Bauls: The folk singers of Bengal

Bauls are folk singers of Bengal. They are mostly found in the Birbhum district of the state. The subject of a Baul song can be anything from daily tidbits to very complex spiritual theories. Baul songs are not only to be sung but also be accompanied by dance performances by the Bauls themselves. There is no rule for the dance movements; they are spontaneous body movements in response to the rythm of the song. Melodious nature and beautiful rythm of the Baul songs even make the audiences tap their toes.
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Holi - The Color Festival

The Friday before the last one was very special, it saw religious celebrations by the three major religious groups - the Hindus, the Muslims and the Christians in India. The Hindus had Holi, the color festival, the Muslims commemorated the birth of the Prophet and the Christians observed Good Friday.

On that day I visited Santiniketan with my friends, which is one of the cultural hubs of Bengal. It was conceptualized by the great poet Rabindranath Tagore. Holi at Santiniketan has a special aura of cultural sophistication around it which people flock there to enjoy. However, change is the only constant in human life, so these days you can also find some not so well known rock-bands performing there. I tried to capture these moments while taking photos there.

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