Bauls constitute both a syncretic religious sect and a musical tradition.

Bauls are a very heterogeneous group, with many sects, but their membership mainly consists of Vaishnava Hindus and Sufi Muslims.[1][2] They can often be identified by their distinctive clothes and musical instruments. Not much is known of their origin. Lalon Fakir is regarded as the most important poet-practitioner of the Baul tradition.[3][4][5] Baul music had a great influence on Rabindranath Tagore's poetry and on his music (Rabindra Sangeet).[6]

The music of the Bauls, Baul Sangeet, is a particular type of folk song. It carries influences of Hindu bhakti movements as well as the suphi, a form of Sufi song exemplified by the songs of Kabir. Their music represents a long heritage of preaching mysticism through songs in Bengal, like Shahebdhoni or Bolahadi sects. The Bauls are an ancient group of wandering minstrels from Bengal, who believe in simplicity in life and love. Bauls use a number of musical instruments to embellish their compositions. The "ektara" is a one-stringed plucked drum drone instrument, and by far the most common instrument used by a Baul singer. It is carved from the epicarp of a gourd, and made of bamboo and goatskin. Other commonly used musical instruments include the dotara, a long-necked fretless lute (while the name literally means two stringed it usually has four metal strings); drums like the duggi, a small hand-held earthen drum, and dhol and khol; Fakir Lalon Shah (17741890), was a Bengali Baul saint, mystic poet, song composer, social reformer and secular thinker. His works and ideology have an immense influence on Bengali culture. He has become an iconic figure for preaching religious tolerance and secularism. His philosophy, articulated in songs, has inspired and influenced many poets and social and religious thinkers including Rabindranath Tagore,[4][5][6][7] Kazi Nazrul Islam,[8] Allen Ginsberg etc. His disciples live in large portion across Bangladesh and West Bengal of India. As he preached religious tolerance and "rejected all distinctions of caste and creed"[9], he was both praised and criticized in his lifetime as well as after his death[10]. His legacy endures also in the akhdah, known as Lalon akhdah he founded in Chheuriya, Kushtia. Few records of Lalon's private life survive as he did not wanted, and there has been considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance, religious beliefs. Lalon composed numerous songs and poems, which describe his philosophy. Among his most popular songs are Sob Loke Koy Lalon Ki Jat Songsare, Khachar Bhitor Auchin Pakhi, Jat Gelo Jat Gelo Bole, Dekhna Mon Jhokmariay Duniyadari, Paare Loye Jao Amay, Milon Hobe Koto Dine, Aar Amare Marishne Maa, Tin Pagoler Holo Mela, etc. Lalon always kept silent about his origin so that he does not get typecast into any particular religious group. He was observant of the social conditions around, and this reflects through his songs, which spoke of day to day problems, in his simple yet deeply moving language. It is said that he had composed about 10,000 songs of which 2,000-3,000 can be tracked down today while others are lost in time and hearts of his numerous followers. Most of his followers could not read or write and so unluckily for the lovers of Baul, very few of his songs are found in written form. Lalon had no formal education as such but his songs can

educate the most educated of minds throughout the world. Long before free thinkers around the globe started thinking of a classless society, Lalon had already composed around 1000 songs on that theme. Hason Raja (21 December 1854 6 December 1922) (literary meaning - Hason the King), also known as Dewan Hason Raja, was a Bengali poet, mystic philosopher and folksongs writer and composer. He gained international recognition few years after his death, when Nobel prize laureate, poet Rabindranath Tagore mentioned him in his lectures at Oxford University.
Baula Ke Banailo 2. Hason Rajay Koy 3. Kanai Tumi 4. Loke Bole Bolere 5. Matiro Pinjirar Maje 6. Nesha Lagilo Re 7. Ronger Baroi 8. Shona Bondhe Amare

Kangal Harinath (1833 16 April 1896), which means "Penniless Harinath", was a wellknown Baul of Bengal, also known as "Fakir Chand Baul". He was born in Kushtia District, now in Bangladesh, named Harinath Majumdar. He lost his parents at an early age. Harinath was a disciple of Lalon Shah. He had very little formal education. However, he took up journalism to promote the cause of the poor and oppressed, writing in Sambad Prabhakar. He established a Baul group named "Kangal Fakir Chander Dal" (Group of the Penniless Fakir Chand) in 1880. His songs had a profound influence on many thinkers of the day, including Rabindranath Tagore and Akshay Kumar Maitreya. Harinath wrote 18 books, among them, Vijaybasanta (1859), Charucharitra (1863), Kavitakaumudi (1866), Vijaya (1869), Kavikalpa (1870), Akrur Sangbad (1873), Sabitri Natika (1874), Chittachapala (1876), Kangaler Brahmandaved (1887-95) and Matrmahima (1896). Between 1883 and 1893, Harinath published his Baul songs in 16 volumes under the title "Kangal Fikirchand Fakirer Gitaboli." Harinath's disciples included Akshay Kumar Maitreya, Dinendranath Roy and Jaladhar Sen. Kaviyal Bijay Sarkar[1](16 February 1903-1985) was a Baul Singer[2],lyricist and composer, was born at the village of Dumdi in Narail Bengal ( now in Bangladesh). His original name was Bijay Adhikari.[3] He studied at Tabra Primary School. He worked as a rent collector of the local court. He participated in stage performance and folk songs. In 1925, he attached with Kaviyal Manohar Sarkar from Gopalganj and Rajendranath Sarkar. In 1929 Bijay Sarkar formed his own group and became famous as a Kaviyal. He wrote lyrics and composed tune. His improvisation of Dhuya Gan, based on the Bhatiyali tune, earned him immense popularity. He was close to Kazi Nazrul Islam, Jasimuddin, and Abbasuddin Ahmed.

Bijay Sarkar wrote about 400 sakhisangbad (accounts of friends) and Dhuya Gan. These some songs are published from Bangladesh and West Bengal. He rendered kavigan at the bangla academy, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, and on radio and television