Where will I find my maner manush (ideal being)? Fakir Lalon Shah has raised this question several times in his verses. In fact, maner manush is an oft used term in Lalon songs as in other Baul schools.

Who is this ideal being? "Neither God nor an angel but a man whom we call shain (lord) or guru (mentor). Maner manush guides one to become a perfect human being," says Lalon devotee Fakir Durlav Shah, adding "The human form is insufficient to be the 'ideal being'. This state can be attained only with the guidance of a maner manush. That's why Fakir Lalon Shah in his Kalams (verses) has suggested that a follower search for the maner manush and thereby become a shahoj manush (simple man)."

Fakir Durlav Shah, an 104-year old blind fakir, lives in a small bamboo-shack at Chhewria village, Kushtia. The other inhabitant of the shed is his manushi (mate) Fakirani Atarjan, who has been suffering from old age complications. The couple gained 'Khelafat' (the highest state of knowledge and sacredness, according to the belief of the cult at this stage one is prepared to absorb Lord in the soul) 60 years back.

Fakir Durlav Shah claims that in the early stage of his life he wandered from place to place in search for peace. However, he reached his goal ultimately when he found his maner manush. And his maner manush is his spiritual mentor Fakir Kokil Shah, from whom Durlav Shah and his wife Fakirani Atarjan took Khelafat. Thereafter, devotional rites of the cult as well as Lalon's verses became the guiding light of Fakir Durlav Shah and Fakirani Atarjan. Fakir Durlav Shah said, "In fact fakiri life is very controlled. I always got enormous support from my manushi to abide by all devotional rites."

In his long life he has seen many ups and downs at Lalon's shrine. To quote him, "I don't understand why Lalon Academy always promotes pseudo Bauls who are not fakirs, rather corrupt people. These individuals give notoriety to Lalon followers among people who have a vague idea of the cult. Sometimes they are seen openly taking drugs near the shrine."

Fakir Durlav Shah gets a yearly allowance from government as part of the project to aid the fakirs.