Explore every episode of the podcast Banyan Roots

In the Garden of Krishna’s Love is the first episode to explore bhakti - devotion, and specifically songs showing devotion to Hindu Gods and Goddesses. We will hear from Baul masters on the importance of devotion in one’s spiritual progress as well as learn the historical significance of the Bhakti movement in India. 

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Songs:

Bhakti Bina Se Dhon Mele Na 

• Composer: Sotish Gosai
• Singer: Anath Bondhu Ghosh

Eseche Kunjero Dware

• Composer: Jadubindu Gosai
• Singer: Rina Das Baul

Krishna Anurager Bagane 

• Composer: Ananta Gosai
• Singer: Rabi Das Baul

Instrumentals:

 Jekhane Sai’r Baramkhana

• Composer: Lalon Fakir
• Dotara Player: Amirul Fakir

Rai Jago Go

• Composer: Traditional
• Performed by: Ochin Pakhi featuring Nathan Torrence on bansuri

Kirtan Chant

• Composer: Traditional
• Singer: Priest and devotees at Hare Krishna Temple in Rogers Park, Chicago

Ei To Tomar (intro)

• Composer: Rabindranath Tagore
• Performed by: Ochin Pakhi, featuring Soumyajyoti Ghosh on bansuri

Khandana Bhava Bandhana

• Composer: Swami Vivekananda
• Performed by: Ochin Pakhi

Many thanks to Biplab Ghosh, Arnab Sengupta, Rina and Manosij Goswami for help in the field, to Gene Nemirovsky for audio engineering, to Subhajit Sengupta for co-hosting, to the Fulbright-Nehru program and to all the musicians and teachers who recorded for this show. 

Podcast is recorded, curated and hosted by Lucia Thomas.

For photos and more info please visit Amplisounds Radio.

“Rejecting Caste – All are Brothers of my Heart" is a further exploration of manus twatto - the theory of humanity, this time focused on jat, or caste. Some Fakiri singers will discuss what caste felt like to them and what the great poet-saint Lalon Fakir had to say about caste.

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Songs:

1. “Jat Gelo Jat Gelo Bole”

• Composer: Lalon Fakir
• Singer: Amirul Fakir

“Sorol Dese Jao”

• Composer: Matal Rajjak
• Singer: Jamsher Fakir

“Nishedh Karo Ogo Brinde”

• Composer: Ajahar Fakir
• Singer: Khaibar Fakir
• Recording courtesy of: Suvankar Dassharma & Sudip Ray (Dubki project)

“Achhe Manus Hridoy Pinjiray”

• Composer: Prafulla Sarkar
• Singer: Uttara Baidya

“Manus Bhojle Sonar Manus Hobi”

• Composer: Lalon Fakir
• Singer: Jamsher Fakir

Instrumental Backgrounds:

1. Jekhane Shai’r Baramkhana

Composer: Lalon Fakir

Dotara Player: Amirul Fakir

2. Jat Gelo Jat Gelo

Composer: Lalon Fakir

Dotara player: Amirul Fakir

3. Snowflake and Inver Bank 

Band: Baba Yaga’s Stew

Composers: Lucia Thomas and Patrick Davey

4. Raag Yaman Alap 

Violinist: Lucia Thomas 

Many thanks to Biplab Ghosh, Arnab Sengupta, Rina and Manosij Goswami for help in the field, to Gene Nemirovsky for audio engineering, to Subhajit Sengupta for co-hosting, to the Fulbright-Nehru program and to all the musicians and teachers who recorded for this show. 

Podcast is recorded, curated and hosted by Lucia Thomas

For photos and more info please visit Amplisoundsradio

The Baul songs in this third episode challenge divisive religious identities and beg for a society where all humans treat each other well. It will share some background on the painful history of the partition of India as well as dive deeper into the life story of Lalon Fakir, the legendary Baul saint from the late 18th century.

Sob Loke Koy Lalon Ki Jat

Composer: Lalon Fakir

Singer: Babu Fakir

Emon Manob Somaj 

Composer: Lalon Fakir (attributed to Lalon Fakir but composer is unknown)

Singer: Dolan Banerjee 

Ami Dil Kabate Namaz Porbo 

Composer: Lalon Fakir

Singer: Ohidul Fakir 

Apnar Apni Fana Hole 

Composer: Lalon Fakir

Singer: Dolan Banerjee

Instrumentals:

Jekhane Shai’r Baramkhana

Composer: Lalon Fakir

Dotara Player: Amirul Fakir

Sob Loke Koy Lalon Ki Jat Composer: Lalon Fakir

Dotara Player: Amirul Fakir

Many thanks to Biplab Ghosh, Arnab Sengupta, Rina and Manosij Goswami for help in the field, to Gene Nemirovsky for audio engineering, to Subhajit Sengupta for co-hosting, to the Fulbright-Nehru program and to all the musicians and teachers who recorded for this show. 

Podcast is recorded, curated and hosted by Lucia Thomas

For photos and more info please visit Amplisoundsradio

Searching for the Man of the Heart explores how Baul songs use the metaphor of the house to describe the human body, which, for the Baul, is the starting place for realization. In this episode, listeners hear lyrics with cryptic images that point toward what the Baul call the praner manus “the man of the heart”–a personification of one’s inner truth.

Songs:

Dhonno Dhonno - Lalon Fakir (composer)*, Supriya Poddar (singer) *

Charyapada (First Song) - Lui Pad (composer), Srijoni Sadhika (singer)

Ghor Niye Koto Jontrona - Anath Bondhu Ghosh (composer and singer)

Amar Bhanga Ghore - Kingsuk Goshai (composer), Rabi Das Baul (singer)

Barir Kachhe Aarshinagar - Lalon Fakir (composer), Ochin Pakhi (performer)

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*students of Babu Fakir

Instrumentals:

Jekhane Shai’r Baramkhana - Lalon Fakir (composer), Amirul Fakir (Dotara player)

Dhonno Dhonno - Lalon Fakir (composer), Amirul Fakir (Dotara player)

Ghor Niye Koto Jontrona - Anath Bondhu Ghosh (composer), Lucia Thomas (violinist)

Youtube Links:

Babu Fakir and his students: https://youtube.com/@babufakirofficial5603?si=6T-tG1r71DHXDaPa

Sadhika Srijoni and Simon Zakaria: https://youtube.com/@charyapada7209?si=Pe31qLE6i3F31hZL

Anath Bondhu Ghosh: https://youtu.be/ojMfb-PyWJg?si=Lxpr4vrYsGK-FpPJ

Robi Das Baul: https://youtu.be/jjkfOVVMzi0?si=NyhSB6W6AK6XDIcE

Ochin Pakhi: https://youtube.com/@ochinpakhichicago?si=tuCdiH_6U8UPeMmM

Many thanks to Biplab Ghosh, Arnab Sengupta, Rina and Manosij Goswami for help in the field, to Gene Nemirovsky for audio engineering, to the Fulbright-Nehru program and to all the musicians and teachers who recorded for this show. 

Photo: "Bengal Patachitra" via Wikimedia Commons

This first episode explores Deho Twatto “theory of the body” in the Baul context, where the body itself is the starting point for spiritual understanding.

Songs:

Baul Howa Sohoj Kotha Noy Composer: Kangal Horinath Singer: Babu Fakir

Khachar Bhitor Ochin Pakhi Composer: Lalon Fakir Singer: Selina Fakirini

Chirodin Pushilam Ek Ochin Pakhi Composer: Lalon Fakir Singer: Nurbaba

Phaki Deowa Pakhi Re Tor Composer: Ammulyo Sarkar Singer: Uttora Baidya

Instrumentals:

Jekhane Shai’r Baramkhana

Composer: Lalon Fakir

Dotara Player: Amirul Fakir

Gram Chhara 

Composer: Rabindranath Tagore Dotara Player: Amirul Fakir

Khachar Bhitor Ochin Pakhi

Composer: Lalon Fakir

Violinist: Lucia Thomas

Painting credit: Dipshikha Debnath

For photos and more info please visit Amplisoundsradio

Many thanks to Biplab Ghosh, Arnab Sengupta, Rina and Manosij Goswami for help in the field, to Gene Nemirovsky for audio engineering, to the Fulbright-Nehru program and to all the musicians and teachers who recorded for this show.