100 YEARS OF INDIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM

Our National Anthem is 100 years old.
Jana Gana Mana- India’s national Anthem,written and composed by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore ,was first sung publicly at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress on 27th December,1911 and later adopted as our National Anthem on 24th January 1950 by the Constituent Assembly.

The year 2011 marks the centenary year of our prestigious National Anthem.

Jana Gana Mana is the national anthem of India. Written in Bengali, it is the first of five stanzas of an ode composed and scored by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. This was first sung on 27 December 1911, at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress, Jana Gana Mana was officially adopted by the Constituent Assembly as the Indian national anthem in January 24, 1950. A formal rendition of the national anthem takes fifty two seconds. A shortened version consisting of the first and last lines (and taking about 20 seconds to play) is also staged occasionally. The music for the current version is derived from a composition for the song by Ram Singh Thakur.

No other Indian song is said to capture the poignancy of a do-or-die moment, be it in the sporting field or at the frontiers, the way Jana Gana Mana can.

Jana Gana Mana, composed by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore and sung for the first time at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress on December 27, 1911, has fired a nation's patriotism and united it in crisis and triumph for 100 years.

In its 100-year-old history, the Indian national anthem has played a key role in unifying a country torn apart by a bloody partition, nationalist movement and popular uprisings. It has moved a country to tears during sporting victories, unfurling of the national flag and cultural and public occasions.

Netaji Bose's Indian National Army adopted Jana Gana Mana as the National Anthem and Mahatma Gandhi in 1946 said the "the song has found a place in our national life." But the song's popularity is not without its share of controversies.

Hindi Lyrics

Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka, Jaya He

Bharata Bhagya Vidhata

Punjab Sindhu Gujarata Maratha

Dravida Utkala Banga (places in India)

Vindhya Himachala Yamuna Ganga

Uchchhala Jaladhi Taranga

Tava Shubha Name Jage

Tava Shubha Ashisha Mage

Gahe Tava Jaya Gaatha

Jana Gana Mangaladayaka Jaya He

Bharata Bhaagya Vidhata

Jaya He ! Jaya He ! Jaya He !

Jaya, Jaya, Jaya, Jaya He

English translation
You rule the minds of all people

and control India's future.

Your name brings joy to Punjab, Sind, Gujarat and Maratha;

and Dravida and Orissa and Bengal. (regions in India)

It echoes in the Vindhya and Himalayan hills,

and mixes with the music of the Yamuna and Ganga rivers.

It is also sung by waves of the sea.

We pray for your blessings

and sing your praise.

We look forward to your best wishes.

And we wish Victory, victory, victory for you.
The Story Behind Translation
Jana Gana Mana was translated, from Sanskrit to English, by Rabindranath Tagore and the music on this English Translation was set in Madanapalle, a small town in Andhra Pradesh. As to the story behind this translation, in 1918 Tagore was invited, by controversial Irish poet James H. Cousins, to spend a few days at the Besant Theosophical College (BTC). James was serving as the principal of the college, at that time.

On February 28, while attending a gathering of students at BTC, Rabindranath sang the Jana Gana Mana in Bengali. Suddenly, he thought of translating the song in English. A few days later, in Madanapalle, Tagore wrote down the English translation of the song. Cousins' wife, Margaret, who was an expert in Western music, set down the music for this English version. The framed original English translation is still displayed in the library of Besant Theosophical College in Madanapalle.

Let us salute the great'Tagore' for his contribution on this memerable day.

Love India.

JAI HIND

by Siri Raj

Related articles

• JAYA HEY the new version of the national anthem (kish.in)
• Rabindranath Tagore: The Gardner (theinkbrain.wordpress.com)

Poila Baisakh: Global Tag to Bengali Festival

Image via Wikipedia

Poila Baisakh is a major celebration and the first day of Baisakh remains a holiday in Kolkata.

The first month of the Bengali calendar, Baishakh, marks the beginning of the crop cycle in Bengal. The first day of this month is called Poila Baisakh is celebrated as the Bengali new year. Chances are, if you step into a shop in Calcutta on this day, you'll be offered sweets and maybe the odd gift or two. Traders start the new year by inaugurating new accounting books.

It is considered the most auspicious month for marriage, the most auspicious month for undertaking any business venture and it is also the month when all agricultural production process begins. Bengali’s think that any child born in this month would acquire all the qualities of being a prodigy. No wonder, the great Rabindranath Tagore, was born in this month. Rabindranath was born on the 25th of Baisakh.

Celebration
On that day, people wear new dress and go about socialising. The houses are thoroughly cleaned and freshly painted. People decorate their houses to welcome the New Year and the season of flowers. Women make elaborate rangolis on the ground near the entrance to their house. Beautiful designs are drawn with the help of a paste made of rice flour and rows and rows of houses with intricate patterns in front of them make a pretty picture. Cultural programms are held, sweets are distributed and greeting are exchanged.

Special prayers are held for the welfare of the family. Procession called ‘Prabhat Pheri’ is held early in the morning to welcome the New Year. Women dress in white saris with red borders while men wear ‘dhoti’ (loincloth) and ‘kurta’ (shirt) to take part in the procession. Cultural programs are held.
In global terms its a Bengali New Year and just like Valentines Day, Mothers Day

, Friendship Day and ofcourse X Mas and New Year. Every other retail outlet seem to be making the most of it.
While some have made a mix and match of tradition and change, others have caught the mood of the times with band music, CD launch etc. And not to be missed are the lavish food fares at star hotels with a mad rush for bookings.

Celebrities add to the fun, say for instance Manthan invited Chiranjeet and Papiya Adhikari, to flag off their specail Poila Baisakh spread. Tanushree Shankar, who participated in one such event at a city mega store, believes there's nothing wrong in the new trend.

"Its one way to keep the spirit alive. In an age where the youth identify with glamour and glitz we must cater to their tastes. Its one way to ensure their involvement in Bengali festivals just like Valentines Day

or X Mas."