wear simple white or saffron saris & no jewelry.

Source : https://www.everyculture.com/South-Asia/Baul.html
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Picture credits with the artists.
Paintings By Shri Ganesh Pyne (3 Pencil sketches) Madhusree Dutta (1 painting)
Some by Sankar Tarafdar from athena art school -> http://athenaartschool.com/ 
Some by unknown artists.

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