1st Assamese gramophone record turns 100, event to commemorate milestone on Sept 27

Guwahati: This month marks a significant milestone in Assamese music history as the first Assamese gramophone record by Prafulla Chandra Borooah completes a century. At the age of 24, Prafulla recorded four heartfelt songs for the renowned HMV (His Master’s Voice) music company in Sept, 1924. Despite facing numerous challenges, his efforts paved the way for Assamese music to reach a global audience.
The dream of taking Assamese music to the world was initially envisioned by Parfulla’s father, the legendary musician Lakshmiram Borooah, in 1914.However, due to his untimely death, the dream remained unfulfilled. Prafulla’s involvement with Jyoti Prasad Agarwala at Tezpur’s historic Baan Theatre in the 1920s, following his release from Tezpur jail for participating in the freedom movement, motivated him to pursue his father’s last wish.
In 1924, Prafulla embarked on a journey to Calcutta to record songs. He took up a job as a mechanical apprentice at the Eastern Bengal Railways factory, earning a modest monthly salary of Rs 30. The sight of an HMV factory on his way to work constantly reminded him of his dream. One day, he approached the factory head and shared his vision, but was met with skepticism about the potential success of the records. After convincing the head, Prafulla was invited to an audition at the company’s rehearsal room on 106 Upper Chitpur Road.
At the audition, Prafulla sang two songs: “asoma nirupama janani aie” in Assamese and “arnai shokol rokome kangal korecho garbo korite chur” in Bengali. His performance received high praise from the selectors. Within a few days of the audition, Prafulla received a letter from HMV granting him permission to record four Assamese songs — “kiyonu pahora asomiya hera sirokal asila swadhin”, “phulo phulile jonaiye hahile”, “hriday bidari uthey soto bedonarey”, and “asoma nirupama janani aie”.
This opportunity turned his long-awaited dream into a reality. Prafulla went on to record two more records in 1928 and 1930.
To commemorate this milestone in Assam’s musical history, Prafulla’s family members and music enthusiasts in the state plan to celebrate the occasion at Guwahati’s Lakshmiram Borooah Sadan on Sept 27.