The Cry of the Attacked Ektara: The Anti-Lalon Movement

Details: Written by: সালেক উদ্দিন শেখ; Category: Fakir lalon shai; Published: 10 November 2026; Hits: 4

In Lalon's own time and afterwards, both favourable and negative social reactions about him ran strong. He was acclaimed and censured at the same time. This extraordinary personality of folk Bengal succeeded, even in his lifetime, in drawing the attention and respect of the learned. The affectionate curiosity of several members of the Tagore household toward him extended the geography of his identity. After Lalon's death, interest and devotion toward him have continued to grow.

Even during Lalon's lifetime strong reaction against him began. If the records and annals of the anti-Baul or anti-Lalon movement are compiled, the true shape of this reaction will be grasped.

From birth itself the Baul community has faced scorn, condemnation, persecution and opposition. 'Chaitanya Charitamrita' or the 'Raganatika pada' hint at how intense the contempt and disrespect of the people of that age toward the Baul community was. In truth, the Bauls received intolerance and injustice from both scripture-bound Hindus and Sharia-abiding Muslims. In the nineteenth century the Baul creed touched the peak of excellence, and at the same time its decline began from this very period. The Wahhabi, Faraizi, Ahl-e Hadith and other religious reform movements increased persecution and repression against them. In that context the existence of the Baul community became endangered in many ways.

Through the endeavours of religion and society-reformers such as Haji Shariatullah (1780-1949), Titumir (1782-1831), Karamat Ali Jaunpuri (1800-1873), Dudu Mia (1819-1862), Munshi Meherullah (1861-1907), Syed Abdul Quddus Rumi (1867-1923), the influence and spread of the Baul creed was diminished and impaired. In many places a hostile attitude of the ulama society toward the Bauls can be observed. Munshi Meherullah's idea about the Bauls or Nadar fakirs was, “They have raised many beasts among men” ('Meherul Islam'). Under the influence of this reform movement, Mir Mosharraf Hossain too wrote with anguish about the Bauls, “They are true satans, infidels, faithless ones — don't you know that?” ('Songit Lahari'). The poet Jonab Ali said outright in fierce anger, “Strike with a stick the head of the cheating fakir” ('Kavya Malancha'). Besides, various books were written against the Baul fakirs, and various codes and fatwas were issued.

The anti-Lalon movement began in the lifetime of Lalon himself, who stood opposed to conventional scriptural religion and strove for the union of mankind. His creed and sadhana were attacked by the scripture-bound religious heads and conservative social leaders of both the Hindu and Muslim communities; again and again he was maligned, humiliated and criticised. But Lalon was slow, steady, goal-bound. No obstacle or hindrance could discourage or stop him. Disdaining all opposition he advanced in his own manner toward truth, in the hope of finding the long-awaited Man of the Heart. Lalon was a sage versed in the esoteric body-centred sadhana of the void. Therefore these personal accounts of sorrow, blows and pain were not directly reflected in his songs.

In the weekly 'Grambarta Prakashika' of Kangal Harinath (1st Bhadra 1279 / August 1872), in a discussion titled 'Jati', Lalon Fakir was referred to incidentally. Here Lalon and his community are held responsible for the peril of the Hindu community's 'jati'. The Hindu social leaders did not approve of the novel context of the united, caste-less sadhana of Hindus and Muslims that Lalon had created. The writer of the 'Grambarta' article commented:

“…On this side Brahmo dharma is poking at the back of the jati; there the Gauravadis are striking at it; and again in that direction the Lalon Sampradayis — still there is the goad of arbitrary will. Now, unable to hold its ground, the jati is looking for a way to flee like a tigress.”

In Maulvi Abdul Wali's essay On Curious Tenets and Practices of a certain Class of Faqirs in Bengal, published in 1900, there are slight hints and remarks about Lalon. In one place of this essay, about the Muslim Baul fakirs, it is said:

The so-called Musalman Faqirs speaking to another Musalman try their best to agree against Islam, and to misinterpret or misquote passages in support to their doctrness.

This was then the almost universal idea about the Baul fakirs. Needless to say, the greatest of Bauls, Lalon, was not exempt from this idea.

In the 'Radde Nara' (unpublished; 24 Asharh 1224) manuscript composed by Munshi Emdad Ali (1881-1941), the Bauls or 'Nadar fakirs' are introduced in detail and severely condemned and criticised. Referring to Lalon Shah by name in the manuscript's preface, the author says:

“Among the Nadar and the rest, the mischief of this Nadar is the greatest sin for us. For us two classes of Nadar are chiefly to be seen. The leader of one class is Lalon Sa, resident of Cheuria under the Kushtia sub-division of the Nadia district; many songs composed by him are current among the people. But there is no book of his composition. As far as I have myself come to know of the Nadar religion, I have wished to place it before the readers, God willing. If any good comes to Muslim society through this, I shall consider my labour successful.”

The author then wrote about the Baul or Nadar creed:

“What religion the Nadar professes is very hard to declare. One cannot believe that such uncivilised, obscene conduct can be perpetrated in this world by any human being.”

Mawlana Reyazuddin Ahmad, a resident of Bangalipur in Rangpur district, composed and circulated the 'Baul Dhwangsa Fatwa' — that is, the 'fatwa to destroy or repudiate the Baul creed'. In Bangla year 1332 the second enlarged edition of this 'fatwa' was published. The renowned ulama and leaders of Bengal supported and endorsed this fatwa. The second volume of the 'Baul Dhwangsa Fatwa' was published in Bangla year 1333. The main noteworthy subject of the second volume was the publication of an important discussion with remarks about Lalon Sai. In it one gets an exact picture of the attitude and outlook of Muslim society and religious leaders toward Lalon. Quoting Basanta Kumar Pal's essay 'Fakir Lalon Shah' ('Probashi', Shraban 1332) in this second volume of the 'Fatwa', the remark is made:

“From reading the biography of Lalon Sah it is understood that Lalon Sah's religion had no fixity at all. Rather, from his bhaber songs and poetry one clearly discerns that he was an udasin of the Hindu race. Only because he ate food cooked by the hand of a Mussalman did Hindu society excommunicate him. Apart from eating Mussalman food, he had not the slightest sign or observance of Islam's creed, belief, namaz, roza and the rest, by which he could be called a Mussalman; let alone being a Mussalman dervish-fakir according to the rules of Islam, he cannot even be reckoned a Mussalman at all. However great a muni, rishi or udasin he may be, to the Mussalman he is nobody. Nobody becomes a Mussalman merely by eating in a Mussalman's house; for a Mussalman eats in the belly of a Mussalman. One in whom the customs and activities of Islam do not square with the teeth of the Sharia — be he known as muni, rishi, dervish or fakir by whatever name — the Mussalman cannot reckon him within any class. Therefore, since there was no sign of the Sharia in Lalon Sah, he is not of the Mussalman community. Hence, that the Bauls or Nadar fakirs, calling Lalon Sah the finest pir and dervish of the Mussalmans, have followed his path, claimed him as a Mussalman dervish-fakir and set the whole world in an uproar — this is nothing but proof of their waywardness.”

“So Lalon Sah's identity stands at this. But the Bauls and Nadar fakirs, knowing nothing at all of Lalon Shah's identity, have run wild in frenzy; hiding themselves in Lalon Sah's songs in imitation of the Hindu Vaishnavas they have become a disgrace to Muslim society — this is a matter of deep regret. Who will now dispel their riddle?”

To be continued ...