Just Walking Around

Off Vinyl Records & Tranquil Music

It was a regular weekday night , as usual I was reading the newspaper and generally catching up with the days news . Some lilting music wafted from the flat below. Sweet melodious sounds of Sarod strings , my ears soaked in the music transporting me into a different world altogether. Bringing back memories from my childhood.

Much before the current Blu-ray , CD’s or pen drives music / songs would be available on Vinyl records . Yes those black colored round plastic discs with multicolored labels at the center and with concentric lines etched on them. The jacket covers of these records where master pieces by themselves. The front having mesmerizing pictures of the singer , or the band or the films printed on them .The back giving details of the songs or the music recorded on them. The records would come in 2 sizes the larger ones known as Long Playing or simply LP’s and the smaller discs were known as Short Play . The LP’s could play music for 45 minutes – 22 minutes of each side was 10-12 inches in size where as the Short play record were much smaller in size about 6 inches and packed music for 30 minutes – 15 minutes on each side. These discs would be played on a Gramophone or turn tables or sound box with attached speaker in stereo sound. The LP players were manufactured by companies like Phillips. And the LP / SP discs too were produced by HMV (His Masters Voice ).HMV with its unforgettable icon of a dog listening to the Gramophone. They had the rights to a long list of songs , singers and bands till date. It was later taken over by industrialist and music connoisseur .It was later taken over by industrialist and music connoisseur RP Goenka and later renamed as SA Re Ga Ma Music

One of my early memories of listening to Indian Classical music was when I saw my dad put on a LP of Prabha Atre the famous Kirana Gharana singer singing Raag Kalavati with lyrics going “Tana Man Dhan Tope Varun ….Baar Baar Tori Sanwari Surata aur nayana Rasile ….Sanwari Surata Mohani Moorat Nirakhata hai mohe Baar Baar….” . Looking at him sit with eyes closed feet on top the small center table and moving his fingers to the rhythm .. At peace and one with the Musical in a Universe of his own . Made me want to listen and get transported to the serene and magical world myself. I am indebted to him for exposing me and my brother to such great music and be lovers of this great tradition. We had a great collection of such great artist like Parveen Sultana – the nightingale of Khayal gayaki , Kumar Gandharv with his golden voice or  Bhimsen Joshi – with the unforgettable baritone of a voice. The bandish / songs sung by them would always make the listener transport to a world at a level you can never imagine.

Add to this the soulful & traditional variety of songs like Hori , Tappa, Kajari in the husky but sweet voice of Shobha Gurtu and played on festive occasions of a Holi or a Diwali , early in the morning would make the whole day pleasant. I still remember going along with my dad to a small shop going by the name of The Oriental Music Company , right across the Dadar station on the west side. They were distributors for HMV – His Masters Voice which brought out these LP records. We used to go the shop and the owner a typical Maharashtrian would recognize my dad and bring out the latest catalog for him to choose. We would sift through the colourful booklet and dad would choose his favorite singers or sometimes it would Marathi Bhav geet sung by the likes of Sudhir Phadke or even Short Play records of Songs from Sangeet Natak like Katyar Kaljat Ghusli , Man-Apman and many more. Once selected we would take the record to a special Listening Booth in the shop. It was basically a sound proof glass walled box with a Gramophone on a small table and small seatie next to it. The LP’s or the SP’s would be put on them and we would sample the music on them. Once satisfied a couple of records would be bought at princely sums of Rs.100 for a LP and Rs.50 for a SP. These would be packed and taken home for a musical sessions on Saturday nights. When the records were played the entire house would be engulfed the lilting tunes , a great experience. Whenever he used to put on these record he would jokingly say “ Phele Kaansen Banna Seekho, Phir Tansen”.

I still remember him bringing a record of Balgeet – Childrens Songs and surprising us. Such sweet and memorable songs like Asava Sunder Chocolatecha Bangla ..Chanderi Soneri Cham Chamcha Changla . What an imagination of a Bunglow made of chocolate , with lemon drops as windows and Toffee for the door . Really a sweet and a memorable song . Or the funny song --Saang Saang Bolanath , Shaley bhavati tale sachun sutti padel kay…..meaning Tell O’ Bolanath (the Bull) will it rain heavily and create a flood tomorrow so that we children get a Holiday. Such meaningful songs rendered by small child singers.

Then in the mid eighties came the musical sensation from across the border as in Bangladesh– the soulful Runa Laila with her many hit numbers but the most famous being “Dama Dum Mast Kalandar” . You could not sit idle listening to this song rendition , automatically your feet would start tapping or you would be mouthing the lyrics in your own way and enjoy this powerhouse performance. Later in the same decade came another singer who made the world dance to her songs and popularized the Disco in Hindi . Remember Naazia Hassan , that light eyed Pakistani girl settled in London singing Disco Diwaane Aaha …Aaha . The Music was composed by an upcoming composer Biddu. The whole nation was is awe of this duo . She was offered to sing playback by none other than Feroze Khan (also known as Sheriff for his trademark cowboy hat )for his movie Qurbani , the song went on to become famous and is even today the favourite of the crowds as well as the DJ’s . The song was “Laila Me Laila, Kaisi hoon Laile , Har koi chahe milna mujhe akle” .. Pictured on the sultry Zeenat Aaman and the portly Amjad Khan on the Drums … The song is again resurrected today in Raees with Sunny Leone and Shah Rukh bringing the old world charm and the foot tapping dance number.

These records we still have neatly preserved in our home and some time play them to go back that memorable era of lilting songs , pure music and a throw back to the golden days.

To put things into perspective , may be those musical sessions with our dad inculcated in me and my brother the art of listening in life .They say God has given us two ears and one mouth for a reason. He intended us to listen and then to speak. Also those bygone days listening to the vinyl records taught us how to appreciate Music in general and Indian Classical Music in particular. Real great memories ….