The ‘Ismailia Record’ ginan recordings are in the voice of Master Jumma Kakali. On three of the ginan recordings, the disc label states ‘Ismailia Record’, along with the following: Manufactured by National Gramophone Record Manufacturing Company, Bombay, India Sole Distributers, The King Record Company, Kalbadevi, Bombay. An examination of the images of the disc labels, however, provides additional information that seems to have been overlooked in the cataloguing process. The ‘Young India’ record label which, according to the British Library catalogue, published these recordings was established around 1935 and continued for approximately 20 years thus, the recordings should be dated to the period 1935-1955. It is difficult to give a precise dating as to when the ginans digitised by The British Library as part of their Endangered Archives Programme (EPA) Project were originally recorded.
Images: The British Library (collage by Simerg). Original disc labels of four ginan recordings that are part of a digitization project being carried out by the British Library (clockwise from top left): Satgur miliya mune aje composed by Bibi Imam Begum and sung by Rama and Rahim Ali Ho jire mara hansa composed by Pir Sadardin Ab teri mohobat lagi composed by Pir Shams and Marna hai zarur composed by Pir Imam Shah and all sung by Master Juma Kakali.
