Category: Indian

Janki Bai of Allahabad was born in Benares in 1875. At some point after becoming a courtesan, an attacker slashed her face with fifty-six wounds – earning her the nickname “chappan chhuri” which means fifty-six daggers. She was trained in Indian classical music by Ustad Hassu Khan.

This disc was from her very first recording session. The selection, a ghazal, is a love poem set to music. It is also labeled as a kawali, a devotional singing style of the Sufi Islamic tradition. The title loosely translates to: “My heart has been drawn towards an infidel”.

“As far as is known at present, Janki Bai made her first recordings for The Gramophone and Typewriter, Ltd., at Delhi in March, 1907 during the sessions conducted by William Conrad Gaisberg, assisted by George Walter Dillnutt. Janki Bai gave 22 recordings in this recording session, although she was paid Rs 250 for 20 titles… Delhi recording sessions were reissued as double sided discs and these double sided Gramophone Concert Record labelled releases had achieved sales of 12,825 pieces by February 1911, the sales of the 1907 titles accounting for 3,746 discs.”
– Michael Kinnear, Discography of Janki Bai of Allahabad

At the end of the recording, you can hear her clearly say: ‘Mera naam Janki bai Allahabad.’

Recorded in Delhi in March, 1907.
Released as Gramophone Concert Record G.C.-3-13642 (E 5383e) in January 1909.
Later reissued as HMV P.234 (Jan 1916) and Twin FT.531 (Jun 1931).

Credits:
Janki Bai – vocals
Unknown accompanists – harmonium (?), tabla

Sources:
The Record News: Journal of the Society of Indian Record Collectors, Vol 14, April 1994. https://archive.org/details/trn_14

“Janki Bai, singer disfigured by 56 stab wounds sold more records than her contemporaries”, Vikram Sampath, June 2, 2019, The Print. https://theprint.in/opinion/treasured-tunes/janki-bai-singer-disfigured-by-56-stab-wounds-sold-more-records-than-her-contemporaries/243124/

The Untold Story of Janki Bai “CHHAPPAN CHHURI”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yaLbiAKfoQ

G. C. Chatterjee was a North Indian classical violin in the gatkari style who often recorded with pianist K. C. Mookerjee and an unknown accompanist on tabla.

The result is a delightful collaboration that to my ears is many years ahead of its time.

It is believed this recording was made in the late 1920s – and here is recorded from a later HMV reissue circa 1940.

Released in India as His Master’s Voice P.9932
(HMV mx. BX.3677 and BX.3678)
(Gramophone mx 8-15367 and 8-15368)

Credits:
Gagan Chandra Chatterjee – violin
K. C. Mookerjee – piano
Unknown accompanist – tabla

There is an interesting pocket of Indian music on 78 rpm where Indian musicians were integrating Western concepts and instruments such as the violin and piano into traditional Indian ensembles.

I don’t know anything about Mr. Suren Paul or the orchestra he directs here in the early 1930s – but listening to the music, I feel this music is 40 years ahead of its time.

It reminds me of a time in Western music where Indian concepts and instruments such as the sitar and tabla were being widely integrated into Western ensembles. Think of a group such as Ralph Towner’s Oregon from the early 1970s. “Music from Another Present Era” could have been Mr. Suren Paul’s grandchild.

In the late 1930s, Western music and instruments began to be seen as damaging to traditional Indian music. For example, the harmonium began to be seen as an “un-Indian” instrument not suitable for Indian classical music and in 1940 was banned outright from appearing on All India Radio.

An excellent article on this topic appears at:
https://www.heritagetimes.in/when-harmonium-was-banned-at-all-india-radio

I’m wondering if such orchestras also were discouraged from pursuing integrative music with Indian and Western instruments. I need to learn more about this.

Released as Senola QS 482
I believe this recording was made in Calcutta, India circa 1933.

Both sides of a scarce Indian sitar recording of the legendary master, Enayat Khan, and his son, Ustad Vilayat Khan on the Calcutta-based Megaphone label. The original Megaphone sleeve is also featured – one side showing a photo of Ustad Enayat Khan.

Enayat Khan passed away at age 43 in 1938, so this recording was likely made shortly before his death. Vilayat Khan, on the other hand, was only ten years old at the time of this recording! This pairing shows the passing of the torch from one master to the next.

Matrix OMC. 8699
Bhairavi Gat (the queen of morning Ragas)
Prof. Enayet Khan – sitar

Matrix OMC. 8698
Jogiya (a morning Raga based on Bhairavi Thaat)
Mr. Vilayet Hossain (Son of Prof. Enayet Khan) – sitar

Released as Megaphone J.N.G. 5274.
Recorded circa 1938.

This transfer is by request from a patient viewer in Pakistan. 🙏 Peace to you my friend. I hope you enjoy this record.

Kaloo Qawwal was an early Indian qawwali – a singer of Islamic devotional music in the mystical Sufic tradition. He recorded extensively in the 1930s and also performed on Indian radio stations and in large live concerts.

My technology-assisted translation of the title is “Neither position nor wealth nor power is needed.” If a native speaker has a better translation, please comment below.

Released as His Master’s Voice N.4115 (Matrix OE. 80)

Legendary classical vocalist Gauhar Jan was born in Azamgarh, India in 1870. She could sing in over 20 languages and recorded over 600 records.

This was from a very early session from 1904. It was reissued as HMV P-17 which I also have a copy of, but believe it or not, the older GCR made for a slightly better transfer!

This early acoustic recording made for a very tricky transfer – and it really took a lot to minimize noise without sacrificing the performance. Hopefully it is enjoyable!

If you stick around until the very end, you’ll hear the voice of Gauhar Jan herself announcing her name as was the custom of many early recordings.

Recorded by William Sinkler Darby in Calcutta, India in December 1904.
Released as Gramophone Concert Record G. C. – 13842 (mx. E2585h)

Miss Gauhar Jan is accompanied by unknown artists on harmonium and tabla.

Notes from Michael Kinnear “Discography of Miss Gauhar Jan of Calcutta”, The Record News, Vol. 9, Jan. 1993.