What is Baul?

What is Baul and what’s the history behind it? How does it fit in the overall scheme of musical art forms in India?
Traditionally most of the folk arts are a group activity, how come then Baul evolved into a solo act?
Since it’s a solo activity, how does improvisation take place? Is it similar to Classical music where the artist tries to achieve a trance in the Raag and its exploration? How do Baul musicians improvise? On which thread? Is there any discipline in it?
In the past few years of taking interviews and learning, I see a pattern where a lot of art forms have evolved from folk art. Why hasn’t folk art got its recognition or flourished the way other art forms based on it have flourished?
What’s the future of Baul? How can we preserve it? What are the steps taken by other Indians to keep it alive?

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