His death has cast a deep shadow of grief over the baul community

Entertainment Desk:

Baul exponent Kanai Das died on Saturday morning at Tarapith in Birbhum, West Bengal. He was 82.

His death was confirmed by noted Indian cinematographer and filmmaker Ranjan Palit.

In a social media post, Palit said the Baul singer had been suffering from several physical complications for a long time. He had been affected by tuberculosis (TB) for the past 2 months and also had chronic asthma and diabetes-related complications.

Despite being visually impaired, Kanai Das devoted himself to Baul music and spiritual practice. With his ektara, he travelled from village to village, fairs and akhras, singing songs of humanity including “Manush Vojle Sonar Manush Hobi” and “Ke Bole Manush More”.

His voice carried pain, humanity and spiritual depth, and he earned recognition by performing Baul songs at events in Bangladesh and abroad. In 2019, he received the Sohajia Samman, and William Dalrymple’s book “Nine Lives” also includes a chapter on his life and music.

His death has cast a deep shadow of grief over the Baul community. Popular singer Pantha Kanai expressed condolences on social media, writing:

“His voice carried the scent of the soil, and his practice was a search for the soul. He did not just sing; he touched people’s hearts with messages of love, devotion and truth. His departure has left behind a void that will not be easy to fill. Yet his songs, his philosophy and his journey will live on from generation to generation.”