The National Anthem:
Jana Gana Mana is the national anthem of India. The song Jana-gana-mana, composed originally in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore, was adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly as the national anthem of India on 24 January 1950. It was first sung on 27 December 1911 at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress. The complete song consists of five stanzas. The first stanza contains the full version of the National Anthem
The National Anthem - Full & Short Versions:
The composition consisting of the words and music of the first stanza of the late poet Rabindra Nath Tagore`s song known as "Jana Gana Mana" is the National Anthem of India. It reads as follows:
Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka, jaya he
Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.
Punjab-Sindh-Gujarat-Maratha
Dravida-Utkala-Banga
Vindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga
Uchchala-Jaladhi-taranga.
Tava shubha name jage,
Tava shubha asisa mage,
Gahe tava jaya gatha,
Jana-gana-mangala-dayaka jaya he
Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.
Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he,
Jaya jaya jaya, jaya he!
The following is a translation of National Anthem In English:
"Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people,
dispenser of India`s destiny.
The name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sind, Gujarat and Maratha,
of the Dravid and Orissa and Bengal;
It echoes in the hills of the Vindhyas and Himalayas,
mingles in the music of the Yamuna and Ganga
and is chanted by the waves of the Indian Sea.
They pray for thy blessings and sing thy praise.
The salvation of all people is in thy hand,
thou dispenser of India`s destiny.
Victory, victory, victory to thee."
Why Is “Jana gana mana” is Our National Anthem ?
Rabindranath Tagore wrote this poem to honour a certain god who is the Bhaagya Vidhata of Bharat. However this theory seems to have surfaced a lot later. And Tagore did sing this poem himself on Dec 28, 1911 to welcome the King.
We were talking about independence last evening when my mom asked me a question. Why is “Jana gana mana” (or “Jan gan man”) our national anthem when it was written in 1911 to honour the King of England! She said there have been controversies around this, in late 1960s, and early 1980s.
I had never given it a thought, so I sang the anthem to myself, and pondered what it really means.
• Jana gana mana adhinaayak jaya he: Who is this “adhinayak” (super hero) of “Jana gana mana” (in the minds of the people)?
• Bharat Bhaagya Vidhata: Who exactly is our “Bhaagya Vidhata” (lord of destiny)?
• Gaye tava jaya gaatha: Who is this “Tava” (your) whose “jaya gaatha” (story of victory) we all sing?
My mom then told me this story that it was originally written to welcome and praise King George V !! The “Adhinayaka“, our “Bhaagya Vidhata” is King Geroge V, and it is the King of England’s “Jaya Gaatha” that we sing every morning in our schools!
why was this poem picked as our national anthem, and not “Vande Mataram“, or even “Saare jahaan se achha“? Is it because a Nobel Laureate wrote it? Or was it our (Nehru’s) last tribute to the British.