In memory of legendry mystic bard Fakir Lalon Shah, a two-day Lalon festival begins at Lalon Akhra of Cheuria village in Kushtia today. Titled ‘Lalon Smaran Utsab’ Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, in association with the Lalon Academy and Kushtia district administration, has organised the event.
On the occasion, the shrine of Fakir Lalon Shah has worn a festive look and hundreds of devotees from home and abroad has gathered at the Akhra (shrine).
The organisers will provide visitors with meals and medical treatment during the festival that will feature Lalon Mela, discussion and musical soiree every day.
A tune of joy is now sweeping over the area among the people and Lalon disciples as a number of floating vendors have set up different kinds of stalls on the fair ground.
During the festival, Bauls pay homage to their spiritual leader and render impassioned Lalon songs.
Lalon’s songs inspired and influenced many poets and social and religious thinkers, including Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam and Allen Ginsberg. He was both praised and criticised in his lifetime and after his death. His disciples mostly live in Bangladesh and West Bengal. He is also regarded as the founder of the Baul music.
Lalon Shah was a Bengali baul, mystic, songwriter, social reformer and secular thinker. He has become an icon of religious tolerance and secularism in Bengali culture.
Lalon composed numerous songs and poems, which describe his philosophy. It is said that he had composed about 10,000 songs of which 2,000 to 3,000 can be tracked down today while others are lost in time and hearts of his numerous followers.
Among his most popular songs are ‘Sob Loke Koy Lalon Ki Jaat Sangsare’, ‘Khachar Bhitor Ochin Pakhi’, ‘Jaat Gelo Jaat Gelo Bole’, ‘Dekhna Mon Jhokmariye Duniyadari’, ‘Pare Loye Jao Amay, Milon Hobe Koto Dine’, ‘Aar Amare Marisne Maa’ and ‘Tin Pagoler Holo Mela’.
The songs of Lalon aim at an indescribable reality beyond realism. He was observant of social conditions and his songs spoke of day-to-day problems in simple yet moving language.
His philosophical expression was based in oral and expressed in songs and musical compositions using folk instruments that could be made by from materials available at home – ektara, one-string musical instrument, and duggi, drum!#Ftv_news

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