Harindranath Chattopadhyay :: rare gramophone records

Harindranath Chattopadhyay was one of the greatest polymaths of the twentieth century in India who excelled in the realms of poetry, music, literature, painting, theatre and cinema.  We are pleased to offer a couple of extremely rare 78 R.P.M. shellac records that feature him singing four bhajans — three by Mirabai and one by Surdas. In his early recordings for H.M.V., Harindranath Chattopadhyay's name was often credited as Haren Chatterji or Harendra Nath Chatterjea.

Images of these precious rarities are attached herewith for the perusal of those interested.

1] HAREN CHATTERJI — two bhajans by Mirabai

Vocalist: Harindranath Chattopadhyay (with harmonium and kartal accompaniment)

Music by: Harindranath Chattopadhyay

Format / Speed: 10 inch — 78 R.P.M. shellac record.

Recording company: HMV

Record manufactured by: The Gramophone Co. Ltd., Dum Dum

Year: Circa 1930s — Extremely Rare & Hard–to–find Original First Edition Release

Catalog number: N.7300 (OPH. 2149 & OPH. 2150)

Sleeve Condition: Pre-Owned. Fair — Good. Completely intact with some fraying and shelf-wear near the corners/edges owing to age and use.

Record Condition: Pre-Owned. Fair — Good. Completely intact with a few minor superficial scratches owing to age and use.

2] HARENDRA NATH CHATTERJEA — two bhajans by Surdas & Mirabai respectively

Vocalist: Harindranath Chattopadhyay (with the accompaniment of harmonium, khol and castanets)

Music by: Harindranath Chattopadhyay

Speed / Format: 10 inch — 78 R.P.M. shellac record.

Recording company: HMV

Record manufactured by: The Gramophone Co. Ltd., Dum Dum

Year: Circa 1930s — Extremely Rare & Hard–to–find Original First Edition Release

Catalog number: N.7408 (OMG 1021 & OMG 1022)

Sleeve Condition: Pre-Owned. Fair — Good. Completely intact with some fraying and shelf-wear near the corners/edges owing to age and use.

Record Condition: Pre-Owned. Fair — Good. Completely intact with a few minor superficial scratches owing to age and use.

Inscription: The name of the original owner is handwritten on the label of the rear side (OMG 1022); image attached.

Please email us on kumarclassicbookpoint@gmail.com for cost and availability, or for any further queries in order to serve you better. Delivery in Mumbai is free.

Gayatri by I. K. Taimni (1946) :: rare First Edition

Born in Lucknow in 1898, Iqbal Kishen Taimni was one of the finest exponents of Kashmir Shaivism, yoga and Indian philosophy. Having earned a doctorate in chemistry from London University, Taimni returned to India to teach at Allahabad University. A lifelong member of the Theosophical Society, Taimni established the Ananda Publishing House in Allahabad for the publication of literature on yoga, theosophy and Indian philosophy.

We are pleased to offer an extremely rare First Edition of Iqbal Kishen Taimni's book on the Gayatri mantra that continues to remain one of the finest books on the subject. First published in 1946, this rare book offers a systematic exposition of the nature of Gayatri, the principles underlying Mantra-Sadhana, the rationale and practice of the Upasana centred around Gayatri, and its results in the development of the individual consciousness. Deeply researched and written with uncommon acumen, this profoundly insightful book draws from the literature of the occult wisdom and collates it in a masterly manner with the leading concepts of modern psychology and metaphysics.

Several images (including the table of contents) of this highly rare First Edition are attached herewith for the perusal of those interested.

GAYATRI — The Daily Religious Practice of the Hindus

Author: I. K. Taimni

Publisher: The Ananda Publishing House, Allahabad, undated (1946 *) — Highly Rare First Edition

Printed by: Sitaram Gunthey, Leader Press, Allahabad

Format: Hardcover with dust jacket.

Size: 17.8 cm x 14 cm

Pages: viii + 172 pages

Condition of the book: Pre-owned. Near Pristine. Pages clean and unmarked. Original tight binding.

Condition of the dust jacket: Very Good+. The original dust jacket is completely intact. Some fading/discoloration on the front side of the dust jacket only; image attached.

* Remarks: The value of this particular book that we are offering lies in its extreme rarity for being the very First Edition that was originally published in Allahabad in 1946 in excellent condition. However, the year of publication was not printed in this First Edition. The year of publication was not printed in several First Editions published in the 1940s because of war-time restrictions imposed by the Government owing to the acute scarcity of paper caused by the Second World War. On 7 November 1942, the Government of India promulgated the "Paper Control Order" which restricted the use of paper for various non-essential purposes. This order compelled paper manufacturers to hand over 90 per cent of their produce to the Government. This order also prohibited paper manufacturers from producing certain "luxury varieties of paper". Several newspapers and magazines were forced by the Government to cease publication during these years. In these restrictive circumstances that lasted until the late 1940s, some publishers continued to print books without any mention of the year of publication, presumably to avoid any punitive action. The year of publication of this particular First Edition has been ascertained from the publisher's catalogues and from various other bibliographical references.

Please email us on kumarclassicbookpoint@gmail.com for cost and availability, or for any further queries in order to serve you better. Delivery in Mumbai is free.