Gujrati - Film & Folk LPs
Gujarati vinyl is one of the most quietly rewarding corners of Indian record collecting. Between the 1960s and 80s, labels pressed a steady stream of Gujarati film soundtracks and — just as importantly — folk records made for real occasions: Navratri nights, weddings, and devotional gatherings. This collection holds both sides of that story, from film LPs to garba, raas, lagna geet and lok sangeet albums that rarely left Gujarat and the Gujarati diaspora.
What you will find here
The Navratri records are the heart of it: titles like Navratri Ni Bhet (Garba Geet and Raas), Garba Ras Ni Ramzat, Garba Ras Utsav and Gori Garbe Ghoomo Ne Raase Ramo — dance-floor records in the truest sense, made to keep a circle of dancers moving all night. Damyanti Bardai, one of the great voices of Gujarati folk and devotional song, appears on Aavo Maa Ambe Bhavani. The wedding shelf includes multiple Lagna Geet LPs — songs for each ritual stage of a Gujarati wedding — while the Gujaratnun Loksangeet and Lokgeetoni Sarvani series document the regional folk repertoire. Film titles run from Kanku Paglan and Sansar Chakra to curiosities like Anand Mangal pressed complete with dialogues, plus composer-led records such as Anjalee by Jairam Patel.
Why Gujarati records matter on vinyl
Most of these were HMV and EMI India pressings, cut in modest runs for a regional audience, and very little of this catalogue was ever carried forward to CD or streaming. For garba and lok sangeet in particular, the original LP is often the only way to hear a specific singer's version of a traditional song. That scarcity, and the strong pull these records have for the Gujarati diaspora in the UK, USA and East Africa, makes clean copies genuinely hard to find.
Buying from us
Every record is graded honestly, with scans of both sides of the sleeve so you can inspect condition and track listings before you order. Sleeveless copies are flagged clearly in the title. We ship from India worldwide in strong record mailers, usually within five days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are garba and raas LPs playable for actual Navratri events?
They were made for exactly that, and a clean copy still does the job beautifully — sides were often sequenced to build tempo the way a live garba does. That said, many surviving copies were played hard at gatherings, so check the grading closely if you intend to play rather than shelve the record.
What are lagna geet records?
Lagna geet are traditional Gujarati wedding songs, sung at specific moments in the ceremony — from the mandap being raised to the bride's farewell. Labels recorded them with well-known folk voices so families could play the right songs at home functions. They are lovely social documents, and among the harder Gujarati genres to find with intact sleeves.
Were Gujarati film soundtracks pressed in smaller numbers than Hindi ones?
Generally yes. Gujarati cinema had a devoted but regional audience, so its soundtrack LPs and EPs saw much smaller pressings than Bombay's Hindi output. Many titles were never reissued in any format, which is why collectors of Gujarati film music lean so heavily on original vinyl — and why condition commands a premium.
