Branding Bangladesh in Tourism

Fokir Lalon Shah, a prominent philosopher poet in the cultural history of Bangladesh, established a distinctive tradition of philosophical thoughts through his thousands of songs and compositions. This legendary figure was born on 1774 CE and died on 1890, leaving controversial issues regarding his identity. He lived in the village Cheuria at Nodia of British-India era and Kushtia district of present Bangladesh. He is called as the Baul Shamrat (the Emperor of Bauls) for his distinctive views about life which denies the concrete affairs of the search of ecstasy of human soul. His own vision on human life has become the fundamental in developing Baul thoughts among the Bauls in this arena of the world.

Every year, on the first week of April, a fair is organized on the eve of his birth anniversary at Kushtia. The akhra (the place where Lalon lived) is decorated colorfully during this occasion and thousands of his devotees from different places of the country gather here to celebrate the day. Singers of Lalon Academy with ektara and other musical instrument, perform Lalon’s song all through the night for three days. Several crowds of Baul sit at different places of the Akhra. Among the Bauls, Fakir Humayun Shah is the prominent one. Lots of people join the crowd to enjoy the song of Lalon from Humayun’s and his devotees’ voice. On this day, the place becomes a gathering of Lalon’s devotees who remember him practicing his philosophical thoughts and performing his thousands of compositions.