From Ritual to Social Practice: Treatment of Gender in the Songs of the Folk Poet Lalon Shah

Name of Author : Dr Md. Mamunur Rahman & Sharmin Sultana

Abstract:  This paper deals with the issue of the treatment of gender in the songs of Lalon Shah, the most prominent master of the Bauls, a folk-based religious sect in Bengal that has been operative since the seventeenth century. Lalon Shah transformed the basically spiritual leaning Baul doctrine into a vehicle of social change in nineteenth century colonial Bengal, which brought about what may be called the rural renaissance of Bengal. The importance that Lalon-led Baul movement attaches to women emanates from the mystic belief on the egalitarian principle underlying the whole universe as human body is the microcosm of the universe, every individual is by default equal irrespective of caste, creed, class and gender. Analysis of the selected songs of Lalon Shah provides an insight into Baul treatment of women as partners of sexo-yogic ritual and also as respectable members of the society. Lalon Shah seems to convey the feminist message that women deserve to live on equal term with their male counterparts.

Keywords : Baulism, Lalon Shah, mysticism, gender, equality

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