Arnesh Ghose Aims to Bring the Folk Baul Music of Bengal to Mainstream

More often than not, regional music gets wrapped under the sheets of commercial hits. Be it pop, rock or soulful music, it usually gets the limelight for all the right reasons, but once in a while an indigenous art form strikes through people's minds, or maybe it needs to be put up there by someone to know about its existence. One such initiative was brought from the allies of West Bengal to the rooms of Mumbai by Arnesh Ghose, a multidisciplinary artist and brand consultant. Through his gig "Bombay Baul Project", he tries to bring the traditional Baul music of West Bengal to new audiences, sharing its rich philosophy and heritage.

The Man Behind the Music

Arnesh Ghose wears many hats. By day, he works as a marketing communications and branding consultant, helping brands and celebrities define their positioning and perception. His impressive career includes serving as the managing editor and digital editor of Man's World and Rolling Stone magazines. "I think very early on, and especially as a journalist, I realised that I was having an immense amount of fun going to work every day," Arnesh reflects. "That was the learning I had very early on in the profession I had then, that work needs to be fun, and hence your passion needs to become a profession." By night, Arnesh transforms into a multidisciplinary artist – writing films, directing, performing theatre, creating music, and curating performing arts lineups for various organisations in Mumbai. One feather of his hat fell right into "The City of Dreams" which brought the indigenous music of Bengal, Baul here. 

What is Baul Music?

While most Indians might immediately think of Rajasthani or Punjabi folk music when discussing traditional sounds, Arnesh points out that every region has its own unique folk traditions waiting to be discovered. "Whenever we talk about folk music in this country, we very specifically hear Rajasthani folk and Punjabi folk," Arnesh explains. "That is fantastic. I love all kinds of folk. I love everything Indian. So at any given point in time when anything Indian is celebrated, I'm very proud of it. But the point is, every region, every state, every language has its own folk music, indigenous music."

Baul is more than just music – it's a philosophy and way of life originating from West Bengal. Unlike the energetic Punjabi or Rajasthani folk that make people dance, Baul creates a different kind of experience. "Punjabi or Rajasthani folk is gonna make you dance, but Baul is gonna make you hum," Arnesh says. "There's a beautiful word in Urdu called 'Khumar,' which is the sense of intoxication. Baul has that Khumar to it."

The Philosophy Behind the Music

What makes Baul truly special is its philosophical foundations. Baul rejects religious, caste, and social boundaries, focusing instead on the spiritual journey of finding both the supreme truth and oneself. "Baul is a philosophy. It is a way of life." Arnesh describes. "It very clearly says that there is no religion and no caste and no boundaries between human beings, and your journey towards finding that supreme truth or supreme being is a journey, and the same journey will make you find yourself because you are a part of that supreme truth."

This syncretic tradition draws from both Hindu and Islamic influences, creating a unique blend that transcends religious boundaries. Arnesh notes that similar philosophical ideas can be found across various spiritual traditions: "You will find it in Buddhism, Vedic Hinduism, Zoroastrianism and Taoism around the world. This is a very common philosophy. What Baul does is simplifies that through poetry and music."

Songs That Tell Stories

The Bombay Baul Project features several songs that explore different aspects of the Baul philosophy. One famous song, "Milon Hobe Kotodiney Aamar Moner Manusher Shoney," speaks about seeking the supreme entity or being, referred to as "Moner Manush," meaning "man of the heart" or "ideal person".

Another song that Arnesh particularly loves is "Mon Pakhi Re," which uses bird imagery to represent human consciousness. "There's a recurring imagery of connecting or personifying the human consciousness to a bird and how the bird enjoys staying in golden shackles and does not realise that the bird needs to fly and be in the pursuit of higher knowledge," he explains. "The golden cage and golden shackles, of course, are worldly desires and worldly possessions."

Other songs personify Hindu deities like Krishna and Radha, exploring relationships and even gender identity. "There is this one song which I absolutely love which says 'Bonomali Tumi Porojonomey Hoyo Radha,' which means 'Krishna, in your next life, I hope you are born as Radha so that you understand all the trials and tribulations of the pain and hurt and agony and anger that she went through.'"

Many Baul songs also draw inspiration from nature, using simple metaphors to convey profound ideas. Arnesh cites the song "Khejur Gache Hari Bandho Mon," which talks about tying your mind like a pot around the right trees to collect good juice—a metaphor for surrounding yourself with the right mentors and influences. With its varied expanse, Baul music was also granted the tag of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. 

An Expression Without Rules

What attracted Arnesh to Baul music from a young age, despite his training in Rabindra Sangeet and Hindustani classical music, was its lack of rigid structure. "While I started training in music from a very young age in Shantiniketan and other places, I was just constantly attracted to Baul music purely because it had no rules, no constraints," he shares. "There was nothing like you had to sing something exactly like this because 100 legends before you have sung it like this. That is what attracted me to Baul, because, like it is with all folk music, there is nothing that is incorrect. You are allowed to be, there's this beautiful sense of freedom."

This freedom extends to how Baul artists perform and share their music. Rather than formal concerts, Baul singers often gather in community settings, singing for themselves as much as for others. "A lot of time Baul singers just sing for themselves. They don't need an audience because it is not a performative art," Arnesh explains. "That is the joy and the beauty, and that is also what I tried to do in this gig. We did not do it at a gigantic stage, in a ginormous auditorium, the idea was to do it in a very intimate black box setup with people sitting down on the floor in a circle so that you have that sense of coming together, that sense of community."

Women in Baul Tradition

When asked about his interaction with the Baul artists, Arnesh speaks admiringly of two female Baul singers who have particularly influenced him: Sahaj Ma and Parvathy Baul. He finds their embodiment of Baul's freedom especially inspiring. "When something talks about freedom, to see a woman really embracing that freedom is beautiful because I feel women around the world, the one thing that always pulls them back is that pure, complete, uninhibited sense of freedom. And to see women experience, explore and champion that is just fabulous." Parvati Baul, who performs internationally and has established her own ashram in Kerala, represents for many the academic and authoritative touchpoint for Baul music.

The Community That Sings Together  

Unlike many spiritual traditions, Baul communities don't seek to convert or indoctrinate others. "None of these spaces are spaces of indoctrination. None of these spaces are trying to tell you to join them or become like them," the artist emphasises. "These are very free-flowing spaces that you come to, sit, listen, sing with them, join in. That is all that is asked for."

This openness is part of what Arnesh hopes to share through the Bombay Baul Project – a chance for audiences to experience not just the music, but the communal spirit that makes Baul special. Through his efforts, Arnesh Ghosh is helping to ensure that this beautiful tradition from West Bengal finds new appreciation beyond its regional boundaries, offering Mumbai and other cities a chance to experience the philosophical depth and musical beauty of Baul.