বাংলা 
English 
When Lalon's songs or philosophy are discussed, at the root one finds that every human being must take initiation and shelter under a guru. And because the mind is controlled upon becoming a murid or taking diksha, when the mind is controlled one gains freedom from anger, malice, enmity and lust. Several devotees who have embraced the ideals of Lalon Shah say that this is, at bottom, our Lalon philosophy. Alongside the pursuit of music, this guru-centred sage imparted teachings of self-knowledge and spirituality to his devotees. To teach the taking of a guru or murshid in order to become a true human being — casting off intoxicants, lust and pretence — the music sage Lalon Shah worked ceaselessly.
On Thursday the three-day series of events of the 128th Tirodhan (death anniversary) Dibas of the mystic sage fakir Lalon Sai and the Lalan mela came to a close. Many of the devotee-lovers of Lalon who had come from far and wide left their seats, tidied their bedding, and set out for home. Yet before going, the atmosphere of the Akhra grew heavy. The devotees bade farewell bowing to the guru again and again with all manner of devotion and reverence. Taking leave with guru devotion and a ripened mind, many devotees could not hold back their tears. To have attained the supreme guru, over the past three days and nights the devotees expressed their guru devotion with bhakti and reverence. On the final day of the Tirodhan Dibas events of the music sage fakir Lalon Sai and the Lalan mela, as the Bauls made their way home, they embraced one another and wept.
The mystic sage Lalon Shah says in his songs: First bolt the door of the chamber of lust; man will flash to behold his beauty. He alone knows, upon whom falls the guru's grace, in what form Sai abides in the world of the body. The murshid is the Rasul; herein lies no error, even Khoda is that — Lalon does not say this, it is said in the Quran. Leaving man, O mad one, you will lose the root; serve man and you will become a golden man. When time is gone, sadhana will not be; while the day remained, why did you not learn the discipline of din — why did you not know, when time is gone, sadhana will not be.
Besides these songs, Lalon Shah also wrote against social divisive policies, class disparity, caste, exploitation, the quarrels of casteism, all-suppression and communal conflict. It is seen that in the course of history the name of Lalon Shah today has crossed the borders of the country and spread across the world. Religion lies not in enjoyment but in renunciation. In worldly life there is nothing of asking and taking. Those who do not believe in the guru doctrine, who stir up fetna and fasad and come to raise clamour — it is not right at least to give them shelter inside the mazar of Lalon Shah.
It is known that just when the cruel oppression of the British ruling circle had poisoned the lives of ordinary village people, at that very moment, along the path of truth and through the diksha of man as guru, the Baul emperor fakir Lalon Shah appeared that day at Kumarkhali's Cheuria as a guide of humanity. Though different people hold different views on Lalon's birthplace, the mystery of his birth remains unknown to this day. He was childless. He could not receive formal education; yet he was self-taught. It is said that setting out on pilgrimage in his youth for full attainment, the transformation of his youth and his entry into the sadhana life took place. During the pilgrimage he was stricken with smallpox and his companions rejected him. Later, after regaining his life under Molom Shah's shelter, in the company of the sage Siraj Sai he was installed upon the seat of the sadhak guru. At first he engaged in sadhana under a mango tree in the deep woods of Kumarkhali's Cheuria village. Later he received the help of the local Karikar community. The Lalan devotee Molom Shah donated sixteen bighas of land for building the Akhra, and on that donated land the Lalan Akhra was established in 1823.
At first a large straw house was built there for Lalon's dwelling and sadhana. It was in that house that his sadhana-bhajan took place. From the founding of the Cheuria Akhra until his death he remained surrounded by his disciples and devotees. He composed nearly a thousand songs. On the morning of 17 October 1890 this mystic sage, the Baul emperor, left his body, and he was laid to rest within that very chamber of his sadhana-bhajan.
According to the accounts of Lalon's devotees and followers, in those days at Lalon Shah's ashram, guru and disciple in succession exchanged mystic feeling through sadhu-sanga. Realising Lalon Shah's humanist message, many accepted his discipleship. Since Lalon Shah's doctrine is an entirely guru-centred religion, the devotees had to carry out their sadhana aiming at the true guru. This school of guru and disciple was called sadhu-sanga. According to Lalon's philosophy, for every living human being to purify the self, that is, to liberate the soul, the importance of sadhu-sanga is immense. By the rules of the guru's sanga, sadhu-sanga began at evening with din-dak, and ended through nine tones including rakhalseba, adhibaskalin seba, balya seba and purna seba. Besides, gadi-mannya, asan-mannya, achal-mannya and seba-dakshina had to be offered. When sadhu-sanga concluded, the sadhu-gurus took leave with eyes wet with tears. According to Lalon philosophy it is said, a bound being becomes man only when he takes the diksha of the guru. It is through devotion and khedmat to the guru that truth is established for the disciple. On Pohela Kartik his devotees offer deep devotion to the guru with the nectar of their tears. In their view, only when the visible guru is pleased is the invisible great Creator pleased. To exchange feeling with the guru through the diksha of man as guru, this meeting mela of his devotees takes place at Lalon Shah's home in Cheuria, Kushtia. The music sage Lalon Shah, in his lifetime, observed the memorial utsab every year on Dol Purnima together with his followers. And now, on the occasion of Lalon's Tirodhan Dibas on Bengali Pohela Kartik, his disciples and devotees observe another. And joined with it, the district administration, the Lalan Academy and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs organise this event as every time. Throughout the three days of the event, as usual, there are each day discussion meetings, the mela and scheduled cultural programmes.
