Banyan Roots

Lucia Thomas
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Music History
  • Monthly Series

Banyan Roots is a podcast series in which songs and discussions from the Baul and Fakir, musical mystics of West Bengal, India and Bangladesh, guide conversations on history, ethnomusicology, and spirituality. Come curious listeners—musicians, scholars, spiritual seekers, and anyone drawn to traditional music and living devotional practices. Featuring original field recordings of spontaneous jams and interviews with Baul musicians and teachers, each episode explores different themes of Baul philosophy - from awareness of the body and the breath, to the tangled roots of Bengal’s devotional traditions: Vaishnava Kirtan, Sufi Qawwali, and even traces of Vajrayana Buddhism. Listeners will be taken on an immersive journey through the remote villages of Bengal, experiencing aurally the chaotic streets, the heated debates, and the intoxicated mad music.  Banyan Roots is produced by Gene Nemirovsky and distributed by Amplisounds Radio. 

Episodes

  1. Songs of the Unknown Bird

    Episode 1

    Songs of the Unknown Bird

    This first episode explores Deho Twatto “theory of the body” in the Baul context, where the body itself is the starting point for spiritual understanding. Songs: Baul Howa Sohoj Kotha Noy Composer: Kangal Horinath Singer: Babu Fakir Khachar Bhitor Ochin Pakhi Composer: Lalon Fakir Singer: Selina Fakirini Chirodin Pushilam Ek Ochin Pakhi Composer: Lalon Fakir Singer: Nurbaba Phaki Deowa Pakhi Re Tor Composer: Ammulyo Sarkar Singer: Uttora Baidya   Instrumentals: Jekhane Shai’r Baramkhana Composer: Lalon Fakir Dotara Player: Amirul Fakir Gram Chhara  Composer: Rabindranath Tagore Dotara Player: Amirul Fakir Khachar Bhitor Ochin Pakhi Composer: Lalon Fakir Violinist: Lucia Thomas   Painting credit: Dipshikha Debnath   For photos and more info please visit Amplisoundsradio   Many thanks to Biplab Ghosh, Arnab Sengupta, Rina and Manosij Goswami for help in the field, to Gene Nemirovsky for audio engineering, to the Fulbright-Nehru program and to all the musicians and teachers who recorded for this show.

    45 min
  2. Searching for the Man of the Heart

    Episode 2

    Searching for the Man of the Heart

    Searching for the Man of the Heart explores how Baul songs use the metaphor of the house to describe the human body, which, for the Baul, is the starting place for realization. In this episode, listeners hear lyrics with cryptic images that point toward what the Baul call the praner manus “the man of the heart”–a personification of one’s inner truth.   Songs: Dhonno Dhonno - Lalon Fakir (composer)*, Supriya Poddar (singer) * Charyapada (First Song) - Lui Pad (composer), Srijoni Sadhika (singer) Ghor Niye Koto Jontrona - Anath Bondhu Ghosh (composer and singer) Amar Bhanga Ghore - Kingsuk Goshai (composer), Rabi Das Baul (singer) Barir Kachhe Aarshinagar - Lalon Fakir (composer), Ochin Pakhi (performer) ​ *students of Babu Fakir   Instrumentals: Jekhane Shai’r Baramkhana - Lalon Fakir (composer), Amirul Fakir (Dotara player) Dhonno Dhonno - Lalon Fakir (composer), Amirul Fakir (Dotara player) Ghor Niye Koto Jontrona - Anath Bondhu Ghosh (composer), Lucia Thomas (violinist)   Youtube Links: Babu Fakir and his students: https://youtube.com/@babufakirofficial5603?si=6T-tG1r71DHXDaPa Sadhika Srijoni and Simon Zakaria: https://youtube.com/@charyapada7209?si=Pe31qLE6i3F31hZL Anath Bondhu Ghosh: https://youtu.be/ojMfb-PyWJg?si=Lxpr4vrYsGK-FpPJ Robi Das Baul: https://youtu.be/jjkfOVVMzi0?si=NyhSB6W6AK6XDIcE Ochin Pakhi: https://youtube.com/@ochinpakhichicago?si=tuCdiH_6U8UPeMmM   Many thanks to Biplab Ghosh, Arnab Sengupta, Rina and Manosij Goswami for help in the field, to Gene Nemirovsky for audio engineering, to the Fulbright-Nehru program and to all the musicians and teachers who recorded for this show.    Photo: "Bengal Patachitra" via Wikimedia Commons

    40 min

  3. Episode 3

    Lalon’s Liberation: Worshiping in the Temple of the Mind

    The Baul songs in this third episode challenge divisive religious identities and beg for a society where all humans treat each other well. It will share some background on the painful history of the partition of India as well as dive deeper into the life story of Lalon Fakir, the legendary Baul saint from the late 18th century.   Sob Loke Koy Lalon Ki Jat Composer: Lalon Fakir Singer: Babu Fakir   Emon Manob Somaj  Composer: Lalon Fakir (attributed to Lalon Fakir but composer is unknown) Singer: Dolan Banerjee    Ami Dil Kabate Namaz Porbo  Composer: Lalon Fakir Singer: Ohidul Fakir    Apnar Apni Fana Hole  Composer: Lalon Fakir Singer: Dolan Banerjee   Instrumentals: Jekhane Shai’r Baramkhana Composer: Lalon Fakir Dotara Player: Amirul Fakir   Sob Loke Koy Lalon Ki Jat Composer: Lalon Fakir Dotara Player: Amirul Fakir   Many thanks to Biplab Ghosh, Arnab Sengupta, Rina and Manosij Goswami for help in the field, to Gene Nemirovsky for audio engineering, to Subhajit Sengupta for co-hosting, to the Fulbright-Nehru program and to all the musicians and teachers who recorded for this show.    Podcast is recorded, curated and hosted by Lucia Thomas For photos and more info please visit Amplisoundsradio

    41 min

  4. Episode 4

    Rejecting Caste: All are Brothers of my Heart

    “Rejecting Caste – All are Brothers of my Heart" is a further exploration of manus twatto - the theory of humanity, this time focused on jat, or caste. Some Fakiri singers will discuss what caste felt like to them and what the great poet-saint Lalon Fakir had to say about caste. **** Songs: “Jat Gelo Jat Gelo Bole” Composer: Lalon Fakir Singer: Amirul Fakir “Sorol Dese Jao” Composer: Matal Rajjak Singer: Jamsher Fakir “Nishedh Karo Ogo Brinde” Composer: Ajahar Fakir Singer: Khaibar Fakir Recording courtesy of: Suvankar Dassharma & Sudip Ray (Dubki project) “Achhe Manus Hridoy Pinjiray” Composer: Prafulla Sarkar Singer: Uttara Baidya “Manus Bhojle Sonar Manus Hobi” Composer: Lalon Fakir Singer: Jamsher Fakir Instrumental Backgrounds: 1. Jekhane Shai’r Baramkhana Composer: Lalon Fakir Dotara Player: Amirul Fakir   2. Jat Gelo Jat Gelo Composer: Lalon Fakir Dotara player: Amirul Fakir   3. Snowflake and Inver Bank  Band: Baba Yaga’s Stew Composers: Lucia Thomas and Patrick Davey   4. Raag Yaman Alap  Violinist: Lucia Thomas    Many thanks to Biplab Ghosh, Arnab Sengupta, Rina and Manosij Goswami for help in the field, to Gene Nemirovsky for audio engineering, to Subhajit Sengupta for co-hosting, to the Fulbright-Nehru program and to all the musicians and teachers who recorded for this show.    Podcast is recorded, curated and hosted by Lucia Thomas For photos and more info please visit Amplisoundsradio

    41 min

  5. Episode 5

    In the Garden of Krishna’s Love

    In the Garden of Krishna’s Love is the first episode to explore bhakti - devotion, and specifically songs showing devotion to Hindu Gods and Goddesses. We will hear from Baul masters on the importance of devotion in one’s spiritual progress as well as learn the historical significance of the Bhakti movement in India.  ********** Songs: Bhakti Bina Se Dhon Mele Na  Composer: Sotish Gosai Singer: Anath Bondhu Ghosh Eseche Kunjero Dware Composer: Jadubindu Gosai Singer: Rina Das Baul Krishna Anurager Bagane  Composer: Ananta Gosai Singer: Rabi Das Baul Instrumentals:  Jekhane Sai’r Baramkhana Composer: Lalon Fakir Dotara Player: Amirul Fakir Rai Jago Go Composer: Traditional Performed by: Ochin Pakhi featuring Nathan Torrence on bansuri Kirtan Chant Composer: Traditional Singer: Priest and devotees at Hare Krishna Temple in Rogers Park, Chicago Ei To Tomar (intro) Composer: Rabindranath Tagore Performed by: Ochin Pakhi, featuring Soumyajyoti Ghosh on bansuri Khandana Bhava Bandhana Composer: Swami Vivekananda Performed by: Ochin Pakhi Many thanks to Biplab Ghosh, Arnab Sengupta, Rina and Manosij Goswami for help in the field, to Gene Nemirovsky for audio engineering, to Subhajit Sengupta for co-hosting, to the Fulbright-Nehru program and to all the musicians and teachers who recorded for this show.  Podcast is recorded, curated and hosted by Lucia Thomas. For photos and more info please visit Amplisounds Radio.

    48 min
  • 5 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Banyan Roots is a podcast series in which songs and discussions from the Baul and Fakir, musical mystics of West Bengal, India and Bangladesh, guide conversations on history, ethnomusicology, and spirituality. Come curious listeners—musicians, scholars, spiritual seekers, and anyone drawn to traditional music and living devotional practices. Featuring original field recordings of spontaneous jams and interviews with Baul musicians and teachers, each episode explores different themes of Baul philosophy - from awareness of the body and the breath, to the tangled roots of Bengal’s devotional traditions: Vaishnava Kirtan, Sufi Qawwali, and even traces of Vajrayana Buddhism. Listeners will be taken on an immersive journey through the remote villages of Bengal, experiencing aurally the chaotic streets, the heated debates, and the intoxicated mad music.  Banyan Roots is produced by Gene Nemirovsky and distributed by Amplisounds Radio. 

Information

  • Creator
    Lucia Thomas
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Banyan Roots