Bauls by night

A lively presentation of folk songs by the Bauls

Upon entering the shop, customers are greeted with families of bauls sitting in the corner and singing their hearts out. Two groups of these singing-families alternate between Thursdays and Fridays every week and add to the ambience of the shop with their compositions.

One of the families, who had performed last Thursday, said that they sang a whole lot of Lalon compositions and also a few self-made numbers. 'I speak about the ideas which are so unreachable, yet so ordinary,' he remarked. 'For instance, notions of life, death, life after death, God and his ways as opposed to man and his ways.' Next to him sat his wife and his 12-year-old son, playing the mondira and dhol respectively and singing aloud with his father. 'We earn about a thousand every week from performing songs at Jatra,' said the boy. 'We also goes around the city doing little shows and earning a living.' The boy's little sister and paternal aunt, who were sitting right next to him, offered to sing the song Bondhu tin din to the customers' delight.

According to Anushay, these bauls had approached her for some support initially. 'So I thought of this plan, where the bauls would come and entertain every weekend. The customers are requested to donate some on their free will, and thankfully, there are some who grant with all their heart!'

Singing verses about life and death, these bauls become a part of the beauty inside the homely little store, with their dhol, mondira and dotara. Sometimes, it's truly a wonder to see them smiling and content with very little that they get out of their aesthetic music and creative harmony.