We invite you to immerse yourself in the melodies of the Bengali Bauls—woven with mysticism and folklore—alongside Ananda Gopal Das Baul. Master Ananda is a performer recognized in both India and the West who, for nearly 40 years, has traveled across every continent with the traditional music of the Bauls of West Bengal (India).
A Baul is a “singing philosopher” whose sacred texts, prayers, and philosophical reflections are expressed through song. It is precisely because of their unique spiritual content that Baul songs have even been included on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The emotional essence of the Bauls lies in the philosopher’s “conversation with the heart” (Bengali: Monoshikkha), with the teacher, and in a deep longing for God. Just as dance is in the Sufi tradition, so too is song for the Bauls a medium between heaven and earth, through which one enters a spiritual trance.
The foundation of Baul music is improvisation; no musical session has a predetermined set list and depends solely on the bhava—the inner state, mood, and atmosphere—that comes over the performers.
The guest from India will be accompanied by Kristė Elena Šlajė (vocals, traditional instruments), who lives in India, and Adomas Šimkūnas (bansuri flute).