Gandhi and Gramaphone

Session on ‘Gandhi and Gramophone’by Shri Akhilesh Jha, a gramophone historian

A session on ‘Gandhi and Gramophone’ was organized by  Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan , Wardha on Gandhi Jayanti- 2October, 2024.  The programme was held at the seminar hall of Sri Jamnala Bajaj Memorial Library and Research Centre for Gandhian Studies  of Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan. The session was steered by Shri Akhilesh Jha, a gramophone historian.

The session was organized with live playing of rare and historical Gandhi records that comprised the recorded speeches of Gandhi in his own voice, speeches of some other leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Ghanshyam Das Birla and songs from various established singers and armature singers of that era. The records that were played were of different companies and labels- like- His Masters Voice, Odeon Record, Columbia, Phon-o-Phone, The Twin, Young India, Hutchins, All India Radio and many more such labels.

An important segment of the session was of the Columbia Record label release of Gandhi’s first and only studio recording which was titled ‘His spiritual message’ which was recorded on 17^th October, 1931 in London while he was there to attend the Second-Round Table Conference.  Shri Akhilesh Jha explained how diplomatically Gandhiji handled the request of cutting a record for gramophone company and agreement of company to pass on half a Rupee for each record sold to All India Spinners Association. The record label also contained the three colours of tricolor flag of Congress and the signature of Gandhiji on it. This record was also released in Europe and Americas with different designs of label. This record let to so much of turmoil for British establishment that Intelligence bureau and home department left no stone unturned to ensure that no money was transferred to All India Spinners Association.

There was another historical record played which was recorded on 13^th December, 1947 in the Constituent Assembly. The speech was by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru who presented the India’s Charter of Freedom before the Constituent Assembly that became the preamble of Indian constitution with minor modification later. It was this speech in which he referred to Mahatma Gandhi as Father of Nation. This is the first recorded evidence available for using Father of Nation for Gandhiji, although it is believed that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose addressed Gandhiji as Father of Nation in 1944 in a Radio broadcast through a foreign Radio station.

During the ‘Gandhi and Gramophone’ session, a very rare recording the voice of Master Mafatlal was also played who composed and recorded a song requesting people to join Gandhijis request of Satyagraha. This was released on Phon-O-Phone label of gramophone. Another interesting record of celebrating India’s freedom after Lahore convention of Congress and crediting Gandhiji for that was produced on HMV label in the voice of Master Mohan from Una. A rare duet recording of Kamal Dasgupta and Juthika Roy praising Gandhi for the self-esteem of India was also recorded which preceded the Meera songs of Juthika Roy. Gandhi Bhajans sung by singers from south India DK Pattammal, K B Sundrambal, Ariyakudi Iyengar and S.P. Lakshmancharya were also played during the session.

The session was also kind of reintroducing the audience to a music without electricity and without internet. From young to old, everyone in the audience tried their hands on playing gramophone records.

Akhilesh Jha, as a gesture of respect presented the original copy of Mahatma Gandhi record, produced in England in 1931 to Sevagram Gandhi Ashram and knowing that there was no Gramophone at Gandhi Ashram to play the gramophone records, he also presented the Gramophone he had brought for the session to Gandhi Ashram. He also presented a framed photograph of historical importance of Mahatma Gandhi of 17^th October, 1931 when he had recorded his message for Columbia records. He can be seen with Muriel Lester, his local host in London and Shri Mahadev Desai along with others present during the recording. The historical gramophone record, the gramophone and the photograph were received by Shri Vijay Tambe, Secretary along with Shri Rahul Kardile the Collector of Wardha and Dr. Siby K. Joseph,   Director, of Library  and  Research Centre.