Kustia,Khulna,Bangladesh
Lalon, (Bengali: লালন) also
known as Lalon Sain, Lalon Shah, Lalon Fakir or Mahatma
Lalon (c. 1772 – 17 October 1890; Bengali: 1 Kartik, 1179),[1] was a
prominent Bengali philosopher, Baul saint,
mystic, songwriter, social reformer and thinker. Considered an icon of Bengali
culture, Lalon inspired and influenced many poets, social and religious
thinkers including Rabindranath Tagore,[2][3][4] Kazi
Nazrul Islam,[5] and Allen
Ginsberg[6] albeit
he "rejected all distinctions of caste and creed".[7] Widely
celebrated as an epitome of religious tolerance, he was also accused of heresy
during his lifetime and after his death. In his songs, Lalon envisioned a
society where all religions and beliefs would stay in harmony. He founded the
institute known as Lalon Akhrah in Cheuriya, about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi)
from Kushtia railway
station. His disciples dwell mostly in Bangladesh and West
Bengal. Every year on the occasion of his death anniversary, thousands of
his disciples and devotees assemble at Lalon Akhrah, and pay homage to the
departed guru through celebration and discussion of his songs and philosophy
for three days.[7] In
2004, Lalon was placed at number 12 in the BBC's poll of the Greatest Bengali
of All Time.
Biography
There are few reliable sources for the details of Lalon's
early life as he was reticent in revealing his past.[2] It
is not known whether he was born in a Hindu or
a Muslim family.[11] Lalon
had no formal education.[12]
One account relates that Lalon, during a pilgrimage to the
temple of Jagannath with others of his native village, he
contracted smallpox and was abandoned by his companions on the
banks of the Kaliganga River,[13] from
where Malam Shah and his wife Matijan, members of the weaver community in a
Muslim-populated village, Cheuriya, took him to their home to convalesce. They
gave Lalon land to live where he founded a musical group and remained to
compose and perform his songs, inspired by Shiraj Sain, a musician of that
village. Lalon lost the sight of his one eye in smallpox.[11] Researchers
note that Lalon was a close friend of Kangal
Harinath, one of the contemporary social reformers and was a disciple of
Lalon.[14]
Lalon lived within the zamindari of
the Tagores in Kushtia and
had visited the Tagore family.[15] It is
said that zamindar Jyotirindranath Tagore sketched the
only portrait of Lalon in 1889 in his houseboat on the river
Padma.[16][17] Lalon
died at Chheuriya on 17 October 1890 at the age of 116. The news of his death
was first published in the newspaper Gram Barta Prokashika, run by Kangal
Harinath.[18] Lalon
was buried at the middle of his dwelling place known as his Akhra.
Philosophy
Lalon was against religious conflict and many of his songs
mock identity politics that divide communities and generate violence.[20] He even
rejected nationalism at the apex of the anti-colonial nationalist movements in
the Indian subcontinent.[21] He did
not believe in classes or castes, the fragmented, hierarchical society, and took a stand
against racism.[22] Lalon
does not fit the "mystical" or "spiritual" type who denies all
worldly affairs in search of the soul: he embodies the socially transformative
role of sub-continental bhakti and sufism. He
believed in the power of music to alter the intellectual and emotional state in
order to be able to understand and appreciate life itself.
The texts of his songs engage in philosophical discourses of
Bengal, continuing Tantric traditions of the Indian subcontinent,
particularly Nepal,
Bengal and the Gangetic plains. He appropriated various
philosophical positions emanating from Hindu, Jainist, Buddhist and Islamic traditions,
developing them into a coherent discourse without falling into eclecticism or
syncretism. He explicitly identified himself with the Nadiya school, with Advaita
Acharya, Nityananda and Chaitanya. He was greatly influenced by the
social movement initiated by Chaitanya against differences of caste, creed and
religion. His songs reject any absolute standard of right and wrong and show
the triviality of any attempt to divide people whether materially or
spiritually.
Works
Lalon composed numerous songs and poems, which describe his
philosophy. It is estimated that Lalon composed about 2,000 - 10,000 songs, of
which only about 800 songs are generally considered authentic.[23] Lalon
left no written copies of his songs, which were transmitted orally and only
later transcribed by his followers. Also, most of his followers could not read
or write either, so few of his songs are found in written form.[24] Rabindranath Tagore published some of the
Lalon song in the monthly Prabasi magazine of Kolkata.[25]
Among his most popular songs are
Shob Loke Koy Lalon Ki Jat Shongshare,
Khachar Bhitor Ochin Pakhi kyamne ashe jaay,
Jat Gelo Jat Gelo Bole,
Dekhna Mon Jhokmariay Duniyadari,
Pare Loye Jao Amai,
Milon Hobe Koto Dine,
Ar Amare Marishne Ma,
Tin Pagoler Holo Mela
Dhonno Dhonno Boli Tare
The songs of Lalon aim at an indescribable reality
beyond realism. He was observant of social conditions and
his songs spoke of day-to-day problems in simple yet moving language. His
philosophy was expressed orally, as well as through songs and musical
compositions using folk instruments that could be made from materials available
at home; the ektara(one-string
musical instrument) and the duggi
(drum).
Songs of Lalon were mainly confined to the baul sects. After
the independence of Bangladesh, they reached the urban people through
established singers. Many of them started using instruments other than
the ektara and baya. Some
started using classical bases for a polished presentation to appeal to the
senses of the urban masses.
According to Farida
Parveen, a renowned Lalon singer, the pronunciation of the words were also
refined in order to make their meanings clearer, whereas the bauls'
pronunciations are likely to have local influence.[12]
Several of Lalon's songs were translated into English by Dr.
Carol Salomon
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