Culture of Bauls
The culture of Western Bengal in its natural meaning is first of all the creation of Bauls, mystics so old that one can find their connection with not only religions but also the sciences that are commonly called esoteric. It seems that the whole ancient Asiatic culture originates or is interconnected with this culture of ancient travelers.
And the most interesting thing is that ordinary public simply does not understand the meaning of the texts of the bauls, they are so symbolic and “highly scientific” for ordinary listeners. ‘Collect bauls’… eternal travelers left their mark in our language (Russian). And our volhvy (волхвы) also come from this culture – bauls-bards-arias-druids-dervishes – culture of eternal travelers to new worlds. Only track paths for different groups often separate diametrically.
But the same style – whether gypsies, or Jews, or our thieves’ thrown culture. The same coronations are the inauguration of their authority of teacher-judges and narrow family traditions. Everything is interconnected, only set in different conditions, all these groups underwent an evolutionary path determined by these conditions. And nationality is not the most important thing on this path – the main is a science of life about which they sing in their songs.
But the most interesting is the personal impression of communication. The three of our guests were not alike. The one that was dark, was a fan of Hanuman and had an appropriate medallion. He kept more restrained and after a couple of glasses, he hit a pair, a teacher with a pupil, of Siva’s admirers, that they were not real Bauli and as I thought he convicted them in selfish behavior. What happened during the way of our communication, made me slightly puzzled. At some point, I suddenly wanted to share, with my guests the latest. In other words, I wanted to thank them with something more than a few hundred rupees, with dinner and drinking.
Watching this state, I caught on myself the mindful and blissful look of the main master from this trio. And suddenly I realized that this is his absolute openness and unselfishness that works so. Deciding that there was enough money for them, I gave him a flute bought in Kathmandu. Very beautiful big flute, and in return we received bells. Our admire of Hanuman was too serious and I presented him Tibetan plates with a nice fine sound for a very long time going into the distance, and he gave me his less deep but sonorous, real Bauls’. So we all were satisfied.
But then it became clear to me, the essence of pure and open love, which is taught by various gurus and gypsies. They know how to open up in real, but not unselfishly. And when you start to enter their world, you feel their sincere gratitude and are ready to give the last. Of course, this was not in my style, as the responsibility for family well-being in travel is stronger than any love charms. In addition, it was not the first meeting with representatives of the caste of practicing love in India and in general in the world. There was time, with a need to kick out a band of crazy-yogins who occupied the ship and fooled the team with fortune telling.
At a very young age, I especially molested our gypsies to test myself for the resistance of suggestion. There were also experiments with a variety of hypnotists when they especially came out on stage to mow with their charms. I remember the hypnotist whispering into my ear at the last such a variety show, – ‘Learn to relax’. But this all did not end and I later talked with the famous hypnotist on Skype about the treatment and stuff. Later, also on Skype, I talked for a long time with our oldest hypnotist Alexander Cherepanov. And when I felt it, that I was floating away from his monotonous voice, I interrupted him and took the topic to the other side.
In general, at the time of our meeting with Bauls, I was a henchman in the matter of the possibility of getting into other people’s minds. And in the process of almost four-hour communication, even managed to play in who to who. Having taken the side of the admirer of Hanuman, his efforts convinced that this form of life is not entirely honest according to the high criteria of the Baulian style of disinterested creative openness. But still, at the end of the movie, pretty tipsy (Baul do not drink or drink a little), our teacher finished the last song proudly striking himself in the chest, said that he is a real Baul! On this note, we said goodbye.
Translated by: Maja Volkov
