Facing the Music

How musical was the Mahatma? It’s complicated...

- Shahid Amin

SINGING GANDHI’S INDIA

Music and Sonic Nationalism By Lakshmi Subramanian

ROLI BOOKS

Henry Ford, the American car capitalist, is best known for two things: first, the mass-produced, affordable Ford Model; and second, the remark that “History is one damn thing after another”. Much has changed since Model T rolled out in 1908—‘Aspire’ and ‘Freestyle’ Models have now hit the Indian market in the under Rs 600,000 range. We have newer types of histories as well—visual histories, histories of emotions and belief and, as with Lakshmi Subramanian’s new book, a history of music during the heady but difficult times of the Gandhi-led march to our freedom.