My Harmonica Covers

HARMONICA COVERS

Harmonica Cover of Jana Gana Mana - National Anthem of India 🇮🇳
My Cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMefmfuV2_c

Harmonica Cover of Shreemati 420 - Jahan Hum Wahan Tum Mera Dil Hua Hai Gum - Mohd. Rafi, Geeta Dutt - MD - O.P.Nayyar
My Cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtK_=youtu.be
Original Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be


Harmonica Cover of Hai Apna Dil To Awara - Solva Saal (1957) - MD - S.D.Burman
My Cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l&feature=youtu.be
Original Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=youtu.be


Harmonica Cover of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil Jeena Yahan - Mohd. Rafi, Geeta Dutt - MD - O.P.Nayyar
My Cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y&feature=youtu.be
Original Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQgguMKy5is


Harmonica Cover of Sawle Salone Aaye Din Baharke - Lata Mangeshkar, Hemanth Kumar - MD - Hemanth Kumar
My Cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1A&feature=youtu.be
Original Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=&feature=youtu.be


Harmonica Cover of Dil Dilse Milakar Dekho - Mem Sahib (1956)- Kishore Kumar - MD - Madan Mohan
My Cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WH&feature=youtu.be
Original Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA&feature=youtu.be


Harmonica Cover of Anari (1959 )Kisi Ki Muskurahaton Pe Ho Nisar (Shankar Jaikishan)
Original Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU&feature=youtu.be


Harmonica Cover of Connie Francis : Never On A Sunday


Harmonica Cover of Dekh Idhar Aye Hasina - Mohd. Rafi, Geeta Dutt - MD - O.P.Nayyar
My Cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=&feature=youtu.be
Original Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feature=youtu.be


Harmonica Cover of Baar Baar Din Ye Aaye


Harmonica Cover of Pran Chahe Nain Na Chahe 


Harmonica Cover of College Girl - Hum Aur Tum Aur Yeh Samaa


LEARNING HARMONICA

Place: Sandur
Year: 1954 -55

My father was Tehsildar of Sandur taluk during this period. It was summer holidays. I had just written my SSLC public examination and waiting for the result. My elder brother, Viswanath, who is 4 years older than me, was studying in the Engineering College, Anantapur. He was very strict, and I was very afraid of him because he would give me a nice beating if he ever found I did something wrong. So, I used to be careful around him.

Formerly, Sandur was a very small princely state ruled by Ghorpade family. After Indian Independence, the royal state was acceded and merged with Bellary district. The erstwhile kings had property and owned mines of iron and manganese ores. They had a palace in the town which was close to our house. The Ghorpade family had a palace in Baroda also and they would alternate between their two homes. The Yuvaraja (prince) often came to Sandur and spent much time here. He had a tennis court in the palace from which he ran a tennis club where he would play against many officers in the town in his pastime. The Yuvaraja mingled freely with everyone. My brother, who was also interested in tennis, would go play tennis at the Palace when he was in town and would not return until 8 PM. I knew his timetable!

My brother had a harmonica, which he safely kept in his suitcase, and would never allow anyone to touch it. I was curious about it and wanted to take it and play. But I was also quite scared to do so. So, I thought of a plan.

Whenever he went out to play tennis, I would borrow it, and before he returned, I put it back in its place. This gave me 3 hours of time to play the harmonica. This strategy was good if I successfully replaced it in time. I was too scared that I might get caught. So, I came up with another idea. About one furlong away, there was a high school behind which was a hillock with some boulders on its top. If I climb that hillock, the palace, the tennis court and the people playing would be clearly visible. So, I would take the harmonica with me to the top of the hillock and play until the tennis carried on. That is how I learned to play the harmonica, completely self-taught.

When I joined Intermediate college in Kurnool, a BA student used to play the Harmonica during college day functions. He was an inspiration to me. I wanted to purchase my own Harmonica and I started saving money. And I purchased my own Harmonica after some time for six rupees. During that time, I stayed at my elder brother’s (Ramamurthy) house who looked after my education. He was a gentleman, and all brothers liked him. He was extremely kind and never got angry at anyone. That two-year period of my Intermediate education was the best in my life. After Intermediate, when I joined Agriculture College, I used to play Harmonica in college annual gatherings and my recitals used to get much applause.

*Excerpt from "The Pilaka and Other Stories: Timeless Tales from a South Indian Childhood" by Giridhar Nemakal*