Dehradun: The Doon Library and Research Centre has successfully traced and digitised 46 lost gramophone folk songs sung by eighteen Garhwali and Kumaoni artists.
Speaking about the unique project, Raju Gusain stated, “Ten years ago, I started searching for Jeet Singh Negi’s record. I established contact with many leading gramophone collectors in India, but failed to find it. This time, we managed to get it from Faridabad. Two different versions of the famous Kumaoni song ‘Bedu Pako’ were digitised; each presents a different flavour. Gramophone restoration expert Moloy Ghosh helped us digitise the collection.”
The records span the period from 1939 to 1979. Six songs each are by Jeet Singh Negi and Gopi Devi, while four songs each are by Mohini Sharma, Uma Shanker Satish, Gopal Babu Goswami, Raj Kishore Mishra, Vachaspati Dyundi, Chanda Bai and Champa Devi. Other artists whose songs have been recovered include Master Sher Singh, Indira Bai, Ram Pyari, Keshav Anuragi, Mohan Upreti, Nayam Khan, Vijay Chhetri, Sushma Chandola and Bijendra Lal Shah.
After procuring five gramophone records from Jugual Kishore Petsali, the project secured another five records from the collection of Brigadier (Retd.) Rajendra Rawat in Dehradun. Gokul Negi from Faridabad approached the library and shared seven rare gramophone records from his father Chand Singh Negi’s collection. Record collector Zafar Shah from New Delhi provided digital copies of four records, including two non-commercial recordings produced by the Uttar Pradesh government.
A total of 21 gramophone records, produced by leading companies such as His Master’s Voice, Columbia, Aero-Phone, Indian Records Manufacturing Company (INRECO) and Star Hindustan Record Company, were traced and digitised. Of the 21 records, seven were produced before Independence and 14 after Independence.
Chander Shakhar Tiwari of the Doon Library and Research Centre said, “After digitising the songs, we are now preparing a research report on the history of gramophone records in Garhwal, Kumaon and Jaunsar as well. Last time, we digitised five rare gramophone records in the library, and the wide media coverage helped us reach many other gramophone collectors who extended their help in this project.”
