FORMAL NOTICE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & LINEAGE COPYRIGHT
BabuKishan.org
Contact:
“When people steal from our culture they end up distorting our culture, they turn it into something we do not even recognize, erasing us by replacing us.”
They (cosplaying actors, self-titled Baul Masters) re-package a watered-down or romanticized version by cosplaying Baul to attain donations, financial jackpots, international travel representing Baul when you are not even indigenous to Birbhum W Bengal. The mainstream world then accepts the fake/distorted version as authentic, effectively erasing the original living caretakers and replacing them in the public consciousness. I have seen this in academia, and in the western audiences who do not have a clue. They think if one calls themselves a Baul that they are Baul when they actually have no way of knowing, this is the oldest trick in India, self-titling onself a sadhu, tantric, yogic, swami when one is not even close. They put on the costume, throw a few terms around, build an akhara or ashram then a website and travel the world scamming people.
The west and now in India thinks if it looks exotic and are armed with a list of Gurus, and if it sweetly smiles, no absolutely they are authentic, telling people they have a lineage based on a one generationpoet, their style and songs are appropriated. How would you actually know, unless you are an expert on Baul there is no way you can know who is a Baul or not.
When a small, hisghly specialized lineage faces extinction due to historical trauma, poverty, or aggressive commercial copying, reclamation is an act of survival. It ensures the future generation do not inherit a watered-down, manufactured version of their own ancestors sacrifice.
Before the computer one would be tested in the Indian traditional systems as to their authority through debate, questions, however, today no one knows the questions to even ask?
Babu Kishan was trained in knowing what questions to ask, with extensive experience throughout India testing, debating the spiritual heirarchy as to their knowledge and wisdom, He was trained in Mimansa Philsophy and Purna Paksha and there was a time he knew most of the Guru's he composed music for many of them all over India. He knows and has adhikara regarding Baul (Vaishnava Sahajiya Baul) and he has preserved his lineage which is the only lineage of Baul for over 60 years. He was also, trained in Indian Philosophy, Indian Music by the best in India, along with his mentor a Supreme Court of India Judge of Calcutta and Bombay who is historical, to test other Gurus was their hobby.
Dismantling the Myth of the "Leading Baul Singer"
Let us correct another fabricated narrative currently circulating in global PR campaigns: there is no such thing as a "leading Baul singer" today.
In the entire recorded history of the modern world, there was only one famous, globally recognized, legendary Baul singer—and that was Baul Samrat Purna Das Baul.
Purna Das Baul did not achieve this status through self-titling, social media marketing, or corporate grants. Crowned Baul Samrat (King of Bauls) by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, he was the sole pioneer who brought the authentic acoustic sound, philosophy, and spiritual dignity of Birbhum to the world stage, collaborating with global cultural icons and establishing the absolute gold standard for the tradition.
To invent titles like "India’s leading Baul singer" or "preeminent Baul master" for modern stage actors is pure marketing deception. Today, there are no lineage Bauls operating on the commercial festival circuit—let alone "leading" ones. The true lineage holders have retired from the public circus or moved into strict archival preservation.
What the public sees on stage today are not "leading Bauls"; they are costumed vocalists performing folk covers, exploiting a crown that was forged by Purna Das Baul, and claiming a title that does not belong to them.
https://lineagebaul.blogspot.com/2026/08/roots-of-vaishnava-baul-sahaja-sahajiya.html
Krishnendu Das Baul (Babu Kishan) lineage is the only 'Roots of Baul', the only "Roots of Baul Sahaja that of Krishan the biggest Sahaja ever way before Buddhist Sahaja and that of Dattatreya the oldest indigenous Roots, Tantric Yogic figure int he history of India going back to the Ramayana. There is a reason the ancient Naths follow Dattatreya he is the Roots.
The roots of Bauls Sahaja DO NOT come from the Buddhists or Charyapada, Babu Kishan has already debated that in the 1980 when he helped Charles Capwell in India with his research on Baul and in the end Babu Kishan debated openly at Chicago University this very subject that Charles loaded into his thesis book and Babu Kishan criticized openly in his class, however, an academic scholar will never change an untruth because reprinting a book when they already have their PHD will never happen.
Some used to think of Babu Kishan as a snob however, when the whole lineage lies on your back as a responsibility from birth to preserve and when you are both lineage and academic scholar, monk for 12 years you lines are hard to cross. Babu Kishan has never found any shishya's worth taking on as student no one was prepared to even start. He can with laser eyes and ears right through who is a fake and who is not, he has spent over 60 years discerning always associating with the elders of the highest degrees whether political, musical, cultural in India from a young age, the elders of Baul, the elders who all knew Nabani Das Khyapa Baul and Brajabala Dasi who knew all the elder before them. In that way Babu Kishan has a great privilege as he saw a history of Bengal nobody today even knows about.
We are a different urgent point in time now, he is realizing what is going on today and is shocked at the lack of basic understanding and is watching the made-up, remade, aspects of his lineage are so twisted by outsiders who are very misguided trying to be Purna Das Baul by copying his life?
When a sacred song, medicine, or teaching is taken out of its traditional lineage, it loses its spirit or in this case Baul its 'Baul Essence' the Shakti that has been passed down for hundreds of years.
A True Pioneer of World Music and Cultural Diplomacy
Early Global Footprint: Babu Kishan was representing Indian culture across the US and Europe as far back as 1971, long before the modern diaspora arrived abroad.
Pioneering Fusion: He created the first authentic Indian Fusion and Baul Fusion music. He toured the US playing 40 concerts with Bob Dylan & the Band, jamming with The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, George Harrison, Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, and Miles Davis and many others.
Bollywood Legend: He served as an assistant to his Bollywood Music Guru, R.D. Burman, for 13 years. He helped establish major record labels in Mumbai, categorized India's vast folk music catalog for industry producers, and was among the original architects who helped coin and shape "Bollywood."
He is not a self-titled Baul he is the Roots of Historical Baul and he is not a self-titled music composer, he is educated in Indian Music since birth and has been qualified both academically and through the highest Music Composers in Indian History who all signed for him and let him compose Music for them, RD Burman, Ravindra Jain, Naushad Ali, Laxmikant Pyrelal and Bapi Lahari. In Babu Kishans music compositions he has employed the top of Indian's talent as musicians.
Linguistic & Classical Mastery: A high-level oral and classical Sanskritist, he speaks and has recorded in an extraordinary range of Indian languages. He was the first artist to record the Hanuman Chalisa for modern commercial releases.
Official State Representation: For over 40 years, he served as an official Cultural Representative of India globally under the Sangeet Natak Akademi (Indian National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama) and the ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations).
The Composer Behind the Legend
Beyond his work as an independent artist, (Babu Kishan tknown professionally in Bombay) and Krishnendu Das in Calcutta film and Music Industry )composed over 80% of the music for his father, Baul Samrat Purna Das Baul. Those recordings became the most critically and commercially successful albums of Purna Das Baul's career and they were copied and re-recorded with no credit by pretenian, cosplayers, called the fake it til you make it Bauls that arrived as refugees from Bangladesh. This is part of the reclamation of Baul, correcting these wrongs that haved done with the looting, poaching of Baul and who really is Baul.
You cannot replace a lifetime of primary achievement by creating a fake IMDb profile, posing as an academic, or teaching distorted fabrications about a sacred indigenous science. The historical record is permanent, verifiable, and absolute.
Archival Summary & Credentials
Titles & Honors: Pandit, Master of Indian Music, Award-Winning Music Composer & Producer.
Early Recognition: Awarded "Youngest Music and Film Director in Bengal" at age 11 (1978); widely decorated across Bengal through the 1980s; received the Bollywood Buddy Lifetime Achievement Award (2007) for his contributions to Indian Cinema.
Instrumental & Vocal Mastery: Multi-instrumentalist playing over 15 traditional and modern instruments; Master of Indian Classical, Baul, Bhajan, Kirtan, Baul-Kirtan, and East-West Fusion.
Discography & Filmography: Released over 1,000 albums, produced over 60 albums, and composed more than 150 film scores for Indian Cinema.
Preserving Baul for over 60 years by Krishnendu Das Baul, researching and Pioneering global Baul culture without the internet was a monumental task. Long before Facebook or social media existed, our family dedicated over a century of hard work to bringing the sacred Baul tradition from the villages of Suri, Birbhum, West Bengal, to the world stage. Before us, the global public did not know who or what a Baul was. We carry an unbroken ancestral lineage tracing back thousands of years—acting as village teachers, gurus, and spiritual standard-bearers long before newspapers existed. We are 13 generations. We have been looted, poached, and copied to the point of a Cultural Genocide of Baul.
A few recaps:
The True Lineage and the Osho Connection: Setting the Record Straight on Babu Kishan
Babu Kishan (Krishnendu Das Baul) is the sole lineholder of the only true lineage of Vaishnava Tantric Baul, rooted in the village of Suri in Birbhum, West Bengal. As the eldest grandson of the legendary Nabani Das Khyapa Baul and Brajabala Dasi, he was raised entirely by them from birth.
Recently, self-proclaimed "experts" and opportunistic writers have begun name-dropping Osho and Baul philosophy to build false authority. The truth is simple: Babu Kishan and his grandfather Nabani Das Khyapa Baul are the only Bauls who ever knew Osho personally. Anyone else claiming a personal connection or authority on this intersection is simply poaching stories from this blog to fabricate their own credibility.
Here is the authentic, unvarnished history of the Baul lineage, Osho, and Babu Kishan.
The Miraculous Birth and Sacred Lineage of Babu Kishan
Babu Kishan was born prematurely with severely crooked limbs and was not expected to survive. Immediately after his birth, his birth parents—Manju and Purna Das Baul (Nabani’s eldest son)—left Suri and returned to Calcutta without looking back. They had two more sons and abandoned their firstborn when he needed them most.
However, Babu was left in the care of an adept Tantric Master: his grandfather, Guru Nabani Das Khyapa Baul, and his grandmother, Brajabala Dasi.
The Blessings at Tarapith: Nabani, an adept Tantric initiated into Tara Sadhana by Bamakhepa in the sacred cremation grounds, immediately took the fragile infant to Tarapith to receive the blessings of Maa Tara.
The Name 'Krishnendu': Nabani named his tiny grandson Krishnendu (now known professionally as KD Babu Kishan) and ensured he was blessed by the greatest Gurus, Yogis, Naths, and Swamis of the early 1960s. Against all odds, under Nabani’s devoted care and Tantric protection, the child survived and thrived.
The Original Link: How Osho Met Nabani Das Khyapa Baul
Osho’s fascination with Baul philosophy began long before he became a world-renowned figure.
As a college student, Osho traveled through Birbhum, Bengal, alongside his close friend Abid Surati—the prominent painter, cartoonist, journalist, and environmental activist. During this journey, Osho and Abid met Nabani Das Khyapa Baul.
Like so many who encountered Nabani, Osho became deeply fixated on him. Nabani’s Baul essence (Shakti) was so vibrant and overwhelming that people experienced a spiritual presence they had never felt before. This transformative meeting inspired Osho to write books on Baul philosophy later in life, though his writings relied heavily on secondary articles and lacked authentic, first-hand initiation into the tradition.
Decades later in Bombay, Babu Kishan formed a close friendship with Abid Surati. Despite their age difference, Abid recognized that Babu was wise beyond his years. Abid often visited Babu’s home in Mumbai accompanied by students just to hear Babu speak on Baul philosophy and internal spiritual arts. Through Abid, Babu learned the complete, detailed history of Osho’s early travels and his original encounter with Nabani.
The Historical Truth: Babu Kishan’s Personal Work with Osho
When Babu Kishan met Osho years later, Babu did not approach him as a disciple seeking a Guru; Babu was already a Master in his own right. Their relationship was built on mutual intellectual respect and historical connection.
During this period, Babu Kishan was working as an Executive Producer, Creative Director, Event Planner, and Artist Manager at CBS India (Sony Music), managing and promoting major international and domestic acts, including Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, Pink Floyd, New Kids on the Block, and the Gipsy Kings.
Osho wanted his vast archive of recorded lectures professionally produced and distributed on tapes and CDs. Knowing Babu was the eldest grandson of Nabani Das Khyapa Baul, Osho was delighted and personally hosted him at his ashram in Pune, giving Babu lifetime free access to all his lectures.
Key Musical Collaborations Produced by Babu Kishan for Osho:
Historic Audio Production: Babu Kishan structured and produced Osho’s lecture series into official commercial audio releases through CBS India.
The Album Then, Now and Tomorrow: Babu Kishan conceptualized and composed the musical foundations for Osho's iconic album project, featuring legendary classical Indian maestros including Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, and Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia.
Trance & Meditation Releases: Babu Kishan produced the official trance and meditation tracks released globally through CBS/Sony.
During their private conversations, Osho admitted to Babu that after meeting Nabani in his youth, he could never stop thinking about him. Osho explicitly told Babu Kishan that he carried the true, undiluted essence of the Baul lineage. When Babu directly pointed out the inaccuracies in Osho’s written books on Bauls, Osho acknowledged that his understanding was built from external stories rather than direct lineage transmission.
The Parallel Legacy: Allen Ginsberg and the Suri Lineage
The magnetic spiritual power (Shakti) of Nabani Das Khyapa Baul did not just captivate Osho—it drew in the global Beat Generation.
In 1962, legendary poet Allen Ginsberg met Babu Kishan when Babu was just a baby sitting on Nabani’s lap. Ginsberg was profoundly impacted by Nabani’s energy. Years later, Ginsberg and Babu Kishan reconnected in New York, remaining close personal friends from 1980 until Ginsberg’s passing in 1997.
Ginsberg affectionately called him "Babooo" and relied on him whenever he was in New York. No other Bauls had a personal relationship with Ginsberg. It was Babu Kishan who eventually re-introduced his birth parents to Ginsberg in America decades later.
The Bottom Line on Baul Lineage
The Baul tradition is not a trendy topic to be exploited by modern spiritual influencers, book authors, or opportunists looking to gain clout. Baul history is specific, sacred, and deeply personal.
If someone is name-dropping Osho, Allen Ginsberg, and Baul philosophy to position themselves as an authority, ask them a simple question: Did they ever know Osho? Were they raised at the feet of Nabani Das Khyapa Baul?
The answer is no. KD Babu Kishan is the living bridge to this historic lineage. Anything else you read online is simply a diluted copy of the story recorded right here.
The Historical Misconceptions and Cultural Appropriation of Baul Philosophy
Beyond his personal work with Osho, Babu Kishan (KD Babu Kishan) has spent decades attempting to correct the widespread misrepresentations, academic distortions, and cultural theft surrounding the Baul tradition.
The internet, academia, and modern spiritual groups are filled with claims about Baul philosophy that are fundamentally inaccurate. Below is the unvarnished truth regarding Osho's unfinished corrections, the misattribution of Baul poetry, and the true origins of Vaishnava Tantric Baul.
Osho’s Unfinished Promise and the Flaws in His Baul Books
While Osho was deeply inspired by his youth encounter with Nabani Das Khyapa Baul, his written books on the subject—including The Beloved—were composed before he met Babu Kishan. They relied heavily on external articles, secondary stories, and simplified westernized concepts rather than direct lineage instruction.
Osho's Flawed Assumption: Osho wrote that "Bauls are not philosophers." This is entirely false. Authentic Bauls are profound philosophers. They study all major Indian philosophical systems and possess their own intricate, oral Baul philosophy (Baul Darshan). A practitioner who does not know Indian philosophy and discourse is simply not a Baul.
Over-Simplification: Quotes like "To be a Baul nothing is needed... the moment you are unburdened, you are a Baul" are poetic, but they reduce an arduous, lifelong Tantric lineage tradition into mere "fluff" and romanticized imagery.
The Unfulfilled Re-Edit: During their private meetings at the Pune ashram, Babu Kishan directly confronted Osho about these inaccuracies. Osho acknowledged the gaps in his knowledge and agreed to re-edit and correct his Baul books. However, Osho passed away in 1990 at age 58 before these corrections could be made, leaving flawed, generic texts in global print to this day.
Academic Exploitation and "Fake Bauls"
For decades, foreign researchers, university academics, and western writers have sought out Babu Kishan to conduct their thesis research. However, a major breakdown occurs during the publishing process:
Inability to Grasp the Language: Most scholars do not understand the nuanced, archaic Birbhum Bengali dialect or the esoteric oral Sanskrit coded into the songs.
Commercial Distortion: When academics fail to comprehend the depth of the oral tradition, they turn to opportunistic "fake Bauls" or fabricate stories that fit a marketable, westernized fantasy of what a Baul "should" be.
Appropriation by Osho Groups: Osho centers worldwide frequently misuse images of Nabani Das Khyapa Baul (including the famous historical portrait taken by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore) without knowing who he is. Performers at these centers often sing lyrics written and composed by Babu Kishan while falsely claiming allegiance to fictitious lineages.
Setting the Record Straight: Lalon Fakir, Tagore, and Sufism
One of the largest historical errors perpetuated by academics and film directors is the conflation of Baul with Islamic Sufism and the poet Lalon Fakir (Lalon Shah).
1. Lalon Fakir Was a Poet, Not a Baul
Lalon Shah was a Muslim Fakir/Sufi poet from East Bengal—he was not a Baul, nor did he practice Baul Tantric Sadhana.
How Lalon Became Associated with Baul: In the 1970s, Babu Kishan traveled to Bangladesh, brought a contingent of Bangladeshi singers to Calcutta, and recorded them singing Lalon Fakir’s poetry because Babu loved the literary beauty of the verses. Babu then had his father, Purna Das Baul, record some of these songs.
The Resulting Confusion: Because the songs became massive hits, the public and filmmakers mistakenly assumed Lalon Fakir was a Baul. Movies were produced creating a false history, never consulting Babu or his family, who originally popularized the music.
2. Rabindranath Tagore’s True Initiation
While Rabindranath Tagore appreciated Lalon Fakir’s poetry as literature, Tagore was never initiated into Baul by Lalon. Tagore’s only direct spiritual contact and initiation into the authentic Baul tradition was through Nabani Das Khyapa Baul.
3. There Is No Such Thing as "Islamic Sufi Baul"
Baul is strictly rooted in ancient Indian Sanatana Dharma, Vedas, Upanishads, Yoga, and Vaishnava Tantra originating from Ekachakra in Birbhum, West Bengal.
The Historical Context: During the 1952 political partition and Islamization of Bangladesh (where Babu’s maternal grandfather, Jogesh Das—a distinguished Sanskrit professor—lost his brother to violence and his family fled for their lives), non-Urdu traditions were suppressed.
Outcasts, Sufis, Fakirs, Sais, and Dervishes flowed into Bengal. While the compassionate Bauls accepted all outcasts and honored their spiritual expressions, adopting elements of Sufi juice did not make the Bauls Muslim or Sufi, nor did it make Sufis into Bauls.
The Extinction and Theft of the Nabani Lineage
Traditional Vaishnava Tantric Baul is fundamentally extinct. Nabani Das Khyapa Baul and Brajabala Dasi were the last fully realized, authentic Bauls to walk the earth. What exists today in the public eye is largely a watered-down, commercialized imitation.
Mass Song and Style Theft: Modern performers, "ashram builders," and social media influencers routinely record hit songs originally written by Nabani Das Khyapa Baul or composed by Babu Kishan without providing attribution. They even copy the signature patchwork dress (Gudari) that Babu Kishan custom-designed for his father in the 1960s.
Ego vs. Authenticity: True Bauls are humble, sweet, and "humbler than a blade of grass." They never act like commercial "Babas" or "Maas," nor do they walk into villages demanding that locals touch their feet or donate to fake "preservation funds." The first tenant of true Baul is absolute truth (Satya).
The UNESCO Misrepresentation: In 2005, when UNESCO declared the Bauls a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, the UN official involved incorrectly framed the tradition around Islam, continuing the cycle of erasure.
The Living Preservation: Baul Unplugged
The true, uncorrupted lineage of the Birbhum Bauls lives on only through the complete oral archives, recordings, and writings preserved by KD Babu Kishan from the 1960s to the present day.
To prevent further cultural appropriation, commercial theft, and academic revisionism, this complete history—including the authentic relationship between Nabani, Osho, Ginsberg, and Tagore—is documented in the living lineage text, Baul Unplugged: The True Story of The Bauls of Bengal by living lineholder KD Babu Kishan.
The Unsung Success of Babu Kishan's "Hanuman Chalisa"
Babu Kishan Music has an astounding 3 billion listens on YouTube with T-Series for his iconic "Hanuman Chalisa." This entire Hanuman album was not only produced by Babu Kishan, he also composed the music for it, wrote the lyrics for the other Hanuman Bhajans on the album, and personally funded its recording. This is the first ever Hanuman Chalisa commercialy recorded and it is played in all temples of India. Music Composed, arranged, paid for and concieve by KD Babu Kishan in the early 1980s.
Tragically, Babu Kishan's master
recording of the "Hanuman Chalisa" was stolen from his Juhu studio. This
theft has a significant history, leading to millions in profits for
record companies, none of which ever reached KD Babu Kishan.
This groundbreaking "Hanuman Chalisa," recorded in the 1980s, was the first ever recorded version and became a staple in temples across India. It features the powerful vocals of the late Hari Om Sharan. Beyond the T-Series numbers, it has accumulated 15 million listens with another company, 20 million on a different site, and millions more across various other platforms, with all these rights sold to different music companies in Bombay.
Babu Kishan's "Hanuman Chalisa" is, in fact, the most listened-to devotional song in Indian history, sung by his dear late friend, Hari Om Sharan. It stands as the first-ever Hanuman Chalisa recording, produced, and music-composed entirely by Babu Kishan.
Billions of people have listened to Babu Kishan's music without ever knowing it's his life's work. Even today, 80% of the recorded Baul music attributed to his father, Purna Das Baul, was produced and composed by KD Babu Kishan, also known as Krishnendu Das.
The Signature of the Lineage: Attire, Instruments, and Performance
When you see the names Das Baul or Dasi Hare Krishna, you are looking at our family lineage.
The Aesthetics: The signature patchwork robe (Guduri) was personally designed by Babu Kishan.
The Instruments and Style: Playing the Ektara alongside the Baya (duggi drum) at the hip, combined with rhythmic Nupoor (ankle bells), represents the unique style forged by Nabani Das Kheppa Baul.
Today, performers worldwide copy this exact attire, posture, and instrument combination—yet many fail to attribute the origin of this template to Nabani Das Kheppa Baul and our family.
Historical Impact and Political Stature
Our lineage carried the sacred honey of Baul song directly into the pivotal moments of modern Indian history:
Nabani Das Kheppa Baul (Boro Baba)
├── Sang for Jawaharlal Nehru during the Indian Freedom Movement
│
└── Purna Das Baul & Manju Dasi (with young KD Babu Kishan)
└── Performed extensively for Prime Minister Indira Gandhi,
Sanjay Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi across major national stagesThe Erasure of Authentic Baul Women and the Mechanics of Imitation
The authentic lineage women of the Birbhum Baul tradition—including legendary figures such as Brajabala Dasi, Radharani Dasi, and Manju Dasi—were the true, original pioneers of Deha Tattva and Vaishnava Sahajiya practice. Among them, Manju Dasi stands singular in global history: she was the very first—and remains the peerless—lineage Baul woman to bring the living tradition onto international stages, beginning in the late 1960s.
Today, this sacred legacy is subjected to systematic erasure. Performers masquerade as "Baul women," traveling the world in costume and adopting the appearance of realization while displacing the real history of the indigenous women who blazed the trail. To fabricate illegitimate authority, these figures invent nonsensical titles such as "Baul Master"—a term that has zero historical, linguistic, or spiritual precedent in authentic Baul parampara. It is a modern marketing gimmick designed entirely to sell workshops and cultivate credibility among unsuspecting global audiences.
The modus operandi of these theatrical performers follows a predictable pattern of intellectual property theft. A prime example is the wholesale copying of chapter headings and philosophical concepts directly from Baul Samrat Purna Das Baul's published works, which are then repackaged as commercial workshop syllabi. What these opportunists fail to realize is that the specific tattvas outlined in Purna Das Baul's book represent merely a fraction of the full 108 Tattvas—a comprehensive spiritual taxonomy categorized, structured, and documented exclusively by Krishnendu Das Baul (KD Babu Kishan).
To strip these sacred categories from their native context, attach them to commercial retreats, and claim them as personal teachings is not spiritual instruction. It is the unauthorized exploitation of an endangered indigenous family's intellectual and spiritual heritage.
In 2010, this platform was established under the name Lineage Baul because no one in the tradition used the term "lineage" prior to Babu Kishan defining it. Today, revisionist claims and fabricated history are widespread online:
1. Misattribution of Sacred Compositions
Lineage compositions are frequently uploaded to public platforms, credited to incorrect poets, or categorized under completely unrelated traditions (such as Kabir sites). A prominent example is the revered Baul Kirtan "Kichhu Din Mone Mone."
Historical Fact: "Kichhu Din Mone Mone" was written first by Rasaja Gosia an ancestor and the version today was re-sritten and tuned by Nabani Das Kheppa Baul it is not a song that should be snatched without permission directly from Babu Kishan's youtube channel and re-recorded by a cosplaying Baul.
It was officially recorded in the 1960s by Purna Das Baul for Hindustan Records—India's first recording company—and later preserved in field recordings by his grandson, Babu Kishan (Krishnendu Das Baul). Nabani Das was also a close spiritual companion to Rabindranath Tagore, initiating him into the lineage under the Baul name Ravi (Robi) Das Baul.
2. Fabrication of "New Lineages" and Modern Titles
Superficial terms like "Baul Master" do not exist in traditional sadhana—there is only the Baul Guru. Today, performers adopt the outer style, head-spinning theatricality, and instrument layout developed by Nabani, while claiming to belong to newly invented lineages.
3. Vocal and Musical Rigor
True Baul singing requires precise vocal control, pitch, and internal energetic discipline (Vayu Dharma). As an award-winning music composer with six decades of experience producing legendary Indian vocalists like Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle, Babu Kishan notes that much of what is marketed today as "Baul performance" lacks basic tonal control, pitch stability, and genuine spiritual initiation and yet, cosplayers are bragging what a great tone they have, how Ma Tara sings on their tongue and how they are now the next Purna Das Baul which is a sham, no one can ever replace Purna Das Baul he is a first and last in Baul history.
A Call for Respect and Authenticity
Preserving the Baul path does not require online fundraising, theatrical showmanship, or non-lineage organizations collecting donations for non-existent populations of "20,000 Bauls." True social service should be conducted transparently without exploiting a sacred heritage. Most of the organizations that this one and only Baul lineage brought into the limelight with Baul they fundraised for, they had association and always gave back. Yet, these cosplayers remake, rework, replace and erase this lineage re-creating photo social media as influencers without ever doing the work or having any association as if they were the one, scrapping this lineages stories, songs, where they went and what they did?
Learn the Sadhana: Focus on real musical technique, voice development, and internal discipline rather than theatricality. They say they have, they teach, and make all sorts of exaggeration 3 days will become 3 year. If I had not been keeping a record over 20 years no one would know, that is their hope, that nobody catches them or catches on.
Honor the Ancestors: Respect the foundational work of Nabani Das Kheppa Baul, Baul Samrat Purna Das Baul, Manju Dasi, and the lineage elders who built the international platform everyone benefits from today.
Stop Misattributing Poetry or not giving credit to the people who recorded it first, it is not your indigenous intellectual property: If you sing or record songs from this lineage, state the correct poet. If you do not know the author, learn the lineage history before presenting the work publicly.
One must have adhikara 'spiritual authority' of at least 7 generations to represent Baul.
Baul is indigenous to Birbhum and the whole extinction is beause of watered down, reductionism by unqualified people cosplaying Baul riding on the coattails of this lineage... collecting donations, people, international travel, awards that should only go to indigneous Bauls as social media funddraisers now claiming they are the next Purna Das Baul while calling him names, a 90 year old man who pioneered Baul worldwide is now called a shilpi Baul by a person who is not even from Bengal, replacing him by remaking everything he has accomplished following them around the world without having done the work?
This is why we are forced to protect the indigenous intellectual property of Baul, including the 6 decades of preservation that Babu Kishan has completed.
Joy Guru.
All content and lineage history protected under international copyright. Lineage archive maintained by KD Babu Kishan (Krishnendu Das Baul).
The only root of Sahaja (Sahajiya) regarding Baul is that of Krishna and Dattatreya
Baul has no roots in Buddhist Sahaja or Carapadas, Baul did not speak Pali and Baul spoke a different type of Sandhya Basha, a mix of Oral Sanskrit, and vernacular Birbhum Bengali..
Bauls do not follow Carapadas as stated by Charles Capwell, how did he draw these conclusions and has no right as an outsider to draw these conclusions or self-determine who indigenous Baul is?
Krishnendu Das aka Babu Kishan gives a strong no to Baul in relation to Bengali Caryapadas, Bauls do not follow this philosophy? This is completely a false narrative consisting of personal speculation. Babu Kishan had already strongly opposed Charles Capwell's speculations regarding Baul in the 1980s. Charles thought Baul would never speak or read English. KD Babu Kishan could and he strongly rejected what Charles wrote about Baul. Babu Kishan has read all what scholars wrote, journalists and strongly reject your self-determination on who Baul is, who his lineage is. When you think that an indigenous people are illiterate you can write and denigrate them, but when they become educated in your system you no longer can get away with gross mischaracterizations and speculations."
The dilema here is we now have an opportunistic Baul claimant cosplaying Bauls again are trying to preserve the Buddhist Sahajiya of the Bauls, this is wrong. The Historical Trilogy of Baul will explain why. It is a big long disertation as to why, but more sepcifically, the cosplaying Bauls will try in every direction to fundraise for a finacial jackpot and now have found another way. Baul has been preserved for over 60 years by Krishnendu Das Baul (Babu Kishan) and his lineage for 13 generations at the very least. No outsider can preserve Baul, that is a fact , it has been proven over and over. Adhikara lies within the lineage, not by outside made up lineages either of one generation based on a poet.
When the dominant society spreads that distorted version, the original community is erased and marginalized because their true practice is no longer recognized—even by their own youth who grow up seeing only the mainstream caricature.
The repeated entitled appropriation of this lineage, the cherry picking, poaching, looting for commercial usage in a Guru Baba and Ma business while riding on the coattails of this lineage must stop. Baul is not a cosplay drama, it is a historical ancient lineage or parampara of a family line who has passed it down the line for generations, not at the brink of extinction and of historical significance in need of protected preservation of which only Krishnendu Das Baul (Babu Kishan) has done for over 60 years. We can no longer sit idilly by and watch this anymore without being vocal advocates for the Vaishnava Sahajiya (Tantric) Bauls of Birbhum the roots of Baul (Vayu Tula) not afflicted by the wind, not a wind disease as wrongly stated by academic scholars. First understand who Vayu is and what Vayu means?
Baul (Vayu Tula) is not a beginners path, a path of make it up as you go, Baul is not changeable from one year you are Buddhist Baul, then you become full face painted Vaishnava Baul when that doesn't work you become a Tantric Baul Master - and Tara Maa as Nila Saraswatic starts to sing through you? Tarapith and Baul is only originally associated through Nabani Das Khyapa Baul and KD Babu Kishan before anybody was even there, before any Bauls ever hung around outside of Tarapith or used Tarapith in their cosplaying of Baul. This is a fact whether you like it or not. Nabani Das Khyapa Baul is the last Baul Avadhuta, it is a lie on youtube videos to speculate there are 20,000 Bauls in Birbhum and that there are a bunch of Baul Avadhuta's around.
Short version:
COPYRIGHT & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY NOTICE (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED): All content, original lyrics, music, arrangements, photographs, historical documentation, and oral lineage archives published on this site are the exclusive intellectual property of KD Babu Kishan (Krishnendu Das Baul / Gosi Chandra) and Sandra Hirschkorn Das. Representing an unbroken, 13-generation ancestral Vaishnava Sahajiya Baul lineage, this work is protected under international copyright laws and Indigenous Cultural Heritage protections. Any unauthorized copying, reproduction, re-recording, public performance, AI training/scraping, or false attribution of this material, style, or disciplic heritage without explicit prior written authorization is strictly prohibited and subject to immediate legal action and copyright take-down notices.
Official Intellectual Property & Lineage Protection Notice
Published by LineageBaul (Lineagebaul.blogspot.com)
For hundreds of years, and with escalating intensity over the past several decades, the historical achievements, "firsts and lasts," and sacred lineage (paramparā) of our family have been systematically poached, misattributed, and erased.
The pioneering, legendary work that brought the authentic Vaiṣṇava Sahajiyā Baul heritage out of the villages of Birbhum—built on selfless sevā, fundraising, and lifelong dedication—has been reduced by outsiders to a commercialized performance, a "guru business," and a circus of fabrication.
That silence ends today.
The Theft of Lineage, Songs, and History
The theft of this lineage’s intellectual property is not accidental; it is a calculated effort by those who cosplay and pretend to be Baul masters.
Musical & Textual Theft: Original recordings, ancestral padas, kīrtans, compositions, and unique performance styles have been taken, re-recorded without permission, renamed, and claimed by individuals with zero indigenous or lineal connection to our family.
Erasing the Ancestors: The authentic, lived histories of Nabani Das Khyapa Baul, Purna Das Baul, and Krishnendu Das Baul (Babu Kishan) have been rewritten and appropriated. Their historic milestones—from bringing Baul to global audiences and academic institutions to their specific historical ties with Rāmakṛṣṇa, Gauḍīya lineages, and global music—have been stolen and rebadged by posers claiming to be "the next Purna Das Baul" or claiming divine authority they never earned.
Exploitation of the Village Bauls: Babu Kishan spent decades doing pioneering work to ensure that the indigenous Bauls of Birbhum and their ancestral lineage could survive in the modern world. Instead, opportunistic outsiders infiltrated the tradition, poached the heritage, and built lucrative businesses while genuine village practitioners were marginalized.
Clarifying the Tradition: What Authentic Baul Is and Is Not
Baul is a living, indigenous, body-centered spiritual path (Deha-tattva) rooted in the soil, language, and sādhana of Birbhum, West Bengal.
There is no such thing as a "Baul Master" certificate or franchise.
Real Baul is not exotic costuming, Westernized guru-craft, or staged performance tricks.
True appreciation of Baul culture is always welcome, and singing the songs of the tradition in reverence is encouraged—but fabricating lineages, claiming false titles, and stealing ancestral property is unacceptable.
Notice of Intellectual Property & Legal Enforcement
The complete oral archives, published writings, historical documentations, musical recordings, lyrics, kīrtans, and biographical accounts belonging to this lineage—including the works and historical records of Nabani Das Khyapa Baul (the last Baul Avadhut), Padma Shri (Baul Samrat) Purna Das Baul, and Krishnendu Das Baul (Babu Kishan) and their indigenous ancestral lineage/parampara—are strictly protected under international copyright and intellectual property laws.
To all individuals, commercial entities, and self-proclaimed "gurus" Baul Masters and Baul Artists
currently utilizing, re-recording, mis-attributing, or commercializing
the historical work, songs, names, and lineage "firsts and lasts" of this family:indigenous lineage.
Take notice that the systematic deletion, rewriting, and unauthorized
commercial exploitation of our intellectual property and lineage history
will be publicly named, documented, and legally challenged.
With the release of our comprehensive historical documentation and publications, the full record is codified and legally protected. The era of silent poaching is over.
They say for people to hear, it must be repeated 3 x.
“When people steal from our culture they end up distorting our culture, they turn it into something we do not even recognize, erasing us by replacing us.”
They re-package a watered-down or romanticized version. The mainstream world then accepts the fake/distorted version as authentic, effectively erasing the original living caretakers and replacing them in the public consciousness. I have see this in academia, and in the western audiences who do not have a clue, if it sweetly smiles and looks exotic it must be, whether their lineage is fake, their style and songs are appropriated, they have not got a clue.
When a sacred song, medicine, or teaching is taken out of its traditional lineage, it loses its spirit or in this case Baul essence (the Shakti that has been passed down for hundreds of years). When the dominant society spreads that distorted version, the original community is erased because their true practice is no longer recognized—even by their own youth who grow up seeing only the mainstream caricature.
DATE: August 22, 2026
ISSUED BY: The Office & Archives of Krishnendu Das Baul (KD Babu Kishan / Gosi Chandra) & Sandra Hirschkorn Das
REGARDING: Protection of 13-Generation Ancestral Heritage, Oral Archives, Compositions, Recordings, and Lineage History
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, ALL PUBLISHERS, RECORD LABELS, MEDIA PRODUCERS, ACADEMICS, AND INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS:
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all compositions, original lyrics, musical arrangements, audio/video recordings, historical documentation, terminology, disciplic lineages, and oral transmissions belonging to Krishnendu Das Baul (KD Babu Kishan / Gosi Chandra)—and the unbroken ancestral line of Baul Samrat Padma Shri Purna Das Baul and Nabani Das Khyapa Baul—are fully protected under international copyright law, intellectual property regulations, and the principles of Indigenous Cultural Heritage and Self-Determination.
For over six decades, Krishnendu Das Baul has painstakingly preserved, documented, recorded, and safeguarded the authentic Vaishnava Sahajiya Baul tradition of Birbhum. This heritage represents over 13 generations of documented physical disciplic continuity and an even older regarding their oral tradition of Oral Sanskrit with Manuscripts, Vernacular Birbhum Bengali, Baul style of Sandhya Bhasha & Braja Bhasha. Indeed Bauls are not illiterate and never were.
1. PROHIBITED ACTS OF INFRINGEMENT & APPROPRIATION
The following acts—whether committed by commercial artists, stage performers, content creators, media influencers, or academic researchers—constitute direct intellectual property theft and unauthorized exploitation:
Unauthorized Recording & Performance: Re-recording, performing, sampled usage, or commercial distribution of songs, melodies, poetry, and musical arrangements created, composed, or preserved within this specific disciplic lineage without written authorization. The names taken off the poetry of this lineage and re-recorded from past recordings, even Babu Kishan's own poetry has been claimed by lineages that never existed.
Lineage & Identity Theft ("Remaking"): Falsely adopting the exclusive title of Das Baul / Dasi Baul, fabricating fictitious disciplic lines (Paramparas), or falsely claiming lineage authority (Adhikara) derived from this family's work and historical achievements.
Appropriation of Historical "Firsts and Lasts": Misappropriating the documented historical achievements, international performance records, film works, and global pioneering milestones of KD Babu Kishan, Purna Das Baul, and Manju Das Baul, Nabani Das Khyapa Baul, Brajabala Dasi and family.
Visual & Performance Co-opting: Reproducing the specific ancestral attire, performance styling, and sacred practices of this lineage to market non-lineage products, commercial workshops, or digital monetization schemes under the guise of "Baul." Using Baul to collect financial jackpots or donations other than for simple performances. The new Guru Ma and Guru Baba business of using Baul for donations while looting the intellectual property of this lineage, replacing this lineage but trying to usurp the one and only, first and last of Purna Das Bauls history or KD Babu Kishan's historical history by replacing them to self-promote a fake lineage on social media.
Academic & Textual Poaching: Unattributed extraction of proprietary oral histories, lineage terminology, and private documentation published via our official blogs, archives, and forthcoming book trilogy.
2. COMPARATIVE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY STATEMENT
If modern digital influencers and contemporary artists strictly assert legal copyright over short-term creative media, how much greater is the inviolable legal and moral right of a 13-generation indigenous spiritual bloodline whose entire history, musical canon, and cultural identity are being systematically poached and reproduced without consent?
The unauthorized monetization of this indigenous heritage is an illegal exploitation of protected cultural and creative assets.
3. FORMAL RESERVATION OF RIGHTS & LEGAL RECOURSE
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this musical catalog, historical record, oral lineage data, or literary work may be reproduced, distributed, re-recorded, performed, translated, or transmitted in any form—digital, print, mechanical, or acoustic—without the express prior written consent of Krishnendu Das Baul and Sandra A. Hirschkorn Das.
Any party found to be re-recording stolen compositions, falsely attributing lineage authority, or profiting off the uncredited intellectual property of this lineage will be subject to:
Immediate Take-Down Demands: Issued under DMCA and international digital copyright frameworks across all media, music streaming, and publishing platforms.
Public Qualification & Formal Exposure: Forensic documentation of stolen material will be published in official historical registers and upcoming authoritative publications.
Legal Proceedings: Action for copyright infringement, commercial misrepresentation, and damages under applicable national and international intellectual property laws.
SIGNED & AUTHORIZED BY:
Krishnendu Das Baul (KD Babu Kishan / Gosi Chandra)
Primary Lineage Holder, Master Composer, & Archivist
Sandra A. Hirschkorn Das
Author, Co-Archivist, & Legal Representative
Contact & Licensing Verification: babukishanproductions@gmail.com
“When people steal from our culture they end up distorting our culture, they turn it into something we do not even recognize, erasing us by replacing us.”
They re-package a watered-down or romanticized version. The mainstream world then accepts the fake/distorted version as authentic, effectively erasing the original living caretakers and replacing them in the public consciousness. I have see this in academia, and in the western audiences who do not have a clue, if it sweetly smiles and looks exotic it must be, whether their lineage is fake, their style and songs are appropriated, they have not got a clue.
When a sacred song, medicine, or teaching is taken out of its traditional lineage, it loses its spirit or in this case Baul essence (the Shakti that has been passed down for hundreds of years). When the dominant society spreads that distorted version, the original community is erased because their true practice is no longer recognized—even by their own youth who grow up seeing only the mainstream caricature.
.jpg)
Key Baul Figures & Lineage
#NabaniDasKhyapaBaul #PurnaDasBaul #BabuKishan #KrishnenduDasBaul #lineagebaul #baullineage #NabaniDasBaul #dasbaul #NityanandaofEkachakra #ChandiDas #Joydev #GosaiVaishnavaDasBaul ##NeemKaroliBaba #baulparampara
Core Baul Concepts & Philosophy
#Baultantra #GaudiyaVaishnavaandBaul #Baulphilosophy #VaishnavaSahajiya #VaishnavaSahajiyaTantricBauls #KrishnaKaliunity #Krishnakali #RaaiRajaLila #Baulsadhana #BaulAvadhut #BaulAvadhuta #BaulthepathoftheAvadhuta #BaulsahajaKrishnaDattatreyasahahaja #Baultantramantragopiyantra #BaulKirtan #BaultheRasaLilaMystics #BaulVayuTula #Baulwindcatchers #mirrorofthesky
Geographic & Cultural Context
#BirbhumBaul #Birbhum #EkachakraBirbhum #Tarapith #TarapithandBaul #TaraMa&Baul #Kolkata #Shantiniketan #shantiniketanbirbum #Bengal #baulofbengal #baulofbirbhum #India #IncredibleIndia #indianmusic #sangeetnatakakademi
Critique & Preservation
#Baultruth #Baulculturalappropriation #Baulrealhistory #EndangeredBaullineage #Baulendangeredlineageparampara #Baulhistory #baularchive #archivedbaul
Baul Music
#baulmusic #baulgaan #Bauldocumentary #baulsangeet #baulkirtan #ektara #gopiyantra
Related Figures & Movements
#RabindranathTagore #BaulTagore #osho #VaishnavaBaul #TantricBaul #vaishnavaaghori #Ramakrishna #BaulandRamakrishna
General & Other
#baul #historicalBaul #pioneeringBaul #baulwomen #baulsaint #legendarybaul #baulartist #BaulGuruShishyaParampara #Baulparampara
"Authentic Baul" #AuthenticBaul"Vaishnava Sahajiya Tantric Bauls" #VaishnavaSahajiyaTantricBauls"Birbhum Baul" #BirbhumBaul"Nabani Das Khyapa Baul" #NabaniDasKhyapaBaul "Babu Kishan Baul" / "Krishnendu Das Baul" #KrishnenduDasBaul"Baul Guru Shishya Parampara" #BaulGuruShishyaParampara #Baulparampara "Baul philosophy" #Baulphilosophy"Krishna Kali unity" #Krishnakali "Raai Raja lila" #RaaiRajaLila"Real Baul history" #Baulrealhistory "Baul cultural appropriation" #baulculturalappropriation
Baul and Ramakrishna is only associated with KD Babu Kishan as he is the only Baul to be a monk in the Ramakrishna Mission for 12 years, this is a first and last in Baul.
Baul and Tantra is only associated with Nabani Das Khyapa Baul and KD Babu Kishan, Baul and Tarapith is only associated with them both too. Those others are not Baul as Baul Artist of an non-indigenous Baul is not a Baul but a users, poser, actor trying to remake the already lived lives of this parampara, do you speak the language, do you know what they are singing or who is the owner of the songs, or even if the songs are Baul songs, no you do not, so don't make emotional promotional comments when you do not even understand. You are cheering for a fake Baul and have no clue.
The practice of "Baul Kirtan-anga" Copyright, all songs will be reclaimed that belong to this lineages.
(only this lineage, parampara, no one used Baul kirtan until they read it on this blog, this is downright appropriation and false advertising by fake opportunistic self-titled so-called Bauls for marketing purposes, they have appropriated this lineages intellectual property, it can be proven and must be brought to the attention of the public because they are asking for donations and fundraising for jackpots, awards, grants and are not Baul, their Guru is a fake Baul Guru.
The "Rasa Lila Mystics" this is the only lineage parampara that is Vaishnava and Vaishnava Sahajiya Gosia Chandra Das Baul and Dasi, there is not another, never was. #BaultheRasaLilaMystics
"Baul Tantra Mantra Gopi Yantra". Copyright, no poaching
"The path of the Avadhuta". Copyright there are no other Baul Avadhuta's and that title only belongs to this lineage or singular parampara, there is not another. They make Baul a no name generic Baul while claiming the intellectual property and the already lived firsts and lasts of this lineage. I have documented thousands of misuse of Baul for over 20 years, if you would like to see my research contact KD Babu Kishan, his website is listed throughout this blog and website
"Baul Sahaja is Krishna & Dattatreya Sahaja". Copyright and only mentioned by KD Babu Kishan
The Windcatchers (Vayu Tula). #BaulVayuTula. #baulwindcatchers
#India #lineagebaul #baultantra #baullineage #baulofbengal #babukishan #baulwomen #baulavadhuta #baulsaint #legendarybaul #nabanidasbaul #mirrorofthesky #rabindranathtagor #osho #vaishnavabaul #vaishnavaaghori #baul #baulmusic #tantra #babukishan #baulgaan #nabanidasbaul #purnadasbaul #bengal #india #indianmusic #shantiniketan #baullineage #bengalibaul #baularchive #archivedbaulbn#Baulhistory #BaulofBengal #BaulofBirbhum #dasbaul #Kolkata #Bauldocumentary #baulkirtan #Baulsadhana #ektara #EkachakraBirbhum #gopiyantra #baultantra #NabonidasKhyapabaul #bauldocumentary #baulsangeet #RabindranathTagore #BaulTagore #shantiniketanbirbum #jainitai #jaiguru #NityanandaofEkachakra #BaulAvadhut #Birbhum #Tarapith #Kolkata #IncredibleIndia #India #VaishnavaBaul #TantricBaul #sangeetnatakakademi
"Authentic Baul" #AuthenticBaul
"Vaishnava Sahajiya Tantric Bauls" #VaishnavaSahajiyaTantricBauls
"Birbhum Baul" #BirbhumBaul
"Nabani Das Khyapa Baul" #NabaniDasKhyapaBaul
"Babu Kishan Baul" / "Krishnendu Das Baul" #KrishnenduDasBaul
"Baul Guru Shishya Parampara" #BaulGuruShishyaParampara #Baulparampara
"Baul philosophy" #Baulphilosophy
"Krishna Kali unity" #Krishnakali
"Raai Raja lila" #RaaiRajaLila
"Real Baul history" #Baulrealhistory
"Baul cultural appropriation" #baulculturalappropriation
"Endangered Baul lineage" #Baulendangeredlineageparampara
The practice of "Baul Kirtan-anga"
The "Rasa Lila Mystics" Raasa leela Mystics, Raas Tattva (this lineage only)
"Baul Tantra Mantra Gopi Yantra".
"The path of the Avadhuta".
"Baul Sahaja is Krishna & Dattatreya Sahaja". #BaulsahajaKrishnaDattatreyasahahaja
The Windcatchers (Vayu Tula). #BaulVayuTula. #baulwindcatchers