Parvathy Baul is a singer, painter and storyteller from West Bengal. After receiving her initial music and dance training during her childhood, she studied visual arts at the Kala Bhavan at Shantiniketan, the university founded by Rabindranath Tagore.
Her meeting with the living tradition of Baul prompted her to choose the path of self-training in the Baul order rather than an institutional degree.
“Kerala and Bengal have for long shared many commonalities. Now, an artiste couple from the two states adds a new dimension to it” …
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Performing career
Since 1995 Parvathy Baul has performed in her home state Bengal and all over India. She was also invited to participate in several international festivals including Festival de l’imaginaire (Paris), Festival international du Conte et du Monodrame (Beirut, Libanon), and Ethnomad (Geneva, Switzerland).
Her guest appearances include prestigeous venues like the Noh theatre at Kyoto (Japan) together with Kamigata-mai and Kyogen Performers, the World Music Center New York, Chicago University, and Bread and Puppet Theatre (Vermont), Musée d’ethnographie de Genève (Switzerland) Museum Rietberg (Zürich, Switzerland).
She has contributed Baul songs, woodcut prints, and a documentary video to the new South Asian department, Tropenmuseum Amsterdam, (The Netherlands), 2008-18.
Ekathara Baul Sangeetha Kalari
Ours is a cultural centre deeply rooted in Indian traditions and performing arts, including music. We are involved in dedicated efforts to revive and sustain art forms.
With long-term vision, we promote music concerts, puppetry performances, the art of story telling with painted stories, traditional theatre practices (Mask theatre and Mask-like makeup), etc.
Ekathara also coordinates awareness programs including inter-cultural meetings and workshops.
We publish books, audio/video documentation materials etc. We also dedicate ourselves to taking care of select old masters of Mystical Traditions of Baul, fakir, Sufi and Siddha.
Contact
Ekatara Baul Sangeeta Kallari
Chittore House, Mukkolakal
Nedumangad P. O.
695 541 Trivandrum Dist.,
Kerala
India
+91-472-2804150
raviparvathy@yahoo.com
CD Order details
Price in India Rs. 500
Price outside India- € 20 or equivalent in any currency (postal charges by registered priority/airmail extra)
CD Sahajia – Songs of Sahaja yoga by Parvathy Baul
This CD includes an Introduction and translation for each song:
Pare Loye jao amay (take me across) by Lalan Fakir- Gour- Kolonkini (fallen in love with the golden one) by Poddolochan
- Apon moner baghe khai jare (Hunted by the mind tiger) by Lalan Fakir – excerpt (2:20):
- Anondo Bazaar cholre mon (the Market of Ananda) by Haure Goshai
- Nigur prem (the secret of Love) by Lalan Fakir
- Bandhu (My beloved) by Shah Abdul Karim, Ananta Goshai
- Joler niche pa dubabi na (Don’t dip your feet in the water of love) by Radharaman
- Shonar Pakhi (The Golden Bird) by Gangajal Ma
Sahayantri (musicians):
Lakshman Das Baul (Anandalahari, Dotara, Kartal)
A.K.Raghunathan (Bamboo Flute)
Udupi S Shrikanth ( Khanjira)
Parvathy Baul ( vocal, Duggi , Ektara)
Excerpt from the booklet accompanying the CD Sahajiya – Songs of Sahaja yoga
Baul Sadhana is known as Sahaja Yoga, post Chaitnya period Baul became known as also Sahajiya Vaishnav, Baul songs are often described as ‘Sahajiyader Gann’ –songs of sahajiya. Those who follow the path of Sahaja Yoga are known as Sahajiya. When Sahaja is described in Baul it is often said with an image of opening of flower petals with the soft touch of rays of early morning sun.
Sahajia songs are the expressions of openhearted Sahaja Sadhaka, they carry the message of both the ‘Oneness’ or Advita non-Duality, and also the experience of broken heartedness of Longing for the Beloved.
We often say in Baul that the Guru lives in the Baul song, a Baul sadhaka would write a poem when the poem sprung to life spontaneously from a deep inner state of being to communicate the inner ‘Bhava’ or inner experiences to fellow seekers, while singing or listening these poems -our door to the inner chamber of our heart is opened to us. This deep inner state of being is nothing but the state of Sahaja, the fulfillment attained through sahaja Yoga. These songs are
‘living wisdom’ or ‘the spoken truth’ coming from the deep realization of Sadhaka’s heart, completely soaked in the tears and laughter of Love and Devotion.
In this CD first few songs speakes about the aspect of Sahaja Sadhana, and the rest describing the love and longing for the Beloved which is often described through the divine passion and unconditional love of Radha for Krishna.
CD Premgeethi Beyond the times – love songs from Bengal
Ekathara Sangeetha Kalari 2007
with text booklet containing song translations, and photographs and explanations (glossary)
Ten items sung with ektara (drone) and duggi (handheld claydrum) accompaniment by Parvathy Baul
The lyrics for this song from the book Song of the Great Soul by Parvathy Baul published by Ekatara Baul Sangeeta Kallari (Nedumangad 2005)
Reviews
“Her free spirit is a lifesaver to the listener, emitting an aura of hope and relief. … The picture panels in front of which she performs are done by her, and belong to the rare Hamzanama series, kept in select museums across the world. She dances, swirling with her duggi and ek tara, and singing. This she would do for the theatre workshop for which she was preparing to go to Rome. … How does she manage her stardom and her life as a Baul? ‘Are they separate? We need to break free from the chains of our mind—the bonds of time, body and even of ourselves,’ she says. To be free. ” – Aparna Nair in The Week (September 20, 2009)
Mysticism abound
“Parvathy Baul, a well known baul artist from West Bengal, enthralled the viewers with the energy and spirituality in her performance. The high-pitched voice was able to reach even the last row without the help of microphones. Cladded in a saffron colour traditional wear, playing ektara and duggi along with jigs, she resembled Bhakta Meera conversing with the lord. Baul is a type of folk song, carrying influences of Hindu bhakti movements as well as the suphi, a form of Sufi song.” – Smitha Peter in The New Indian Express (City Express Chennai) 5 February 2008
Art and soul of the nation
“Parvathy Baul: she currently tops the charts in Indian folk music, stunning audiences with her moving songs of Radha-Krishna bhakti and the Baul message of spiritual unity.” – Sixty Indians who keep us culturally sound, grounded and proud in Hindustan Times Kolkata (Art & Culture), 14 August 2007
Soul Food: An evening of Sufi and Mystic Music
Baul sangeet is a very unique art of Bengal, where the artiste performing it has to be adept in several aspects – singing, poetry, music and dance. The performance by Parvathi Baul was truly amazing as she sang in a high-pitched emotional voice, plucking the ektara, playing the percussion instrument duggi and dancing beautifully, all at the same time. Her breath control and mastery over melody and rhythm were spellbinding. – Bharani in The New Indian Express (Chennai) 20 February 07
The CD Radha Bhava by Parvathy Baul, released by www.arion-music.com (Paris) in conjunction with the Ateliers d’Ethnomusicologie (French and English text by Laurent Aubert) in 2003, has won international acclaim:
“Parvathy’s voice is entirely possessed by this mystical feeling of Baul poetry and never fails to radiate the fragrances associated with the revelation of compassion”; also available at www.adem.ch/CD/cdasiesud.html
Ruhaniyat Sufi & Mystic Songs, Vol II, Ninaad Music
“IN times of terror and disharmony, a desire to help the mind break free of all chaos resulted in the birth of Ruhaniyat, a live music festival of Sufi poetry and music. Serving as a platform for folk artists from all over the country, Ruhaniyat has been received very well by audiences in the past.
The second volume of this compilation addresses world peace and liberation of the soul through surrender to devotion.
The listener couldn’t have asked for a better way to end this wonderful compilation as Parvathy Baul strums her Ektaara, blending it beautifully with her unique voice in Tore rang dilo. One of the few remaining women to practice Baul, Parvathy’s voice is rich with skill and emotion that is bound to touch the listener with its unforced brilliance.” – Paroma Mukherjee in Express Features Service ARTBEAT RHYTHM `N’ VIEWS http://cities.expressindia.com/
From the heart
“While the much-famed Baul songs by Parvathy Baul and Madan Vairagya from West Bengal further captivated the audience, Sufi songs by Punjab’s Nanak and Manak Brothers, the African Siddhi Goma drummers and Delhi’s Nizami brothers— Ghulam Sabi and Ghulam Waris added to the evening’s trance element.” – cities.expressindia.com
Pune Newsline, 27 February 2006
Puppetry review
Big Concepts on Tiny Stages
“Ravi Gopalan Nair, as puppeteer, and Parvathy Baul, as co-puppeteer and singer, enacted the love and separation of Radha and Krishna and Radha’s moving self-sacrifice with the simplicity of child’s play and the gravity of classic tragedy.”
– Review published by the Wall Street Journal 29 May 2008