HAILAKANDI, May 5 - International Baul singers from Japan, Bangladesh and also from West Bengal and Assam will attend a two day International Baul Utsav in Silchar and Karimganj towns of Barak Valley in southern Assam on May 7-8 next.
Jointly organised by Byatikrom Masdo and Samanway in collaboration with the Asam Sahitya Sabha, the festival will be attended by the president of sabha, Dr Paramananda Rajbongshi, eminent poet Sankhasubhra Deb Barman and chief of Northeast Bharatsevashram Sangha, Swami Sadhananandaji Maharaj as guests. The president of Byatikrom Masdo, Dr Saumen Bharatiya informed that the programmes will begin from 5 pm at Banga Bhawan in Silchar and district library auditorium at Karimganj.
He informed that Kanako Shimizu alias Saraswati Maa of Japan, Sadhan Bairagi Guruji, Mahamaya Baul, Tarpan Baul, Madhuryamoyee Baul of Bengal, disciple of Purna Das Baul and famous baul of Barak Valley, Sarbani Baul and eminent baul of Bangladesh will perform in both the places.
He said that the decision of organising Baul festival in Barak Valley was decided in the three daylong �Music for Soul� international festival held in Guwahati in the month of March.
The president of Samanway, Swarnali Choudhury said that the concept of Baul has been extended throughout Assam and people of Assam are also practising baul. Though the origin of baul is in Bengal but the philosophy has got internationalised now, she added.
It can be mentioned here that the origin of baul is not known exactly, but the word appeared in Bengal as far back as the 15th century. The word is found in the Chaitanya Bhagavata of Vrindabana Dasa Thakura as well as in the Chaitanya Charitamrita of Krishnadasa Kaviraja.
Bauls are a group of religious and cultural group of India, best known for their songs and poems to the God who dwells within. Bauls describe themselves as crazy for God. The term Baul means madman or religious ecstatic.
