Soulful melody of oneness

Long ago, we made a tryst with destiny, and eventually, as we awoke to life and freedom, it was the deliverance of a nation that had been fettered in the bondage of colonialism for two centuries. India emerged as a free nation, and August 15, 1947, marked the end of oppression for millions who had grovelled in humiliation and insults, crushed heavily under the wheels of British imperialism.

With our Independence, we needed to establish our entity and identity. This was no mean task, for India has always stood as an exemplar of diversity. We needed a National Flag, and our choice was the beloved Tricolour. We also required a National Anthem that would bear our national identity to the world. It would not merely be a song but rather the very spirit of our motherland, encapsulating its demographic and geo-cultural expanse, while also inspiring humility within us. Our minds would join silently in its singing, evoking a profound sense of patriotism and filling us with pride for our cultural legacy.

As per Article 51A(a) of the Indian Constitution: “Every Indian Citizen has responsibility to uphold the Constitutional values and institutions, as well as the National Flag and the National Anthem”.

On January 24, 1950, India adopted "Jana Gana Mana" as its National Anthem. India's first President and the President of the Constituent Assembly, Rajendra Prasad, declared, “The composition consisting of the words Jana Gana Mana is the National Anthem of India, subject to such alterations in the words as the Government may authorize as occasion arises." Therefore, our National Anthem is "Jana Gana Mana," composed by Rabindranath Tagore. Incidentally, the National Anthem of Bangladesh, "Amar Sonar Bangla," is also penned by Tagore.

The lines of "Jana Gana Mana" are taken from Rabindranath Tagore's song, "Bharoto Bhagya Bidhata," which is essentially a Brahmo hymn. The original was written in Bengali and comprised five verses, of which only the first verse has been adopted as the National Anthem. It was composed on December 11, 1911, and sung publicly for the first time on December 27, 1911, at the Calcutta Session of the Congress. The performance was carried out by Tagore's niece, Sarala Devi Chowdhurani. The song was composed in the raga Alhaiya Bilawal, with possible assistance from Dinendranath Tagore. The verse of "Jana Gana Mana" was published under the title "Bharat Bidhata" in the ‘Tatwabodhini Patrika’.

Beyond Calcutta, Tagore himself sang the song at a session in Besant Theosophical College in Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh, on February 28, 1919. On the occasion of India attaining freedom, the Indian Constituent Assembly convened as a sovereign body on the midnight of August 14, 1947, and the session concluded with everyone singing "Jana Gana Mana" unanimously. When Indian delegates attended the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1947, they presented a recording of "Jana Gana Mana." The song was performed by an orchestra in front of people who had gathered from all around the world.

"Jana Gana Mana" reflects the history, traditions, and composite culture of India. It has been serving as an expression of national image since its adoption. In 1941, the INA under the leadership of Subhas Chandra Bose, based at the Berlin Centre, decided that Tagore's "Jana Gana Mana" would be the National Anthem, and "Jai Hind" would be the National Greeting. In this context, NG Ganpuley, a close associate of Netaji, wrote in his memoir, "It was cogently and very enthusiastically argued at that meeting in Berlin that ‘Jana Gana Mana’ which defined India as the union of all provinces, languages and religions was most suited for being a National Anthem." Bose himself was interested in "Jana Gana Mana," as evident from the words of Lakshmi Swaminathan, who would recall Bose saying, "This is a truly representative national song."

In 1942, when Bose inaugurated the German-Indian Society in Hamburg, he officially introduced the 55-second song, which would later become India's National Anthem. Subhas Chandra Bose also took the initiative to translate the song from Bengali. Captain Abid Ali provided the Hindi translation, and Captain Ram Singh provided the music.

Surprisingly, the choice of our National Anthem inspired strong criticism. Many opined that "Bande Mataram," written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, should have been the National Anthem as it was the very cry of our freedom struggle. People went to the gallows or were imprisoned, loudly chanting "Bande Mataram." However, there was a more serious kind of allegation aimed at "Jana Gana Mana." To a group of critics, the song was actually conceived in honour of the British monarch George V, who visited India in 1911. Back in 1966, Madhu Limaye, a member of the Lok Sabha, questioned the then Minister of Home Affairs about whether the song was a commemoration of the Coronation of George V. This controversy seems to have arisen during the lifetime of the poet himself. King George V announced the annulment of the Partition of Bengal on December 12, 1911. The 26th session of the Congress was held in Calcutta on December 26, 27 and 28 in 1911.

The official report of the 26th session of the Congress states, "The proceedings commenced with a patriotic song by Babu Rabindranath Tagore." Even the report of the proceedings published in Amrita Bazar Patrika on December 28, 1911, stated, "The proceedings began with the singing of the Bengali Song of Benediction."

Confusion arose from the report of the Anglo-Indian Press. ‘The Englishman’ reported, "The Proceedings opened with a song of welcome to the king Emperor, specially composed for the occasion by Rabindranath Tagore." The ‘Statesman’ remained silent about the authorship of the Bengali song but curiously attributed the authorship of a Hindi song sung during the proceedings to welcome the Majesties to Tagore. However, this song was actually written by Rambuj Chaudhary.

A controversial campaign began in the 1930s, prompting Tagore's response in a letter to Pulin Behari Sen. Tagore wrote, "I should only insult myself if I cared to answer those who consider me to sing in praise of George V." Tagore's letter also read, "That Lord of Destiny, that Reader of the Collective Mind of India, that Perennial Guide could never be George V or George VI or any other George." To Tagore, the Song “Jana Gana Mana” hails that Dispenser of India’s Destiny who guides through all rise and fall, the wayfarers, He who shows the people the way.

Our National Anthem, "Jana Gana Mana," evokes a sense of pluralism and objectivity envisioned in the traditional history of India. It expresses a political sensibility deeper than most patriotic songs. Tagore embraced the spirit of nationalism in his own way and penned political essays with strong anti-British overtones. Our National Anthem, "Jana Gana Mana," encapsulates the ethos of unity in diversity, plurality in singularity, and oneness in variety.

The writer is an educator from Kolkata. Views expressed are personal