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Published: 28 July 2018

Last Updated: 06 March 2022

For those who think earbuds were invented a few years ago, here is a photo of Nawab Ghalib Jung of Hyderabad and friends listening to their first phonograph (cylinder recording and reproducing machine) using two-eared earbuds in a photograph taken by Raja Deen Dayal on May 22,  1892 (The year 1871 mentioned on the Raja Deen Dayal is definitely wrong, thanks Shashi Joshi) (19th Century!).

Courtesy: Raja Deen Dayal Website

Now you know!

Classical Dhrupad 8

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Published: 18 October 2017

Last Updated: 18 October 2017

Another interesting song. Here is a guy from the theater auditioning for a role in a talkie in 1934. He names all the plays he has acted in (all famous ones) and sings a song that has the lines,

may bhee ho, mahafil bhee ho, saaGar bhee ho jo paas men,

paas jo dilbar na ho, to ye mazaa kuchh bhee naheen

This is clearly an allusion to the famous rubaaee of Omar Khayyam

Listen to 1934_Actress_03_tumhee-ko-chaahate-hain-ham.mp3

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 Listen To Baharon Ki Manzil (1968)

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Published: 19 May 2018

Last Updated: 19 May 2018

This song from Qanoon (1943) was used 7 years later in a Panjabi film, Madari, in a satirical way, reminding people that the partition did not change much. Of course, the song was in Panjabi and javaanee was changed to aazaadee. In Panjabi the refrain is 'main koee jhooTh boliya?'

Listen to 1943_qaanoon_aaye-javaanee-jaaye-javaanee.mp3

Now you know!

Rafi 11