In this age of pronounced polarisation, the name of Lalon Shah awakens our soul to embrace the essence of cosmopolitan core of our country once again. India is a curator of different cultures and customs. Each culture individually imparts in its own way to constitute the wholesome totality of Indian dynamism. Folk songs are an integral part of Indian culture. Generally these songs are sung by a group of singers, popularly known as the “Bauls “ in West Bengal. However, these people are the wanderers. They don't stay at any place permanently. The instrument that is being associated with such music is “Ektara"(one string instrument). Lalon Shah, famously called Lalon Fakir procured the doctrine of Baul song. My present article will enlighten the life and philosophy of Lalon Fakir.  

              Little is known about the personal life of Lalon Fakir. But the materials associated with the Lalon bring out some facts about his life,which are important enough for the crucial turning points of his life.  

             Lalon was born in the year 1774 and it is believed that he was born in a Hindu family. He was married almost in his childhood. At this time, he,along with his companions took a journey to visit the pilgrimage of Murshidabad to take a dip of holy Ganges. During this journey he happened to be the victim of small pox and fell seriously ill. At one point, he became unconscious. His companions abandoned him thinking him to be dead. But destiny had another plan for him. He was rescued by a Muslim woman. Under her attention and care,he recovered from the disease and wanted to return to his own village. But his village, his family, relatives denounced him as he was in contact with Muslims. This particular incident changed his course of life.

                     Lalon had no formal education. But life was enough to learn him the lessons of the actual purpose of life. After the rejection from his own society, he returned and met a Muslim saint Siraj Sai. Under his guidance Lalon dedicated himself to the path of severe austerity. He began to live in a forest which was later known his “akhara"(monastery) in the Cheuriya village under Kushtia district of Bangladesh.  

                  Lalon’s songs are known as Baul song. These songs are the positive assertion of the triumph of humanism. He discards the castes or any kind of discrimination in his songs. The philosophy which divinely influences his songs is considered as “Dehatatta “(the body is the seat of all truths). His mystic belief nurtures faith on a Supreme Being, the Omnipotent, the Oneness in all religions. His songs are beautiful confluence of various isms,Hinduism, Sufism, Buddhism etc. He dreamt of a society devoid of caste,religion and gender inequality. He says one of his songs-

“ Your own dear life  

  Is hardly yours  

You have come alone  

 You will go alone.”

He has many followers and his songs have influenced thoroughly many great persons like Rabindranath Tagore. Lalon died in the year 189p at the age of 116. When our contemporary society is still afflicted with the raw colour of communal disharmony, we should commemorate the learnings from an unlettered person who was modern enough to think of a society of secular destiny and universal brotherhood.