Why Indians Equally Loved and Hated The Harmonium
In the second part of our series on the story of the harmonium, Sharmadip Basu explains why some Indians hated the harmonium while many others loved it, why some banned it, and others patronised it. Listen to know more.
In the second part of “Unboxed — The Harmonium In India,” host Sharmadip Basu details how the European-origin harmonium, adapted for Indian conditions, became a favoured instrument across genres.
Despite its affordability, portability, and durability, nationalists criticised its foreign origins, and purists disapproved of its inability to handle microtones (shruti).
Figures like Nehru, Gandhi, Tagore, and Coomaraswamy expressed their disdain, and eventually it was banned on All India Radio. Despite this, the harmonium flourished among the masses and gained acceptance among some Carnatic and Hindustani musicians.
Frustrated by the ban, harmonium players staged a satirical funeral procession, as pall bearers carried their harmonies to a specially created grave and buried their instruments in a unique show of protest that harked back to a similar protest staged when the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb banned music. The harmonium later returned to Indian airwaves and became a staple in musical genres among the diaspora.
Listen to the full story on Ep 2 of “Unboxed — The Harmonium in India” on Radio Azim Premji University. Don’t miss the first episode of this series.
Credits
Akshay Ramuhalli, Bijoy Venugopal, Bruce Lee Mani, Harshit Hillol Gogoi, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Sananda Dasgupta, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi, and Velu Shankar
Acknowledgement
YouTube: Chembai 2011 Guruvayur Harmonium C Ramdas 02 Baro Krishnayya Dasar Pada
YouTube: Chembai 2011 Guruvayur Harmonium C Ramdas 01 Abheri Nagumomu
YouTube: Raag Todi — Ravindra Katoti — Harmonium Solo
YouTube: Raga — Bihag II Harmonium Recital II Dr. Ravindra Gururaj Katoti
YouTube: Bhojpuri Folk Song (Purbi) | Kahava Gaile Na | भोजपुरी लोक गीत (पूरबी)
YouTube: Boodram Holass — Thar Gori Jamuna Hilore (Chutney Songs)
YouTube: Spread Pal Crew — Ring bang
YouTube: Lal Meri Pat Rakhiyo Bhala — Shahbaz Qalandar — Ali Dum Dum De Ander ‑NFAK Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
YouTube: Chaap Tilak Sab Cheen — Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan — OSA Official HD Video
YouTube: Rasika “D’ Rani” Dindial — D’ Chamine (Official Music Video)
YouTube: Cornershop — Sleep On The Left Side
YouTube: Jhumka| Tanmay Deochake a Harmonium Virtuoso of the current decade
YouTube: माना जनाब ने पुकारा नहीं [HD] Video Song : Dev Anand, Nutan | Kishore Kumar | Paying Guest Songs
YouTube: চাকরি নাই বুড়ো বাবার বসে বসে খাচ্ছে খাবার || Chakri nai buro babar || Baul Badsha || @baulbadsha
YouTube: Revolution Indian Agriculture
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