About
Parvathy Baul, born Mousumi Parial in 1976 in West Bengal, is a leading practitioner of the Baul tradition, the mystic minstrel path of Bengal recognised by UNESCO as a masterpiece of intangible heritage. Trained visually at Kala Bhavan in Santiniketan, she left an institutional path to receive diksha from the Baul masters Sanatan Das Baul and Shashanko Goshai, and has performed as a solo Baul singer since 1995.
She sings and dances alone in the oldest Baul style, accompanying herself on ektara, duggi and ankle bells, and weaves in storytelling and painted backdrops. Based in Kerala, she runs Ekathara Kalari with her husband Ravi Gopalan Nair and founded Sanatan Siddhashram in Bengal and the international women's performance festival Tantidhatri. She has performed in more than forty countries, and in 2019 received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.
The artistry
Parvathy Baul performs solo in the oldest Baul style, singing and whirling while playing ektara and duggi and wearing ankle bells, her long hair and ochre robes part of the tradition. She adds storytelling, spoken explanation and painted scrolls, turning each performance into a complete devotional and theatrical experience.
Repertoire
Performance
Publications & productions
Career & milestones
Festivals & appearances
Lineage & training
Recognition
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Gallery
Parvathy Baul offers a host a mesmerising solo Baul performance that fuses song, dance and storytelling at once, ideal for sacred-music, heritage and contemplative programmes. Her international standing makes her a distinctive festival booking. [Atlas Assessment]
A foremost custodian and renewer of the Baul tradition, and a pioneer in opening its rigorous training to women.