During a recent visit to Khan Market, I stumbled upon an intriguing find. Nestled among a display of colorful earphones and tangled cables, a gleaming vinyl record of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) caught my eye.
At first, I assumed it was an antique or perhaps a sign of the owner’s passion for Shah Rukh Khan. However, I quickly learned that this was a genuine vinyl record, positioned conveniently next to a gramophone.
The vintage music equipment I had thought was exclusive to the affluent or luxury hotels was surprisingly available in a typical neighborhood, accompanied by hundreds of records spanning various genres. I discovered iconic albums such as Rajesh Khanna’s Aradhana, Pink Floyd’s Relics, Ranbir Kapoor’s Rockstar, Madonna’s debut album, Michael Jackson’s greatest hits, and even rare collections from the 1940s.
Curious about the continued interest in vinyl, I posed the question to Sunil Mishra, the proprietor of Mercury Gramophone Hub, a business he has operated for over thirty years. “Are people still purchasing these?” I inquired.
According to him, his store has witnessed a surge in customers over the past few years, all seeking vinyl records, LPs, and turntables—the modern successors of gramophones.
This resurgence is not exclusive to Sunil’s shop. A recent report from IMARC Group indicated that the Indian vinyl record market was valued at $62.1 million (approximately Rs 594.75 crore) in 2024. With a renewed enthusiasm among music lovers, the market is projected to expand to $112.5 million (around Rs 1,077.68 crore) by 2033, highlighting a growth rate of 6.80 percent.
But what drives people to invest in vinyl records when free streaming options are readily available? “Experience it for yourself, and you’ll understand,” Mishra said, smiling as he placed a 50-year-old Jazz record on the turntable.
Within moments, the sound enveloped me in a way that no digital device ever had. Each note seemed to resonate from different areas of the shop, creating a unique auditory experience.
Intrigued by this phenomenon, I sought to uncover the reasons behind this revival. Prachi Shah, a Delhi-based graphic designer and record collector for nearly eight years, shared her perspective on the tactile allure of vinyl. “Owning something tangible is special. It feels good to hold your favorite album and feel a connection to it,” she explained.
This sentiment is common among record enthusiasts. While digital playlists exist as intangible files on a screen, vinyl records offer a tangible sense of ownership. Additionally, collectors like Shah often showcase their albums as decorative pieces. “I use my records as artwork,” she said, revealing her routine of adorning her walls with her current favorites, akin to a curated mood board.
Gramophones and turntables possess an undeniable, classic charm. In today’s social media landscape, where aesthetics are paramount, this revival seems rather fitting. Harshita Gupta, a well-known content creator and former radio jockey, highlighted this when she shared her new home, Sukoon, featuring a vintage gramophone that captivated her followers.
The fact that her gramophone is an original vintage model, which doesn’t require charging like modern devices, only heightened the fascination among her audience.
For Gupta, it goes beyond mere decor. “I have an old-school spirit,” she said, noting how listening to Ghazals on her gramophone connects her to her Lucknow roots. The intentionality of engaging with her music also adds a romantic touch. “The gramophone encourages me to slow down, set it up carefully, and focus on the music,” she remarked.
“In today’s world, everything is just a click away. But this asks you how much effort you’re willing to put into enjoying music,” she added with a laugh.
The effort, she insists, is worth it. “It feels like Rafi sahab is performing right in front of me!” Gupta exclaimed joyfully.
For some, vinyl records carry an almost heirloom-like quality, tied to cherished memories. Santoor maestro Pandit Abhay Rustum Sopori emphasized the sense of unity that gramophones evoke. He reminisced about family gatherings around LPs, saying, “The gramophone represented one family, one music, one moment.”
This early exposure to gramophone music, he believes, has significantly influenced his musical journey.
Kolkata-based artist and musician Tathagata shared similar sentiments, recalling how gramophone music has been a staple in his family for generations. Even as a child, he felt a profound connection to the music, despite not understanding its technical aspects. “The sound produced by a record surpasses any digital audio quality,” he claimed, admitting that vinyl has moved him to tears on numerous occasions.
Tathagata fondly remembered early models known as “Kaulergan,” which required manual winding to operate. He shared how they would rotate in a specific direction to generate enough energy to play the disc.
While some individuals have grown up in families that enjoyed gramophone music together, others are actively creating communities of enthusiasts. One such individual is Suharsh Dev Burman, a 55-year-old music curator who transforms Greater Kailash’s Kunzum Bookstore into a musical sanctuary every Sunday from 4 PM to 7 PM. His efforts are contributing to the revival of this cherished musical tradition.
