Bai Sundrabai Jadhav: The Gem of India’s Gramophone Music

Curated by Swanandi Deshmukh

Bai Sundrabai Jadhav, c. (1885 – 1953) Fondly known as “Punekarin,” was one of the most influential figures in Indian music during the 1920s to 1940s. Born in Pune around 1885, she later moved to Mumbai, where she passed away at the age of approximately seventy in 1953. Her presence wasn’t limited to the world of music, Sundrabai also made a striking impression on the silver screen. She acted in iconic films such as Manoos (Marathi) and its Hindi counterpart Aadmi, produced by the Prabhat Film Company.

Long before her film appearances, around 1918–1919, she was invited by the renowned Bal Gandharva to compose music for his Marathi play Ekach Pyala. The songs she created for the production turned into instant classics and remain culturally significant. Throughout her career, Sundrabai recorded nearly one hundred 78 rpm gramophone discs, focusing mainly on light classical music. Despite the limited documentation of her personal life, much of it scattered in old newspapers- her musical legacy remains deeply respected and celebrated.

Early Life

Sundrabai came from a humble background. She had no formal schooling but taught herself to read and write. From an early age, she displayed a keen ear for music. Her father, Marotrao, encouraged her and took her to Satara, where she began her musical training. She collected a large number of song texts in Lavni at Satara from her first Guru, Dabhade Gondhali. Further, her father took her to a Kanoji Brahmin-Thakurdasboa in Mumbai for further lessons in music. In the sacred mornings at the Gora Ram Mandir, she trained in bhajans and devotional hymns that would later become beloved gramophone classics like Radhe Krishna Bol Mukhse, Kanha Charavat Gai, and Angiya Jaratari.

Her voice, both soul-stirring and serene, would soon reach far beyond temple walls. She then took lessons from Shankarrao Ghorpadkar in Indian Classical Music and also learned various taals from him.

Later, she moved to Indore and began learning from Gulam Rasool Khan, Dhamman Khan and Keshav Bhaiyya. She acquired Urdu and Hindi to better express the emotional nuances of thumri, dadra, kajri, and ghazals. After a few years of strict Talim, she began to perform outside Maharashtra and was invited to several music conferences. Her Guru, Dhamman Khan, was a tabla maestro and often accompanied her on the tabla in her Classical music concerts.

Gramophone Records
She cut her first gramophone disc in October 1921 – ‘Phurkatmen Wo Nahi To- Ghazal’. Soon, Sundrabai became very famous and a high-ranking artist in the Bombay music circle. She recorded for Odeon (37), Regal (2), and Young India (2). Some of her records were reissued on The Twin and Columbia labels. In a span of about thirty years, she recorded about 180 songs on 100 records. Her gramophone records flew off the shelves, captivating listeners across the country. So remarkable was her popularity that around 1927–28, HMV honoured her with a prestigious Gold Medal, awarded for achieving the highest sales of the time. She worked with Bombay Radio Station and contributed to numerous recordings.

Her voice was deep and sonorous, marked by a rich timbre, exceptional smoothness, and clarity. Her performances featured precise intonation, nuanced microtonal (shruti-based) articulation, and elegant use of hand gestures and facial expressions that complemented the musical phrasing

In this 78 rpm Odeon recording of Raag Jogiya, Sundrabai Jadhav brings the bandish “Piya Rahe Pardes” to life with extraordinary depth.

The sorrow of separation is woven into every note, her voice gently expressing the pain of distance with grace and feeling. With subtle ornamentation and soulful pauses, she captures the longing and quiet strength of a heart waiting in love. It is a moving example of how her music blends deep emotion with flawless technique.

In this 78 rpm Odeon recording of Raag Jogiya, Sundrabai Jadhav brings the bandish “Piya Rahe Pardes” to life with extraordinary depth.

Some Anecdotes

Nizam’s Darbar

In 1929, Sundrabai Jadhav performed in the royal Darbar of Nizam Osman Ali Khan in Hyderabad. He was deeply moved by her exquisite Urdu and soulful renditions that he requested her to sing his compositions. It is said that in those days, musicians had to stand in front of him while singing as a royal custom, but Sundrabai was asked to sit and sing in his court.

“Her songs were not just melodies-they were echoes of devotion, discipline, and deep cultural understanding.”

Among her admirers were – Bhachubhai Bhandare – famous harmonium player, Painter Kotkar, Moroba Dhage, Vithoba Zavaba, Bhaskarboa Bakhale, Bal Gandharva, Master Krishnarao and Mr. Ramakant Roopji. It is believed that because of her efforts, Bal Gandharva gave performances on the radio. Later in 1945-50, both Sundrabai and Bal Gandharva worked for the radio as honorary advisors.

An Odeon Recording

During a recording session with Odeon in August 1934, Sundarabai recorded her well-known Hindi bhajan “Mathura Na Sahi,” possibly learned from her teacher Thakurdasoba.

Notably, partway through the devotional piece, a line quietly emerges: “Deen Bharat ka dukh door karo Prabhu!” (“O Lord, relieve poor India of its suffering!”).

This subtle insertion reflected the spirit of the freedom struggle, revealing how even spiritual songs became vessels for patriotic expression.

At a time when overt political messaging was often censored, the gramophone offered a powerful, indirect means of voicing national sentiment.

Her work in films

1. ‘Manoos’ – a Marathi film (Admi in Hindi) by Prabhat Film Company, Poona, where she sang Raga Lalat and a Bhajan – ‘Man Papi Bhoola’

2. ‘Rajkamal’ by director V. Shantaram

3. ‘Sangam’ ( c. 1940)

This thumri ‘Naiya doob rahi aaye bachaao kanhaiya’ from Sangam is a beautifully rendered piece, rich in expression and classical depth. Soulfully composed by Dada Chandekar in Raag Jhinjoti and written by Amritlal Nagar.

Her clear, emotive voice brings out the nuances of the composition with remarkable grace and control.

Her work in films

1. ‘Manoos’ – a Marathi film (Admi in Hindi) by Prabhat Film Company, Poona, where she sang Raga Lalat and a Bhajan – ‘Man Papi Bhoola’

2. ‘Rajkamal’ by director V. Shantaram

3. ‘Sangam’ ( c. 1940)

Her clear, emotive voice brings out the nuances of the composition with remarkable grace and control.

*Image 7*– Film ‘Sangam’ (c. 1940) | Adverts- Review for the film

Disciples

“I had the good fortune to be her disciple for 8 years from 1945 to 1953. She treated me like a daughter. When I got married to Baburao on December 27, 1945, she presented me with a silver pair (jodavi) to be used on the toes. I have preserved them. She also gave me two or three dozen of her manuscripts. Bai Sundrabai was very loving and affectionate by nature. She often massages me without my asking.”

“Sundrabai’s voice was not merely appealing, but the wealth of musical technique that she presented not only in her hundreds of mehfils but to me sitting opposite her was the landmark of her teaching. On one occasion, she cited two examples of her art with face, voice and body gestures. A ‘Rasiya’ full of naughtiness and romantic unrequited love is to be experienced. The varieties, the throw of emotions and the presentation of words mesmerised me. In the well-known Dadra Aanabaana, the play of words “tumhro karNa jaagaI ro ma”.

– Note by Sushila Rani Patel (c. 1918- 2014) in the ‘Kanara Saraswat Magazine’

Her other disciples include Kumudini Pednekar who was also known for her devotional bhajans.

Later Years

By the 1920s, Sundrabai was a famous name in India. She kept evolving with time- whether it was drama on stage, a film role, a music concert or a radio program.

With her popularity in gramophone records, some persons from the gramophone company proposed to launch a new record company and name it ‘Navbharat Record Company’. However, the whole project was wound up, no records were issued, and she lost a considerable amount of wealth.

Around 1953, while working on the radio, she fell unconscious and was taken to a nearby Bombay hospital, where she died a few days later.

Sundrabai Jadhav’s heartfelt recording of “Laaj Mori Rakho Gareeb Nawaz” from ‘Sangam’ is a timeless reminder of how voice and soul, when united, can move and uplift. She has a deep understanding of how emotional expression arises from proper note placement. Seems to be composed in Mishra Tilak Kamod, one cannot ignore the bhav with which she sings.

Final Words

Though the final years of Bai Sundrabai Jadhav’s life were marked by solitude and struggle, her legacy has refused to fade. Today, her name is being rediscovered by music lovers, researchers, and cultural institutions who recognise her unmatched contribution to India’s musical heritage. Her voice, once captured in the grooves of fragile shellac records, continues to enchant listeners, offering a glimpse into a golden age of Indian music.

More than just a performer, Sundrabai was a pioneer, breaking boundaries of gender, language, and form with grace and strength. From temple steps to royal courts, from Marathi natya sangeet to Urdu ghazals, she sang her way into history.

As her recordings find new life through digitisation and her story finds its rightful place in exhibitions and archives, Bai Sundrabai Jadhav lives on, not just in memory, but in melody. Her life, once overlooked, now shines with the radiance it always deserved- a legacy reborn, a voice eternal.