Mahmud Shah Qureshi's 1977 anthology Poèmes Mystiques Bengalis was the first substantial collection to translate Bengali Baul and Fakir songs from Bengali into French, published within UNESCO's Collection of Representative Works shortly after Bangladesh's independence. The article examines the anthology's compilation, its role in shaping an international image of Bengali mystical culture, and Qureshi's introductory essay and thematic arrangement of 155 songs under initiation, meditation, and perfection.
A review of Keith Edward Cantú's book recovers the life and teachings of the Tamil yogi Sri Sabhapati Swami (c. 1828–1923/24), arguing that his Śivarājayoga synthesized Tamil Vīraśaiva traditions, Śaiva Siddhānta, Advaita Vedānta, Haṭha and Rājayoga, Tamil Siddha body theories, and Purāṇic mythology. Sabhapati transformed from a regional ascetic into a transregional teacher through print, translation, travel, and discipleship, with Bengali scholars mediating his entry into North Indian and English-language contexts before Vivekananda. His teachings were reinterpreted in Theosophical, Thelemic, and American metaphysical settings, demonstrating that modern yoga developed through complex interactions among regional traditions, colonial education, vernacular print, and global esotericism, not a simple divide between authentic premodern and corrupted modern forms.
Drawing on personal experience, the author argues that direct spiritual practice, rather than academic speculation, provides genuine insight into Baul society and philosophy. She critiques the legitimacy of lecturing on art or religion without inner experience of wonder or faith. Through analysis of two songs from her guru, Fakir Nahir Shah, she outlines the Baul modelization of the human being, emphasizing that a worthy human life must be directed toward a higher goal beyond societal success. The essay offers a novel perspective on Baul studies grounded in the author's own sadhana practices.