TEZPUR, Dec 4 � �Only music can create a bond between human beings across the globe. Music being the food of mind of every human being, it has been playing an unmatched role in the society in keeping the people together with a deep sense of love and oneness� said international �Baul� singer, Maqsoodul (Mac) Haque recently while delivering a special lecture on �Baul Sangeet� arranged by the Department of Cultural Studies, Tezpur University at its seminar hall in memory of late Poragmoni Sarma, an associate professor of the department of Cultural studies, Tezpur university. It is to be stated here that late professor Paragmoni Sarma, who was kind and simple and a down to earth person, became a fan and later a close friend of Mac through internet. He wanted the international singer, a rock star and a popular Baulian of Bangladesh to be in Assam to pass a message of brotherhood among the people across the globe.
In his discourse, speaking about the philosophy of �Bauliana� the famous rock star said that purpose of his deep involvement with �Baul Sangeet� is to explore the philosophy associated with Baul music of Bangladesh, the esoteric schools of wisdom, the great saints and sages of the times and their thoughts, all of which combine to make it a unique cultural component of Bengal. He said, �Bauliana has similarities with Buddhism as it not an organised religion, but a life style and belief system. Among the many strains of Bauliana the Sahajiya or easy going/ simple schools of thought, has a direct linkage to Buddhism. Bauls are spiritual people and by implication, it is the awakened spirit of man in each and every religion, doctrines, beliefs and rituals which has primordial overtones and are enshrined in the soul of Man, is ideally their prime focus. Their practices and inquiry all revolve around �Man the Being� and they believe that it is in the faculty of man, in his intellect and deeper within his consciousness is where God exist. The bauls have always believed that God could not have existed without man, for it is only man that sings the great glory of God, in a roundabout way keeps him alive.�
The evening audience consisted mostly of the students and the faculty members of the department of Cultural Studies of the university alongwith the wife of the late Poragmoni Sarma, Nilakhshi Sarma, who had turned up to witness the special event graced by the popular Bangladeshi rockstar, poet, writer and philosopher as well popular Baul singer Maqsoodul (Mac) Haque. The event held great significance for the university as well as the late Porag Moni Sarma�s wife which could fulfill the dream of late Sarma. More importantly, alongwith the delivery of his long discourse on the bauls of Bangladesh and their music �Intangible heritage of mankind� Mac Haque presented a lively music concert enthralling the people. He was felicitated by the HoD and Dean of department with a phulam gamusa and seleng sadar.
