78 rpm Records of Indian Music: M.L. Choudhury and Sunita Devi

Gradually moving through my complete collection of 78 rpm discs on Marwari Records, we come to the duet team of M.L. Choudhury and Sunita Devi, who perform a long piece in two parts. This is identified as a “Shiv Lila Bhajan.” I would welcome clarification of the nature of this music in the comments — any experts out there?

As always, I love, love, love that tiger!

78 rpm Records of Indian Music: Parvati and Party of Udaipur

More Marwari geets in the vivid low fidelity that appears characteristic of the output of “Marwari Records.” Parvati and Party get a nice groove going, and it is enjoyable to listen through the distortion to get a picture of what this music originally sounded like.

Lo-fi they may have been, but you’ve got to admit that Marwari Records had a damn cool label. I love the tiger, don’t you?

Listening to these 78 rpm discs is a wonderful experience. It’s like falling in love.

78 rpm Records of Indian Music: Dhirasen of Jodhpur

My wife and I were in Udaipur in 2000, and we discovered a tiny little out-of-the-way junk shop that just happened to have a big stack of old 78 rpm discs for sale. I picked up as much as I could carry. None of the names were ones I recognized; these were all regional songs in Rajasthani, Marwari and Urdu.

Here are two Marwari songs by a lady about whom I know nothing, Dhirasen of Jodhpur. The distorted sound is on the disc; Marwari Records was obviously not a top-of-the-line operation.

I find these recordings mysteriously evocative.