The origin of Bauls is not known exactly, but the word “Baul” has appeared in Bengali texts as old as the 15th century. The word is found in the Chaitanya Bhagavata of Vrindavana Dasa Thakura as well as in the Chaitanya Charitamrita of Krishnadasa Kaviraja.
Some scholars maintain that it is not clear when the word took its sectarian significance, as opposed to being a synonym for the word madcap, agitated. Bauls are a part of the culture of rural Bengal. Many attempts have been made to ascertain the origin of Bauls but there is wide disagreement among scholars.
But they agree that no founders have been acknowledged either by Bauls themselves or others. Bauls are divided into several named groups, each following a named Hindu or Muslim guru. Besides, there are other communities who later identified or affiliated themselves with Bauls, like Darbesi, Nera, and two sub-sects of Kartabhajas Aul and Sai. The Bauls themselves attribute their lack of historical records to their reluctance to leave traces behind.
Dr. Jeanne Openshaw writes that the music of the Bauls appears to have been passed down entirely in oral form until the end of the 19th century when it was first transcribed by outside observers. While periods remain very much a taboo topic around the world, the Bauls, a religious sect and wandering musical community in India and Bangladesh, celebrate a girl’s first period by mixing her menstrual blood with camphor, milk, and sugar.
It’s then drunk by her family and friends. Being a Baul is about much more than being able to belt out a good tune, it is also about worshipping bodily fluids the most potent of which is menstrual blood. The Bauls refer to the ‘four moons’ of menstrual blood, seed, feces, and urine. They believe that women contain all of these, while men are lacking menstrual blood they regard semen as a seed, but believe women also contain seed in their vaginal secretions and menstrual blood.
Men can also absorb the missing moon via their penis during period s*x. But this isn’t just any old quickie: It’s a ritualized event where the man must hold back on ejaculating while the women are encouraged to orgasm to energize their partner. Consequently, the Bauls view men as spiritually incomplete when compared to women who have got their four moons all sorted out.
In order to redress this deficiency, the Bauls believe that menstrual blood must be ingested, swapped, and reabsorbed in order to replenish the body and soul. Tara, a Baul woman when interviewed recalled the effect drinking her menstrual blood had on those who partook of the ceremony: ‘Powers of memory and concentration was enhanced, their skin acquired a brilliant glow, their voices grew melodious, and their entire beings were infused with happiness, serenity, and love’.
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