[ We were discussing about the then ‘Falgun Sankranti Festival’.]
Then on the day before the festival in Banagram, any Maharaj or Brahmachari from the Ashram would go to the every house in Banagram and invited them. This was the instruction of Guru Maharaj – and it was a matter of special honour for the people of Banagram ! Another thing which I noticed then was that any boy or girl from Banagram might come to Guruji’s seating and said – “Baba thakur! Mother has told you to go once to our house!!” That evening, before going to Mukherjee’s house (N’kaka’s house, where He used to go every evening, while He was at Banagram.), Guru Maharaj would certainly visit to that particular house and listened to the speech of that ‘mother’! We knew it because He used to do a little late to go to N’kaka’s house on that day. Tapima’s mother used to ask, “Baba! You’re a little late today !” Then He would say the matter openly.
Then before the festival, the men of Ashram used to go from house to house in the villages and begged for rice, pulses and vegetables. And most of the outside collection was done by Trisan da(Swami Parameswarananda Maharaj).
Anyway, on the stage that day, I saw two more initiated devotees of our Ashram (Guru Maharaj used the word “initiated in the Ashram”. I never heard him say “intiated by me”. He used the words “intiated here” or “intiated in the Ashram”.) singing Baul songs. One of them was Singur’s Ananda, the other was Raina’s ‘Basu’. ‘Basu’ was familiar with various Baul artists. Bhajan Das Baul, initiated Baul artist of our Ashram, his brother Sadhan Das Baul and his community used to come every year that time. I heard from Murari Maharaj _ the history of the first visit of the two Baul artist brothers- Sadhan and Bhajan- to Banagram.
That year, Sadhan Das Baul and Bhajan Das Baul came to Guruji to make Him listen to Baul songs during Guruji’s staying at Raina Tapoban Ashram. Guruji was very much pleased listening to their songs and invited them to Banagram Ashram during the festival of ‘Falgun Sankranti’ at Banagram Ashram. On that particular day, the two brothers got on the bus leading from Burdwan to Kalna with their Baul artist team. But there is an another place named ‘Banagram’ near Hatgobindapur and there also a Baul artist named Naba krishna Bhattacharya established an ashram i.e ‘Naba Krishna Baul Bandhu Ashram’. Co-incidentally, there was also an annual festival going on and there were also song and music going on. The bus conductor made them alight at that Banagram. As usual, they came to that ‘ Naba Krishna Ashram’. After reaching there they understood there was something wrong with them ! But the organisers wasn’t eager to leave that ‘ready made’ Baul team when they were able to capture them during the programme ! The organisers seized them that night and the Baul team held a programme there. The next day Murari Maharaj heard this matter and he went to Guru Maharaj to know the reason for this incident. In reply, Guruji said “they were not the possessors of vedanta but they love me. You will notice from this time that they will come here to sing Baul songs every year.” It was fact that it happened true. After that time, when the ‘Falgun Sankranti’ festival was held at Ashram, every time they surely came to Banagram Ashram to sing Baul songs as well as with other Baul artists. Of course, a fact was true which Guru Maharaj predicted earlier. It was- Sadhan Das Bairagya was initiated by Naba Krishna Bhattacharya and after his Guru’s death, he started living at the village of Hatgobindapur permanently setting up an ashram there.
[ Translated by Rajarsi Basak, a student of class Ten and corrected by Ramprasad, a former student of Banagram Ashram.]
Then on the day before the festival in Banagram, any Maharaj or Brahmachari from the Ashram would go to the every house in Banagram and invited them. This was the instruction of Guru Maharaj – and it was a matter of special honour for the people of Banagram ! Another thing which I noticed then was that any boy or girl from Banagram might come to Guruji’s seating and said – “Baba thakur! Mother has told you to go once to our house!!” That evening, before going to Mukherjee’s house (N’kaka’s house, where He used to go every evening, while He was at Banagram.), Guru Maharaj would certainly visit to that particular house and listened to the speech of that ‘mother’! We knew it because He used to do a little late to go to N’kaka’s house on that day. Tapima’s mother used to ask, “Baba! You’re a little late today !” Then He would say the matter openly.
Then before the festival, the men of Ashram used to go from house to house in the villages and begged for rice, pulses and vegetables. And most of the outside collection was done by Trisan da(Swami Parameswarananda Maharaj).
Anyway, on the stage that day, I saw two more initiated devotees of our Ashram (Guru Maharaj used the word “initiated in the Ashram”. I never heard him say “intiated by me”. He used the words “intiated here” or “intiated in the Ashram”.) singing Baul songs. One of them was Singur’s Ananda, the other was Raina’s ‘Basu’. ‘Basu’ was familiar with various Baul artists. Bhajan Das Baul, initiated Baul artist of our Ashram, his brother Sadhan Das Baul and his community used to come every year that time. I heard from Murari Maharaj _ the history of the first visit of the two Baul artist brothers- Sadhan and Bhajan- to Banagram.
That year, Sadhan Das Baul and Bhajan Das Baul came to Guruji to make Him listen to Baul songs during Guruji’s staying at Raina Tapoban Ashram. Guruji was very much pleased listening to their songs and invited them to Banagram Ashram during the festival of ‘Falgun Sankranti’ at Banagram Ashram. On that particular day, the two brothers got on the bus leading from Burdwan to Kalna with their Baul artist team. But there is an another place named ‘Banagram’ near Hatgobindapur and there also a Baul artist named Naba krishna Bhattacharya established an ashram i.e ‘Naba Krishna Baul Bandhu Ashram’. Co-incidentally, there was also an annual festival going on and there were also song and music going on. The bus conductor made them alight at that Banagram. As usual, they came to that ‘ Naba Krishna Ashram’. After reaching there they understood there was something wrong with them ! But the organisers wasn’t eager to leave that ‘ready made’ Baul team when they were able to capture them during the programme ! The organisers seized them that night and the Baul team held a programme there. The next day Murari Maharaj heard this matter and he went to Guru Maharaj to know the reason for this incident. In reply, Guruji said “they were not the possessors of vedanta but they love me. You will notice from this time that they will come here to sing Baul songs every year.” It was fact that it happened true. After that time, when the ‘Falgun Sankranti’ festival was held at Ashram, every time they surely came to Banagram Ashram to sing Baul songs as well as with other Baul artists. Of course, a fact was true which Guru Maharaj predicted earlier. It was- Sadhan Das Bairagya was initiated by Naba Krishna Bhattacharya and after his Guru’s death, he started living at the village of Hatgobindapur permanently setting up an ashram there.
[ Translated by Rajarsi Basak, a student of class Ten and corrected by Ramprasad, a former student of Banagram Ashram.]