Music of the Honey Gatherers

2010
Color photograph of a male folk musician performing on stage, singing into a microphone while playing a small string instrument. He has curly grey hair, a beard, and is wearing traditional attire. The background includes stage equipment and a large image or artwork of a tribal figure, creating a culturally rich performance setting.
Paban Das Baul
10 tracks 54m
Paban Das Baul released Music of the Honey Gatherers in 2010, blending Sufi, Vaishnavite, and Tantric folk traditions with ektara and dotara.
10 tracks • 54m
# Title
1
Kaliya
3:17
2
Guru To Dayal
8:00
3
Gopon Prem (Secret Love)
5:00
4
Pagla Ghora
5:10
5
Murshidi (Melody From The Baul Trail)
5:27
6
Kala Re
4:52
7
Kon Ek Pakhi
4:52
8
Katha Kare Bolbo Ki
5:21
9
Shobure Mewa Pholey
3:14
10
Prem Katha Ti Shunte Bhalo
8:55
10 tracks Total: 54m

About Music of the Honey Gatherers

Music of the Honey Gatherers is a studio album by Bengali Baul musician Paban Das Baul. Riverboat Records released the album on CD on May 24, 2010. The recording captures traditional Baul folk music, a syncretic devotional tradition originating in Bengal that blends Sufi, Vaishnavite, and Tantric influences. The album comprises ten tracks performed in Baul style, featuring instruments such as the ektara, dotara, and khamak alongside vocal delivery.

Paban Das Baul composed and performed all tracks on the album. The repertoire includes devotional songs, philosophical reflections, and lyrical narratives rooted in Baul mysticism. Notable tracks feature Kaliya, an invocation to the divine feminine; Guru To Dayal, a hymn extolling the compassion of the spiritual teacher; and Gopon Prem (Secret Love), a meditation on esoteric love. Pagla Ghora and Murshidi (Melody From The Baul Trail) exemplify the wandering minstrel tradition, while Kala Re and Kon Ek Pakhi employ metaphorical imagery of birds and nature. The album also includes Katha Kare Bolbo Ki, a dialogue on existential inquiry, and Shobure Mewa Pholey, a song celebrating the ripening of spiritual wisdom. The closing track, Prem Katha Ti Shunte Bhalo, reinforces the Baul emphasis on love as a transformative force.

The production retains the raw, acoustic quality characteristic of Baul performances. Recording details and additional session musicians remain undocumented in available sources. Riverboat Records, a subsidiary of World Music Network, distributed the album as part of its catalog dedicated to global folk and traditional music. The release date coincided with promotional events in Europe, though specific tour dates or associated performances are not confirmed in public records.

Critics and ethnomusicologists often cite Music of the Honey Gatherers as an accessible introduction to Baul music for international audiences. The album’s title references the honey-gathering metaphor central to Baul philosophy, symbolizing the soul’s quest for divine nectar. No commercial certifications or chart positions are recorded for this release.

Musicians

Performer

Color photograph of a male folk musician performing on stage, singing into a microphone while playing a small string instrument. He has curly grey hair, a beard, and is wearing traditional attire. The background includes stage equipment and a large image or artwork of a tribal figure, creating a culturally rich performance setting.
Paban Das Baul

Record Label

Catalog Number: TUGCD1056