Kangal Harinath

Kangal Harinath (1833-1896) (Bangla: কাঙ্গাল হরিনাথ), which means "Penniless Harinath", refers to one of the most well-known Bauls of Bengal. Born in 1833 CE in Kushtia District, now in Bangladesh, his real name was Harinath Majumdar. He lost his parents in his early age. Harinath is also known as 'Fakir Chand Baul'.

Harinath was a disciple of Lalon Shah. He had very little formal education. However, he picked up journalism to promote the cause of poor and oppressed and started writing in Sambad Prabhakar. He established a Baul group named 'Kangal Fakir Chander Dal' (Group of the Penniless Fakir Chand) in 1880. His songs had profound influence of many thinkers of the day, including Rabindranath Tagore and Akshay Kumar Maitreya.Kangal Harinath died on 16 April, 1896. The Indian Mirrorcommented on his death as - "The District Nuddea has lost one its great man".