Baul Singer Kanai Das Final Recording

Kanai Das Baul, the visually impaired Baul singer from West Bengal, passed away on 18 April, marking the end of a long association with the Baul musical tradition. He was known for his devotional performances using the ektara and for travelling across villages, fairs and akhras, presenting songs rooted in humanism and spiritual reflection. His repertoire included widely recognised Baul compositions such as “Manush Bhojle Sonar Manush Hobi” and “Ke Bole Manush More, Ami Bujhlam Na Bapar”, along with other songs performed within the Baul oral tradition.

The Baul tradition itself is a folk and spiritual music practice of Bengal, characterised by itinerant performers who convey philosophical ideas about humanity, equality and devotion through music. Kanai Das Baul remained active within this tradition despite his visual impairment, continuing to perform in rural and cultural settings until his final years.

In a notable development in his later career, Kanai Das Baul recorded a playback song for cinema for the first and only time in director Mejbauer Rahman Suman’s upcoming film Roid. The recording was completed last year. This collaboration became both his debut and final recorded contribution to film playback music. He did not live to hear the final version of the song as it appears in the completed film.

According to director Mejbauer Rahman Suman, the song recorded by Kanai Das Baul for Roid will be released at a later stage, although its title has not been disclosed. The director stated that the singer had expressed interest in hearing the finished version after production, but this did not take place before his death.

Suman has previously incorporated Baul music into his cinematic work, including the use of the song “Aat Ta Baje Deri Koris Na” performed by Basudev Das Baul in the film Hawa. In Roid, Kanai Das Baul’s recorded contribution forms part of the film’s musical composition and remains unreleased publicly at this stage.

The film Roid, which is awaiting release, features actors Mosstafizur Noor Imran, Nazifa Tushi, Gazi Rakayet and others. Prior to the release of Kanai Das Baul’s track, the film has already released its first song titled “Roide Aila Ga Jurai Te”. This track was written, composed and sung by Rajib Ahmed Raju of the band Shohojia, with music direction by Rashid Sharif Shoaib.

Film and Music Overview

Kanai Das Baul’s recorded work for Roid stands as his sole documented involvement in film playback music, linking traditional Baul performance practice with contemporary Bengali cinema through a single recorded composition.