Gramophone: How British-era Music Machine Became a Status Symbol in Indian Hills

• The gramophone, invented in 1887, was brought to India by the British and quickly reached the hilly regions of Uttarakhand.
• Initially used by British officers for entertainment, it soon became a coveted item among wealthy local hill dwellers.
• Due to its high cost, owning a gramophone was a significant symbol of wealth and status in an era with limited entertainment options.
• People from surrounding areas would gather at gramophone owners' homes to listen to music, especially during celebrations.
• Even today, many families in Bageshwar preserve gramophones as ancestral mementos, symbolizing a bygone era of music and social status.