Baul and Fakiri

Lakhin Bagdi

Call: 8768191827

Lakhin has been singing for the last sixteen years. He has learnt Baul music from Bhajan Das Bairagya . Lakhin's soulful voice has enchanted audiences from various places incluidng Bankura, Murshidabad, Santiniketan and Kolkata.

Tapan Kumar Das (Sadhu)

Call: 9732892009

Sadhu Das Baul, in his late twenties, is a young and enterprising Baul singer from Joydev near Santiniketan in Birbhum district. Sadhu started singing and playing musical instruments at the age of 10. His inspiration and guide was his father Lt Tarak Khyapa. Sadhu is a promising Baul singer who is also proficient in playing Dotara, Khamak, Ektara and Dugi. He has performed in many cities across India, including Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Silchar and Tatanagar. He performed at the Sur Jahan World Peace Music Festival in Kolkata and Goa and also in Urkult Festival, Sweden and Fagun Utsav, London.

Tanmay Kumar Das (Kangal)

Call: 7602218536

Kangal Khyapa, born in Joydev near Santiniketan in Birbhum district, is probably one of the finest Dotara players of India. Kangal started playing musical instruments at the age of seven. His inspiration and guide was his father, eminent Baul singer Lt.Tarak Khyapa. Kangal is also a Baul singer having high competence in playing other folk instruments, such as Khamak, Ektara, Dugi, Tabla, Khol, etc. He has performed in many places across India, including Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune,Assam, Tatanagar and Siliguri. He performed at the Sur Jahan World Peace Music Festival in Kolkata and Goa and also in different music festivals in Sweden Hungary and London.

Manik Das Baul

Call: 9126109241

Manik Das Baul is a renowned young Baul practitioner hailing from Santiniketan in Birbhum district. Inspired from his father Kartick Das Baul, Manik had a fascination towards Khamak (one of the primary instrument of Baul music) from his childhood. It is the tunes of Khamak that brought him on the path of Baul music. For the last 23 years, he has been associated with Baul music and got influenced by Shri Radheshyam Baul. At present, Manik is closely associated with Rabi Das Baul and their duo perform regularly across India and also runs their akhra at Diganta Pally in Santiniketan."

Dibakar Das Baul

Call: 9800120227

Dibakar Das resides in Prantik, located in Birbhum district of West Bengal. He is a veteran Baul musician from that region. He has performed extensively within West Bengal. He has also performed nationally and internationally. His performances have been broadcasted in weekend shows by Doordarshan and other television channels. He has also performed a playback song for the movie, Post Office. As the husband of an eminent Baulani from the region Rina Das, he has been instrumental in providing musical training to her. Apart from West Bengal, Dibakar Das has performed in Assam (Guwahati and Kamakhya) Delhi, Mumbai and Odisha (Sambalpur). Outside India, he has performed at WOMEX 2022 held in Portugal and also in France (Paris, Brittany), Switzerland and Spain. He has been featured in a blog by the curator of Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Betty Belanus on how Oral Traditions Shift to Digital: Bauls of West Bengal Face the Pandemic."

Lalu Fakir (Lal Mohammed Seikh)

Call: 9732698694

Born in 1956 in Murshidabad district, Lalu belongs to a family with a musical tradition. He was inspired by his grandfather to become a musician. Lalu debuted as an artist in 1971. Over the years, he was groomed by veteran musicians like Safkat Mondal, Meher Shah, Soleman Biswas and Late Lokman Fakir. Apart from being a vocalist, Lalu plays music instruments like the Dotara, Ektara, Dugi and Harmonium. He has performed across West Bengal and also in Delhi, Mumbai, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Assam, Manipur and Tripura. He has also performed in Bangladesh.

Chote Golam Fakir

Call: 9732917198

A resident of Jalangi block in Murshidabad district in West Bengal, Chote Golam Fakir is one of the most talented and popular contemporary Bangla Qawwali singers. Gifted with a baritone voice, Chhote Golam was initially trained by his father Fakir Alimuddin Mondal. Subsequently, he was introduced to Bangla Qawwali by his Guru Abdur Rashid Sarkar of Bangladesh. Chhote Golam and his team have performed across India, including New Delhi, Goa and Bangalore. His songs also feature in numerous music albums, including 'Bangla Qawwali' and ‘Compilation of Baul songs'.

Khokan Das - Dhol (accompanist)

Call: 9734859765

Khokon is the eighth generation of a Dhak and Dhol plyer's family, groomed in playing the Dhol, the traditional Indian drum, at a very young age by his father and grandfather. He was later groomed by veteran Dhol player Sidam Das and Pt Tanmoy Bose. Khokon has performed across West Bengal and also in Sacred Spirit Festival, Rajasthan, other fairs and festivals in Delhi, Mumbai, Goa and Assam. He has also performed in international festivals including WOMEX 2022 in Portugal, Urkult festival Sweden, Colours of Ostrava in Czech Republic and Bangladesh.

Akkas Fakir

Call: 9647190561

Akkas Fakir, a young and enterprising Baul musician, is known for his baritone voice. He was introduced to Baul-Fakiri and Bangla Qawwali by his cousin Arman Fakir. Akkas is a key member of Arman Fakir’s Bangla Qawwali team and has performed in India and abroad. With time Akkas became the icon of young Baul music lovers for his energetic performance and magical stage appearance. Akkas has rendered his voice in albums like ‘Lokjan, Bijoyer Gaan’, ‘Nadia’, ‘Bhavnagar’ and ‘Gorbhangar Gaan’.

Kalam Fakir

Call:

Kalam Fakir is a resident of Chakram Prasad village of Jalangi in Murshidabad district. He has been associated with Baul music for the past 26 years and trained by Rohini Saha Goswami. Kalam Fakir has performed across India, including his home state West Bengal, New Delhi, Goa and also Bangladesh. He received the best artist award in Murshidabad district. Besides singing, kalam fakir also plays a variety of musical instruments including Harmonium and Dotara. Recently he has also started making Dotara.

Mallika Akar

Call: 8617835245

Mallika Akar was born in 1983. Her tryst with Baul music began at the age of 7 with her father Shri Chandbarik Seikh's guidance. Apart from music, she also teaches in a local school. She has performed nationally and also Internationally including Urkult Festival, Sweden in 2023 and also in Bangladesh. She was a part of the musical entourage at International Music Festival- Sur Jahan in 2019.

Arman Fakir

Call: 9733956858

Arman Fakir was initiated into Marfati music by his Guru Gani Pagol of Bangladesh through Kadria Tarika, a form of Fakiri music introduced by Abdul Kader Jilani. However, Armaan’s first Guru was his father Shamsuddin Khan, better known as Shamu Pagal. Armaan has specialized in Bangla Qawwali since 1995 and also has been rendering songs of Lalon Fakir from childhood. He has a vast repertoire of songs composed by various lyricists. Armaan has immense contribution behind ‘Sahaj Geeti’ — a compendium of 1200 Baul-Fakiri songs. He is also well-known for his philosophical verses. A renowned Guru of Fakiri music, Armaan trains young artists at his ashram in Nadia’s Gorbhanga. He also trained the actors of the Bengali feature film ‘Moner Manush’, based on the life of Lalon Fakir and directed by Gautam Ghosh. Arman leads a Bangla Qawwali team that has performed in different cities of India and abroad. His songs are part of the albums ‘Gorbhangar Gaan’, ‘Lokjan’, ‘Nadia’, 'Bangla Qawwali' and ‘Compilation of Baul songs'. For more details, click on the link mentioned below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCCqa6AqQ98

Amanat Fakir

Call: 9732960379

Amanat Fakir specializes in Baul and Fakiri music. Born into a family of traditional singers, he grew up learning Muslim wedding songs from his mother and the Panchali – a form of musical storytelling, from his father. As a child, he would sing Alkap in a music group led by his elder brother. At 22, he became a disciple of the famous Mehbub Fakir who broadened his horizons considerably and went on to learn from brilliant performers like Jahiruddin and Khodabaksh whose tutelage turned him into a name to be reckoned within the world of folk music. His performance received appreciation from all over West Bengal and also from Assam and Delhi.

Golam Fakir

Call: 9734351489

Golam Fakir of Gorbhanga, Nadia is one of the best known Baul artist in the world, adored for his melodious voice and a unique style of playing the Dotara. Golam Fakir has performed across continents, including England, Scotland, Denmark, Switzerland, France, Tunisia and China. He has rendered his voice and acted in ‘Moner Manush’, a Golden Peacock winner Bengali feature film by eminent director Gautam Ghosh.

Arjun Khyapa

Call: 9732799811

Arjun Khyapa of Goas, Nadia has been performing since the mid-1990s and is known for his melodious baritone voice. He has performed across India and mesmerized audiences in London (London Ananda Utsav 2010) and other cities in Europe. His solo album ‘Arjuner Gaan’ is a very popular one. His songs also feature in many other music albums, including ‘Lokjaan’, ‘Nadia’, and ‘Compilation of Baul songs'.

Khaibar Fakir

Call: 9647190624

Khaibar Fakir of Gorbhanga village of Nadia district in West Bengal has been groomed by various veteran artists and votaries. He is Baul guru, a soulful singer and also plays folk instruments like Dotara, Ektara. Khaibar has his own ashram, where he coaches his disciples in Baul Fakiri philosophy and songs. His Murshidi, Marfati and Fakiri songs have been appreciated across India including the Indian Habitat Centre, New Delhi, Alliance Francaise, Bangalore, Hazarduari Utsav, Murshidabad. Khaibar Fakir has recorded his songs for albums like 'Lokjaan', 'Bhabnagar' and 'Gorbhangar Gaan II'. Khaibar has also performed in international festivals including Japan, Damascus Festival of Spiritual & Religious Music, Syria in 2012 and Gannat festival France.

Babu Fakir

Call: 9609175101

Born in 1970, Babu Fakir was inspired by his father and went on to learn Baul Fakiri and Bangla Qawwali songs in his early years. Later he came in touch with Mansoor Fakir and his brother Arman Fakir from where he subsequently got trained in Baul-Fakiri, Bangla Qawwali songs and went on to perform in different cities of the country and abroad, including in Paris, UK, Switzerland, Copenhagen, and Japan. He specializes in the songs of Lalan Fakir, Duddu Shah, Panju Shah as well as Kirtan (a devotional music genre). He also trains young artists in folk music. His songs also feature in many other music albums, including Nadia, 'Gorbhangar Gaan', 'Bangla Qawwali' and "Baul" Compilation of Baul songs'. He has collaborated with various international musicians.

Atahar Fakir

Call: 9732981425

Kamanurjaman Karikar (A.KA. Atahar Fakir) is a young talented Baul Fakiri artist from the district of Nadia, West Bengal. As he was born in a musical family, Atahar was never taught but learned music from his father Ashmat Karikar at a very tender age. Later he emerged himself in Baul-Fakiri practice and led a spiritual lifestyle in association with Arman Fakir and the other fakirs of Gorbhanga. Atahar has performed at music festivals across Bengal, and other parts of India including Simla, Assam, Goa and Delhi and also in Indonasia and Bangladesh. Along with a melodious voice he is an excellent Dotara player. He has his own akhra at Karimpur.

Kartick Khyapa

Call: 869591014

Karthik Khyapa is a famous Baul artist from Nabadwip of Nadia district. He has been associated with baul music for 30 years. He learned music from the age of 10-12 under the guidance of Tinkari Chakraborty and Sadhan Das Bairagya. Kartick is a promising Baul singer who is also deft in playing Dubki, Dotara, Khamak, Harmonium, Ektara and Dugi etc. He performed his Baul music in various places in lindia including Delhi, Miumbai, Rajasthan, odisa, Assam, Goa etc.

Girish Khyapa

Call: 9434360653

Girish Mandal also known as Girish Khyapa, is an eminent Baul singer from Bardhaman district in West Bengal. He also plays various traditional instruments, including Dotara and Ektara. He has performed and conducted workshops across India. Girish performed at the International De Folklore De Noyon Festival in France and Transform-Trondheim World Music Festival in Norway in 2017. He also participated in a cultural exchange program with Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in the United States and visited Washington D.C. as part of the initiative in 2018. There he attended the Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2018 and performed at the Library of Congress and Freer Sackler Gallery.

Swapan Adhikari

Call: 8918275091

Swapan is a well-known Baul artist of West Bengal. Along with a vast repertoire of Baul music, Swapan masters in playing various traditional musical instruments like Khamak (percussive string), Dubki (hand drum), Dotara (string) etc. He started his musical journey at a very young age and later he was initiated and trained by Baul guru Sadhan Das Bairagya. He has performed across India, France, Japan and Bangladesh. Swapan has recently collaborated with Taleb Khan Manganiyar and his group and presented the same at the Sacred Spirit Festival 2023, Rajasthan curated by Alain Weber."