Facts about "Jana Gana Mana"

Submitted by shweta on

Facts about "Jana Gana Mana" - Just a thought for the National Anthem! How well do you know about it?

I have always wondered who is the " adhinayak" and "bharat bhagya vidhata", whose praise we are singing. I thought might be Motherland India! Our current National Anthem "Jana Gana Mana" is sung throughout the country.

Did you know the following about our national anthem, I didn't.

To begin with, India's national anthem, Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka, was written by Rabindranath Tagore in honour of King George V and the Queen of England when they visited India in 1919.

To honour their visit Pandit Motilal Nehru had the five stanzas included, which are in praise of the King and Queen. (And most of us think it is in the praise of our great motherland!!!)

In the original Bengali verses only those provinces that were under British rule, i.e. Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, Maratha etc. were mentioned. None of the princely states were recognised which are integral parts of India now Kashmir, Rajasthan, Andhra, Mysore or Kerala. Neither the Indian Ocean nor the Arabian Sea was included, since they were directly under Portuguese rule at that time.

The Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka implies that King George V is the lord of the masses and Bharata Bhagya Vidhata is "the bestower of good fortune".

Following is a translation of the five stanzas that glorify the King:

First stanza: (Indian) People wake up remembering your good name and ask for your blessings and they sing your glories. (Tava shubha naame jaage; tava shubha aashish maage, gaaye tava jaya gaatha)

Second stanza: Around your throne people of all religions come and give their love and anxiously wait to hear your kind words.

Third stanza: Praise to the King for being the charioteer, for leading the ancient travellers beyond misery.

Fourth stanza: Drowned in the deep ignorance and suffering, poverty-stricken, unconscious country? Waiting for the wink of your eye and your mother's (the Queen's) true protection.

Fifth stanza: In your compassionate plans, the sleeping Bharat (India) will wake up. We bow down to your feet O' Queen, and glory to Rajeshwara (the King).

This whole poem does not indicate any love for the Motherland but depicts a bleak picture. When you sing Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka, whom are you glorifying? Certainly not the Motherland. Is it God? The poem does not indicate that.

It is time now to understand the original purpose and the implication of this, rather than blindly sing as has been done the past fifty years.

Nehru chose the present national anthem as opposed to Vande Mataram because he thought that it would be easier for the band to play!!! It was an absurd reason but Today for that matter bands have advanced and they can very well play any music. So they can as well play Vande Mataram, which is a far better composition in praise of our dear Motherland India.

Wake up, it's high time! Shouldn't Vande Mataram be our National Anthem.

Comments

i know it before hand bt now today National Anthem is a National Song...although i was return for king or queen...today when i hear and sing this song it raises my feeling for this moherhood...

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 31-Jul-2006 - 22:27

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In Devanagari script जनगणमन अधिनायक जय हे, भारतभाग्यविधाता ! पंजाब सिंधु गुजरात मराठा द्राविड़ उत्कल बंग, विंध्य हिमाचल यमुना गंगा उच्छलजलधितरंग, तव शुभ नामे जागे, तव शुभ आशिश मागे, गाहे तव जयगाथा । जनगणमंगलदायक जय हे, भारत भाग्य विधाता ! जय हे, जय हे, जय हे, जय जय जय, जय हे ! जनगणमन अधिनायक जय हे, भारतभाग्यविधाता ॥ Translation into English Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people, dispenser of India's destiny. Thy name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, the Maratha country, in the Dravida country, Utkala (Orissa) and Bengal; It echoes in the hills of the Vindhyas and Himalayas, it mingles in the rhapsodies of the pure waters Jamuna and the ganges. They chant only thy name, they seek only thy blessings, They sing only thy praise. The saving of all people waits in thy hand, thou dispenser of India's destiny. Victory, victory, victory to thee.

Facts which were buried....The song Jana Gana Mana was actually written by Tagoreji in praise of Swami Vivekananda and welcomed him back to India from his world tour. A time when the motherland was being occupied by foreign culture...And the value system of the country was being demolished...He rose and let the world know about Bharat and its rich heritage....Truly, the land of Vedas...Jana Gana Mana Adhinayak Jaye He.....Oh ruler of the minds and hearts of the people...Because Vivekananda was God himself....Bharat Bhagya Vidhata...Dispenser of India's destiny (remember this was the time when christianity was was flourishing and occupying india). It was of Swami Vivekananda who saved the who told the world about Hinduism and called the country the land of aryans...Aryan means the first people in Sanskrit....Punjab Sindh Gujarat Maratha Dravida Utkala Bhanga...They are seven, symbolic to the seven chakras of the human body spiritually...He is the one who rules them...Vindhya Himachala Yamuna Ganga...Vindhya and Himachala symbolise the two crests of the nose through which we breathe, which is essentially the life force.And he is the life force, The Almighty...Yamuna and Ganga Uchahala Jaladhi Taranga symbolize the mind which never stops, and thoughts flow like a river, always new....He, who is its master...Tava Shubha Name Jage...May your good name rise to glory....Tava Shuba Aasish Maage...Your good blessings shud shower upon us.... Gahe Tava Jaya Gaatha....Singing your victorious deeds....Jana Gana...Jana means tribe or native or citizen...Gana means group or masses.....Mangala Dhayaka...Bestower of happiness...Jaye He.... Praise....Bharat Bhagya Vidhata...Dispenser of India's Destiny....Jaye He Jaye He Jaye He....

In the above paragraph, each word has a symbolic meaning...Punjab Sindh etc..... As u know Tagoreji was a Maha Yogi and Tapasvi...I could find some texts in the life story of Swami Vivekananda....Much more is written in it...Which I shall share if people are interested..

Please know that most of our history textbooks teach rubbish...Because it's a policy adopted by the British to ruin the Education system and curriculum..To impart false values and increase dependency...To grab a country they had to ruin its rich cultural heritage..And a generation has to be ruined..So they caught hold Education system...And made English education a great thing...Those days even people like Hitler and Rockfeller used to say..."You give me textbooks I'll give u a country"....See this link also...

Image

Please know that the original letter is still there in the importants doucments section of the calcutta museum...On education in India and setting up and rise of public schools... Rise of British Education in India.

 

facts which wre buried.... the song jana gana mana was actually written by tagoreji in praise of swami vivekananda and welcomed him back to india from his world tour. a time when the motherland was being occupied by foreign culture... and the value system of the country was being demolished... he rose and let the world know abt bharat and its rich heritage .... truly the land of vedas... jana gana mana adhinayak jaye he..... oh ruler of the minds and hearts of the ppl... coz vivekananda was god himslef....bharat bhagya vidhata...  dispenser of indias destiny (remember this was the time when christianity was was flourishing and occupying india) it was of swami vivekananda who saved the who told the world abt hinduism and called the country the land of aryans... aryan means the first ppl in sanskrit.... punjab sindh gujarat maratha dravida utkala banga... are seven.. symbolic to the seven chakras of the human body spiritually... he is the one who rules them... vindhya himachala yamuna ganga... vindhya and himachala symbolise the two crests of the nose through which we breathe ,,,,,which is essentially the life force,,, and he is the life force ..the almighty... yamuna and ganga uchahala jaladhi taranga symbolise  the mind which never stops... and thoughts flow like a river... always new.... he, who is its master... tava shubha name jage... may ur good name rise to glory.... tava shuba aasish maage,,,, ur good blessings shud shower upon us.... gahe tava jaya gaatha.... singing ur victorious deeds.... jana gana ... jana means tribe or native or citizen... gana means group or masses,..... mangala dhayaka... bestower of happiness... jaye he.... praise.... bharat bhagya vidhata... dispenser of indias destiny.... jaye he jaye he jaye he....

in the above each word has a symbolic meaning... punjab sindh etc..... as u know tagoreji was a maha yogi and tapasvi... i cud find some texts in the life story of swami vivekananda.... much more is written in it... which i shall share if ppl r interested..

 

plz know tat most of our history textbooks teach rubbish... coz its a policy adopted by the british to ruin the educstion system and curriculum.. to impart false values and increase dependency...  to grab a country they had to ruin its rich cultural heritage.. and a generation has to be ruined.. so they caught hold education system... and made english education a great thing... those days evenppl like  hitler and rockfeller used to say... u give me textbooks i'll give u a country.... see this link also... 

http://www.google.co.in/imgres?imgurl=http://www.praveenkatiyar.xtreemhost.com/quotes/maculy.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.praveenkatiyar.xtreemhost.com/quotes.php&usg=__jEuiVfmH7bDQ7jsj87ZuVYlV2RE=&h=432&w=533&sz=98&hl=en&start=3&zoom=1&tbnid=UM3vXxW9o30IUM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=132&ei=F8SDTbnKNcW5cZ6ioY4D&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlord%2Bmacaulay%2Baddress%2Bto%2Bthe%2Bnation%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D685%26tbs%3Disch:1%26prmd%3Divns&itbs=1

plz know that the original letter is still there in the importants doucments section of the calcutta museum... on education in india and setting up and rise of public schools... rise of british education in india

 

Submitted by rajat on Fri, 21-Jul-2006 - 09:27

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Whatever was the referance to when the song was written, today the National Anthem , when I sing it makes just one sense to me. ITS the song for my motherland.

..why should we sing their praizes....and not our motherland's???

Very true , main thing is feeling... which we have for our motherland and not for any king ......

Submitted by sankalp on Fri, 11-Aug-2006 - 23:19

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I had read this interpretation of the national anthem a long time ago. When I first read it, I was outraged. Specially the lines "Bharata Bagya Vidatha" generated a lot of doubt in me about Tagore's intentions. I have even heard people say that "Jana Gana Mana" was picked by the government of India because it is easier to play by an orchestra. But I surely feel there are many ways of looking at a piece of poetry. So this may be one of it, and we can look it in many other ways, including as that of a song in praise of India. Only Mr. Tagore can tell us what he intended to mean via "Jana Gana Mana" One thing is for sure. We may not get a ruler in India who has the guts to change the National Anthem. So, Like it or not, this is your National Anthem. If it sounds like a paean in the name of George(Or whoever), then, So be it. Nothing much can be done about that. It is all in the way you look at it. But I surely Support changing our national Anthem to "Vande Maataram". I love that song and it raises the hairs on my neck every time I sing it. But that does not mean I disrespect our national anthem "Jana Gana Mana". I have ultimate respect towards "Jana Gana Mana" and I just see it as a National Anthem and not as any paean to King George ( or whoever). -- Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya http://devadutta.net

Submitted by barkha on Fri, 01-Sep-2006 - 13:55

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I would like to know from where the information was gathered... I think we all should mention the source from where we get such information, as before discussing thing we must look at the authenticity of the content... just to make sure that unknowingly and blindly we are not imparting any information ... as FACT. Change is the only constant. Regards, Barkha :-)

You might want to know this: Tagore is said to have written the poem in honor of God. In a letter to Pulin Behari Sen, Tagore himself wrote: "A certain high official in His Majesty's service, who was also my friend, had requested that I write a song of felicitation towards the Emperor. The request simply amazed me. It caused a great stir in my heart. In response to that great mental turmoil, I pronounced the victory in Jana Gana Mana of that Bhagya Vidhata [ed. God of Destiny] of India who has from age after age held steadfast the reins of India's chariot through rise and fall, through the straight path and the curved. That Lord of Destiny, that Reader of the Collective Mind of India, that Perennial Guide, could never be George V, George VI, or any other George. Even my official friend understood this about the song. After all, even if his admiration for the crown was excessive, he was not lacking in simple common sense." Regards, Santosh Naik santosh_naik@yahoo.co.uk

Submitted by Utkal Mohanty (not verified) on Tue, 25-Sep-2007 - 13:36

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My belief is that Tagore wrote it for Welcoming and felicitating of George V by the INC, but he kept it delibertaely ambiguous so that it can be interpreted as being in praise of The Lord. Tagore's own admission to off-the-record to his friend does not prove anything, as he had kept ot ambiguous in the first place so that he could deny that it was in praise of KingGeorge. Any way we can never anyone's mind. The fact is that it was sung in the welcoming of King George and then we have to look at the words . "Victory to thee" or " We sing of your victory stories" appiles to applies to a King more than to The Lord anyone will agree. If it was we sing your glory ten it was different. If it was a god in human form like ram or krishna we can say Jai ram or Jai Krishna. But we dont say Jai Brahman as what victory or defeat can an eternal lord have?

Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Wed, 22-Apr-2009 - 17:23

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I suggest before you make your translations of JANAGANAMANA and spreading rumors about Tagore's work.. first learn bengali.. then translate all the 140 songs he has written only for the nation... and mother India... ( I am not even asking you to translate his 2000 other songs) also translate and understand the songs like, bidhir badhon and katbe tumi, he mor chitto, O amar desher mati, amra milechhi aj maeyr daake, sankocher bihobolota, aami bhoy korbo na, nai nai bhoy, sarthok janom mor, and several other songs in which he is openly snubbing the british, calling the queen powerless, and singing praise of INdia..... AFTER that I suggest you read the humongous multi part autobiography of Tagore.... which you might not be able to finish in this life time. also if you can mange to get teh letter he wrote to the queen denying the knighthood conferred to him.. read that. After that all your doubts about the patriotism abd courage of such a great man will open you eyes and you won't talk such crap.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 06-Jun-2010 - 03:48

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Nobody is doubting Tagore here.He might have written that praising the king.But the decision to choose this song as National Anthem in quite sucpicious if all this is true.Its all politocs..No hard feelings please..

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 10-Feb-2011 - 21:49

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dude please ,

dont divert yourself and others from the point.this is not about Tagore's work but about the National anthem we are on.The literal translation doesnt appear to be addressed to the motherland.......

Words like Bharat Bhagya Vidhata is now raising doubts in my mind.........

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 25-Apr-2010 - 18:41

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U can find them in this page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jana_Gana_Mana#Controversies U can see the detailed discussion and interpretation there to dispel ur ignorance and stop brewing hatred and controversy about our national anthem. India is the only country I believe in which people can be so irrational because of regionalism and linguistic divide. A sample from there for other readers:- The supporters of the nationalist message of Jana Gana Mana claim that "King","Throne" and "chariot" refer to the Almighty (for e.g. Lord Krishna from Bhagvad Gita) who will lead India to freedom. "Ma" on the other hand is more likely to refer to "The Motherland" i.e. India, than King George V's mother- The Queen. In Amar Sonar Bangla, the national anthem of Bangladesh, Tagore has used the word "ma" and "mata" numerous times to refer to the motherland. In his deeply mystic book "Gitanjali" (an offering of songs to the God) Tagore has used the same metaphor of God as "King":- Poem #50: "I had gone a-begging from door to door in the village path when thy golden chariot appeared in the distance like a gorgeous dream and i wondered who was this King of all Kings!" Poem #51: "The King has come- but where are lights, where are wreaths? Where is the throne to seat him?..... Open the doors, let the conch-shells be sounded!" The following phrases ignored by the proponents of the King George V controversy strengthen credibility of Jana Gana Mana's patriotic message:- Stanza 1:"Jana gana mangaldayako" The saving of all people waits in thy hand. Saving from what? Obviously British imperialism. Stanza 2: The call of the Lord (not the King or Queen)is announced in every Indian home continuously in their prayers. He brings "Oikyo" i.e unity of the people to gain freedom. Stanza 3: "Jugo Dhabito Jaatri"(Pilgrims of the ages)are those who follow the path leading to god, not to some King or Queen of British Empire. Similarly "Biplabo" i.e. fierce revolution is our freedom struggle and "Shankhodhwoni"(conch-shell sound) in mythology announced the start of a "battle", here- nationalist struggle against the Empire. This is a path of sacrifice and only God can protect from fear and misery (Sankato Dukho). Stanza 4: Through nightmares and fears, our mother i.e. motherland protected us in her lap, not the Queen. Stanza 5"Nidrito Bharato Jaagey" (Sleeping India awakens). This phrase has been used at least once by every nationalist poet to awaken the masses for revolution against British Imperialism. The "Supreme King" makes a mockery of King George V in the sense that the protector of India is a king above all mortal kings. If you think Tagore wrote only 1 patriotic poem, let me show u a sample of wat he was capable of when it came to awakening the masses: Gitanjali; Poem #35 Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; Where knowledge is free; Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls; Where words come out from the depth of truth; Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection; Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit; Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action ... Into that heaven of freedom, my father, let my country awake.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 15-Aug-2012 - 07:29

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Controversy shadowed Jana Gana Mana from the day of its first rendition in 1911 at the Congress session in Calcutta. King George V was scheduled to arrive in the city on 30 December and a section of the Anglo-Indian English press in Calcutta thought - and duly reported - that Tagore's anthem was a homage to the emperor.[13]

The poet rebutted such claims in a letter written in 1939: "I should only insult myself if I cared to answer those who consider me capable of such unbounded stupidity.

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