Shrine of Fakir Lalon Shah
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| Shrine of Fakir Lalon Shah |
The spiritual devotee took refuge in Lalon Shah's Chheuriya in Kumarkhali and later after his death in Chheuriya, a meeting place (akhra) was built at the place of his burial. Fakir Lalon Shah's disciples and countless Baulkuls from home and abroad gathered in this arena on special dates and celebrated the festival. This mystic folk poet has composed innumerable folk songs despite being illiterate. Baul philosophy has now aroused curiosity not only in the country but also abroad. His present shrine was built there in 1963 and was inaugurated by the then Governor of East Pakistan, Monaim Khan. The academy building with a modern auditorium was constructed there in 2004.
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| Shrine of Fakir Lalon Shah |
Shrine of Baul Emperor Lalon Shah on the banks of Kaliganga river in Chheuria village of Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia. He was born in 1784. He died on 17 October 1890 at the age of 116. The Baul emperor is buried in the soil of Chheuriya. After his death, the disciples built a shrine here or Lalon's stable in the local language. There are rows and rows of disciples' graves around his tomb in the huge dome. This shrine is the pilgrimage place of Bauls. There is a gate some distance from the shrine. You have to enter the shrine through this gate. Every year on the anniversary of his death, millions of tourists flock to the Baul emperor along with the saints and devotees. Next to the shrine is the Lalon Museum. A door of Lalon, Lalon's seating jug, bowls of devotees and some rare pictures are preserved in the museum. The entrance fee to the museum is 2 taka. When you come out of the shrine, you will see Lalon's bust.
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| Shrine of Fakir Lalon Shah |
Lalon built an arena at Chheuria in Kushtia, where he taught his disciples. Even today, bowlers from all over the country gather at Chheuria in October to pay their respects to Lalon Shah. Twelve days after his death, he was first referred to as the "Mahatma" in an essay published in the then fortnightly magazine Mir Mosharraf Hossain. The author of the essay is named Raicharan.
Several of Lalon's writings indicate that he was not at all respectful of religion-tribe-caste-community. During the British rule, when ethnic divisions between Hindus and Muslims were on the rise, Lalon was a vocal opponent. He did not believe in any difference between people. He had no value of race, religion, caste. He was a humanist. In a song he says:
“How many people?
Lalon is born in the world.
Lalon is a form of caste
I didn't see it at all. "
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| Shrine of Fakir Lalon Shah |
Rabindranath Tagore said: What a Baul devotee named Lalon Fakir wanted to say by combining Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and Jain religions - we should all pay attention to that. Lalon says in another song
“How many people, Lalon Fakir is a Hindu?
Lalon says, I don't know where to look. ”
Lalon Fakir's song "Lalon Geeti" or sometimes "Lalon Sangeet" is famous. The songs he composed for the Bauls became so popular from time to time that word of mouth spread throughout Bengal. Poet Rabindranath Tagore was also influenced by Lalon's songs. He has collected thousands of songs from different parts of Bangladesh. Muhammad Mansuruddin alone has collected more than three hundred Lalon songs which have been compiled in his Haramani. Apart from this, the titles of his other two books are 'Lalon Fakirer Gaan' and 'Lalon Geetika' respectively so that many only Lalon songs have been compiled.
How to go:
SB, Shyamoli, Hanif, Sohag, Khaleq Paribahan buses run directly from Dhaka to Kushtia via Bangabandhu Bridge from Gabtoli or Technical Junction in Dhaka. There are also many direct Dhaka-Kumarkhali buses.
You can take Chitra train from Kamalapur railway station to Sundarbans and from Cantonment station. But in that case you have to get off at Poradaha railway station near Kushtia and come to the city by bus or auto rickshaw. From Kushtia city you can go to Lalon Shah's shrine by rickshaw or auto rickshaw.
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