baul

alt=|thumb|A Baul from Lalon|Lalon Shah's shrine in Kushtia, Bangladesh thumb|upright|Ektara, a common musical instrument of Bauls

The Baul () are a group of mystic minstrels of mixed elements of Sufism and Vaishnava Sahajiya from different parts of Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and Assam's Barak Valley and Meghalaya. Bauls constitute both a syncretic religious sect of troubadours and a musical tradition. Bauls are a very heterogeneous group, with many sects, but their membership mainly consists of Sufi Bengali Muslims and Gaudiya Vaishnava Bengali Hindus. They can often be identified by their distinctive clothes and musical instruments. Lalon Shah is regarded as the most celebrated Baul saint in history.