I-Day 2023: How 'Jana Gana Mana' was adopted as India's national anthem

On 15 August 1947, India finally achieved independence after a lengthy struggle for freedom. It signalled the end of their oppression for millions of people who had been stifled by British imperialism and forced to grovel in humiliation and insults. With the crucial independence came the need to forge our own identity and entity, which necessitated the creation of a National Flag and National Anthem. Not just a song, but the very soul of our motherland, would be conveyed. This is when our own Jana Gana Mana came into existence. The song, written by Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore, emphasises the spirit of pluralism or, in more common parlance, the idea of “Unity in Diversity,” which is at the heart of India’s cultural legacy. For almost 1.2 billion Indians, it is more than just an anthem; it is an expression of feeling and of identity that captures India’s history, traditions, and diverse culture. Also read: Independence Day Special: Nuclear tests, liberalisation and more… The milestones that define India Meaning The parent song, “Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata,” is a five-verse Brahmo hymn, but only the first stanza has been designated as the national anthem. Tagore himself composed the poem’s melody, according to Indian Institute for Information Technology (IIT) Nagpur. The duration of Jana Gana Mana, the Indian national anthem, when performed in the required metre, is 52 seconds and 20 seconds for a shorter version. [caption id=“attachment_12997982” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Jana Gana Mana, written by Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore, emphasises the spirit of pluralism or, in more common parlance, the idea of “Unity in Diversity,” which is at the heart of India’s cultural legacy. PTI[/caption] The hymn begins with an adoration of the Almighty, who determines the fate of the nation: Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka jaya he Bharata-bhagya-vidhata OR, in English: You, the ruler of our minds, our nation To you our humble salutations! The poem then launches an imaginary journey through pre-independence India, starting in the north and moving westward, citing the areas of Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, the southern states speaking Dravidian languages, as well as Odisha and Bengal: Punjaba-Sindh-Gujarat-Maratha Dravida-Utkala-Banga In addition, Tagore makes reference to geographical elements like the Yamuna and Ganges rivers, the Vindhya and Himalayan mountain ranges, and others. The song claims that the country is animated and swelled by the name of the Almighty. Tagore offers a refrain in the closing section: Taba Subha name jage, taba subha ashisha maange, gahe taba jaya-gatha. Jana-gana-mangala-dayaka jaya he Bharata-bhagya-vidhata. Jaya he, Jaya he, Jaya he, jaya jaya jaya jaya he. OR, in English: Your blessings we seek, your praises replicate you As the Protector of India’s fate! Victory! Victory! Victory! Victory forever to you! Origin and its evolution Rabindranath Tagore composed Jana Gana Mana on 11 December 1911, and it was performed for the first time on 27 December the same year, in Calcutta, at a Congress gathering. The language utilised in Jana Gana Mana was sadhu Bengali or tatsama Bengali, which had been substantially Sanskritized. This implied that many of the words used in it had the same meaning in various Indian languages, indicating that everyone in India could understand the words and meaning of the national anthem, according to News18. “Every Indian citizen has a responsibility to uphold the Constitution’s values and institutions, as well as the National Flag and the National Anthem,” according to Article 51A(a) of the Indian Constitution. Economic Times reported the song was once more played at the German-Indian Society’s foundation meeting in 1941. Subhash Chandra Bose adopted a slightly altered version of the song, which he called Subh Sukh Chain, which became well-known on 15 August 1945. Its melody was composed by Captain Ram Singh Thakur and was once known as the Quami Tarana.

On 14 August 1947, at midnight, to celebrate India’s freedom, the Indian Constituent Assembly met for the first time as a sovereign body. Jana Gana Mana was performed by everybody present to close the meeting. Members of the Indian Delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in New York in 1947 performed a recording of Jana Gana Mana, which served as the nation’s anthem. The house orchestra played the song in front of a group of guests that included guests from all around the world. The song was previously utilised in the 1935 school song at The Doon School and the 1945 movie Hamrahi, according to Conde Nast Travellers. On 24 January 1950, it was formally declared the nation’s anthem by President Dr Rajendra Prasad. Also read: Nurses, farmers and more... The special guests invited for PM Modi's I-Day speech Major translations The national anthem was first translated from Bengali, which had been Sankritized, to Hindi by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The Hindi translation was provided by Captain Abid Ali, while the soundtrack was created by Captain Ram Singh, reported ET. Margaret, the wife of the famous Irish poet James Cousin and dean of Besant Theosophical College, later translated it into English. All 22 official national languages as well as other regional languages were once more used to interpret the national anthem. Controversy Amartya Sen described the song Jana Gana Mana, which is loosely translated as “the leader of people’s minds,” as having been written for a durbar in Delhi where George V was declared Emperor of India. The fact that the song was written just one day before King George V was crowned only served to back up the rumours that it was penned in the monarch’s honour. This debate won’t go away. According to Indian Express, in 2015, Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh spoke at a gathering that Rajasthan University sponsored. The national anthem should be changed to Jana Gana Mangal Gaye, according to Singh, because the word “adhinayak” relates to a foreign power. In an essay, Soutik Biswas disputes the claim using historian Sabyasachi Bhattacharya’s work. According to an article by Times of India published in December 2016, Biswas’ essay recounts the following passages from a 1937 letter in which Tagore stated that Jana Gana Mana was not written for George V: He wrote, “neither the Fifth nor the Sixth nor any George could be the maker of human destiny through the ages. I had hailed in the song Jana Gana Mana that Dispenser of India’s destiny who guides, through all rise and fall, the wayfarers, He who shows the people the way…” Notably, the idea that Jana Gana Mana was penned to honour George V is based on unreliable news reporting from the time. Early 20th-century media was pro-British and lacked a good working knowledge of regional tongues, reported Indian Express. Also read: How India’s freedom struggle influenced political movements across the world Code of conduct The Indian National Anthem is played or sung on numerous occasions. Instructions on the proper versions of the anthem, the occasions on which they are to be performed or sung, and the need of showing respect for the hymn by observing proper decorum on such occasions have been published by the government. One must respect the National Anthem and song as it is a fundamental duty under Article 51A, section (a). Section 3 of the National Honour Act of 1971, which was introduced later in 1971, declared that violators of the national anthem’s rules shall face harsh penalties. In all of the nation’s schools, colleges, and government facilities, the national anthem is played before any event. When the President is present for a formal state event, the national song is played to signal his arrival and departure. Though there are few exceptions on exceptional occasions, it is often not played for the Prime Minister’s arrival or departure. With inputs from agencies