Seeking Bauls of Bengal: 60 (University of Cambridge Oriental Publications, Series Number 60)

'Bauls' have achieved fame as wandering minstrels and mystics in India and Bangladesh. They are recruited from both Hindu and Muslim communities and are renowned for their beautiful and often enigmatic songs. Despite their iconic status as representatives of the spiritual East, and although they have been the subject of a number of studies, systematic research with Bauls themselves has been neglected. Jeanne Openshaw's book is fresh, not only in analysing the rise of the Bauls to their present revered status, but in the depth of its ethnographic research and its reference to the lives of composers and singers as a context for their songs. The author uses her fieldwork, and oral and manuscript materials, to lead the reader from the conventional historical and textual approaches towards a world defined by people called 'Baul', where the human body and love are primary and where women may be extolled above men. 'bauls' Have Become Renowned As Wandering Minstrels And Mystics Of India And Bangladesh, And Are Known Through Their Beautiful And Often Enigmatic Songs. They Are Recruited From Both Hindu And Muslim Communities, Privileging The Human Being Over Such Identities. Despite Their Iconic Status As Representatives Of The 'spiritual East', And Although They Have Been The Subject Of A Number Of Studies, Systematic Research With Bauls Themselves Has Been Largely Neglected, Jeanne Openshaw's Book Is New, Not Only In Analysing The Rise Of Bauls To Their Present Revered Status, But In The Depth Of Its Ethnographic Research And Its Reference To The Lives Of Composers And Singers As A Context For Their Songs. The Author Uses Her Fieldwork And Oral And Manuscript Materials To Lead The Reader From Conventional Historical And Textual Approaches Towards A World Defined By People Called 'baul', Where The Human Body And Love Are Primary, And Female Is Extolled Above Male. This Is A Compelling Story Of Creativity And Dissent Even In The Face Of Persecution.--jacket. Part I. Background: Literature On Bauls And Baul-songs -- What's In A Name? The Advent Of 'the Baul' -- Making Of The Bauls: Histories, Themes, Baul-songs -- Part Ii. In Search Of Bauls -- Fieldwork In Rarh -- Fieldwork In Bagri -- Part Iii. Received Classifications -- Two Shores, Two Refuges: Householder And Renouncer -- Evading The Two Shores: The Guru -- Part Iv. Reworking The Classifications -- Affect: Love And Women -- Theory: Images The 'i' And Bartaman -- Part V. Practice And Talking About Practice (hari-katha) -- Practice (sadhana) -- 'four Moons' Practice And Talking About Practice. Jeanne Openshaw. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 262-279) And Index. In this chapter the evolution of different perceptions of Bauls is considered from an historical point of view; in particular, the advent of variously inflected, idealised, 'gentry' (bhadralok) images of 'the Baul' from the nineteenth century, which is when the word baul began to emerge in the sources as the name of a class, group, tradition (sampraday) or even sect. Bauls are known as wandering minstrels and mystics in India and Bangladesh. Jeanne Openshaw uses her fieldwork, and oral and manuscript texts, to chart the rise of their present iconic status. Hers is a challenging and comprehensive approach to a spiritual and creative people.