Jana Gana Mana: National Anthem : Let us learn to respect that.

National Anthem of any nation portrays that nation – it is like a mirror to that country and that is why it is respected. The National Anthem of our country “Jana Gana Mana” was written by Rabindranath Tagore. 

There have been constant reports in the net and claims by people that “Jana Gana Mana” glorifies the British rule but that is not so. The song “Jana Gana Mana”  is a prayer to GOD/Almighty to save and protect us.  

The song has been written for God where the people of Independent India are praying to come and rescue them from the rule of the British Empire. The song goes as http://www.sanyal.com/india/janagana.html[1]: - 

 

Normal Text	English Translation
1st Para
Jano Gano Mano Adhinaayako Jayo Hey Bhaarato Bhaagyo Bidhaataa Panjaabo Sindhu Gujaraato Maraathaa Draabirho Utkalo Bango Bindhyo Himaachalo Jamunaa GangaaUchchhalo Jalodhi Tarango             Tabo Shubho Naamey Jaagey Tabo Shubho Aashisho Maagey Gaahey Tabo Jayogaathaa Jano Gano Mangalo Daayako Jayo Hey Bhaarato Bhaagyo Bidhaataa                 Jayo Hey, Jayo Hey, Jayo Hey, Jayo Jayo Jayo Jayo Hey	Oh! the ruler of the mind of the people, Victory be to You, the dispenser of the destiny of India! Punjab, Sind, Gujrat, Maharastra, Drabir (South India), Orissa, and Bengal, the Vindhya, The Himalayas, the Jamuna, the Ganges and the oceans with foaming waves all around Wake up listening to Your auspicious name, ask for Your auspicious blessings And sing to Your glorious victory. Oh! You who impart well being to the people! Victory be to You, dispenser of the destiny of India! Victory, victory, victory to Thee! (refrain repeated five times)
2nd Para
Aharaho Tabo Awhbaano Prachaarito Shuni Tabo Udaaro Baani  Hindu Bauddho Shikho Jaino Parashiko Musholmaano Christaani         Purabo Pashchimo Aashey Tabo Singhaasano Paashey  Premohaaro Hawye Gaanthaa Jano Gano Oikyo Bidhaayako Jayo ey Bhaarato Bhaagyo Bidhaataa Jayo Hey, Jayo Hey, Jayo Hey, Jayo Jayo Jayo, Jayo Hey	Your call is announced continuously, we heed Your gracious call. The Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Muslims, and Christians, The East and the West come to the side of Your throne and weave the garland of love. Oh! You who bring in the unity of the people! Victory be to You, dispenser of the destiny of India!
3rd Para
Patano Abhyudayo Bandhuro Panthaa Jugo Jugo Dhaabito Jaatri Hey Chiro Saarothi, Tabo Ratha Chakrey Mukharito Patho Dino Raatri   Daaruno Biplabo Maajhey Tabo Shankhodhwoni Bajey Sankato Duhkho Traataa             Jano Gano Patho Parichaayako Jayo Hey Bhaarato Bhaagyo Bidhaataa Jayo Hey, Jayo Hey, Jayo Hey, Jayo Jayo Jayo, Jayo Hey	The way of life is somber as it moves through ups and downs. But we, the pilgrims, have followed through ages. Oh! Eternal Charioteer, the wheels of your chariot  echo day and night in the path In the midst of fierce revolution your conch shell sounds. You save us from fear and misery. Oh! You who guide the people through tortuous path! Victory be to You, dispenser of the destiny of India!
4th Para
Ghoro Timiro Ghono Nibiro Nishithey Pirhito Murchhito Deshey Jagrato Chhilo Tabo Abichalo Mangalo Nato Nayoney Animeshey        Duhswapney Aatankey Rakkhaa Koriley Ankey Snehamoyi Tumi Maataa             Jano Gano Duhkho Trayako Jayo Hey Bhaarato Bhaagyo Bidhaataa Jayo Hey, Jayo Hey, Jayo Hey, Jayo Jayo Jayo, Jayo Hey	During the bleakest of nights, when the whole country was sick and in swoon Wakeful remained Your incessant blessings through Your lowered but winkless eyes. Through nightmares and fears You protected us on Your lap Oh Loving Mother. Oh! You who have removed the misery of the people! Victory be to You, dispenser of the destiny of India!
5th Para
Raatri Prabhatilo Udilo Rabichhabi Purbo Udayo Giri Bhaaley Gaahey Bihangamo Punyo Samirano Nabo Jibano Rasho Dhaley Tabo Karunaaruno Ragey Nidrito Bhaarato Jagey Jayo Jayo Jayo Hey, Jayo Rajeshwaro Bhaarato Bhaagyo Bidhaataa Jayo Hey, Jayo Hey, Jayo Hey, Jayo Jayo Jayo, Jayo Hey	The night is over, and the Sun has risen over the eastern horizon. The birds are singing, and a gentle auspicious breeze is pouring the elixir of new life. By the halo of Your compassion India that was asleep is now waking. Victory be to You, the Supreme King! the dispenser of the destiny of India!

The first stanza of the poem is used as the “NATIONAL ANTHEM OF INDIA”

The controversy which has arisen is that use of the word “Bhagya Vidhata” means to respect and pray to the Britishers as our God and glorify the British Rule which is totally wrong and baseless. The song has been written in Bengali with the use of Sanskrit words and in any language the word “Bhagya Vidhata” means “God – the master of our fate”. Further on the poem says that “Patano Abhyudayo Bandhuro Panthaa Jugo Jugo Dhaabito Jaatri Hey Chiro Saarothi, Tabo Ratha Chakrey Mukharito Patho Dino Raatri” meaning that “Eternal Charioteer, you have always guided us through the ages and eternal charioteer in Indian Literature means “Lord Krishna” and it is being prayed that you guide us through the darkness just as way he had guided Arjuna when he was his charioteer.

Further the poem says that “Daaruno Biplabo Maajhey Tabo Shankhodhwoni Bajey Sankato Duhkho Traataa” meaning that in this revolution your conch shells sound to free us from our misery and the poem further says that “Ghoro Timiro Ghono Nibiro Nishithey Pirhito Murchhito Deshey Jagrato Chhilo Tabo Abichalo Mangalo Nato Nayoney Animeshey” , by which he had compared the English Rule to a dark never-ending evil you come and save us from evil.

 In no way does the song portray or glorify the British Rule. On second thoughts to believe that Rabindranath Tagore would write a song to glorify the British Rule is a little hard for me to digest as it was the same man who on "Jallianawala Bagh Massacre" had given up his knighthood and who has written numerous songs and stories criticizing the British Rule would write a song a coronation of British King, I think it was not possible and by saying that we are questioning his integrity and we have no right to do that.

In fact on 10 November 1937 Rabindranath Tagore wrote a letter to Mr. Pulin Bihari Sen about the controversy. That letter in Bengali can be found in Tagore's biography Ravindrajivani, volume II page 339 by Prabhatkumar Mukherjee - 

"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."Again in his letter of 19 March, 1939 Rabindranath Tagore writes, “I should only insult myself if I cared to answer those who consider me capable of such unbounded stupidity as to sing in praise of George the Fourth or George the Fifth as the Eternal Charioteer leading the pilgrims on their journey through countless ages of the timeless history of mankind." (Purvasa, Phalgun, 1354, p738.). 

 I believe this is ample proof that song has not been written not for the British Rule but was against the British Rule. 

                                

    

          Bengali Version of the Song sung for George V                               

  

The song which was written by composed by one Jatindra Mohan Tagore who was Rabindranath Tagore's grandfather's brother's grandson. This song praises George V and welcomes him. It was due to the inefficient reporting of some newspapers which led to belief that “Jana Gana Mana” was sung.

It was only because of some negligent reporting which has led everyone to the belief that “Jana Gana Mana” was sung for George V, which actually was not and as I have stated earlier that Rabindranath Tagore had himself refused to dedicate the song “Jana Gana Mana” to George V and that it is also very impossible for me to believe that the man who gave up his “Knighthood” and who on every occasion had criticized British Imperialism would write a song that would glorify the British Empire.  

Tagore's own interpretation in his handwriting

Tagore's own interpretation in his handwriting

  Thus we should stop and educate each and everyone that “Jana Gana Mana” is a song of liberation and shows the true character of our country and let us sing us with pride because this is not a song as this song shows and depicts the sacrifice of our ancestors and  each and every insult of this song is an insult to our ancestors who sacrificed everything that we enjoy fruits of freedom which they themselves never may have experienced and it is the duty of our generation that we respect that. 

The rendition of the song "Jana Gana Mana" by Thodur Madabusi Krishna (vocalist in Karnatik tradition among many other things) [side video] is priceless. Do see the below video on his interpretation of the song Jana Gana Mana and the anthem Jana Gana Mana which is also priceless. I love his idea of reclamation of the ideas which have made India. Do listen and marvel on the genius of Rabindranath Tagore who continues to inspire and question us.

 I have referred this from:- 

http://satyashodh.com/janaganaman/index.htm.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/the-unsung-verses-of-the-national-anthem/175246-3.html.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jana_Gana_Mana_(the_complete_song).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jana_Gana_Mana.
https://heritage-india.com/history-of-the-indian-national-anthem/

(Please read these)

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Why we needed a gold at this olympics.

When this time we went to the olympics there was such a media hype that we would win a bunch of medals and I asked why, that in 4 years how much can a change because the institutions have not changed nor have the mentality or the thought process changed of the people running the institutions (Hockey the perfect example) Yes we would have go medals, which we got was in individual sports, where the persons had become more determined and experienced .

But somehow I  felt  that India wanted a gold very badly and I asked why because silver or bronze is also good as you are one the best in the world. The question still remained why.

The answer was that the olympics was being played in London, the seat of place of imperialism for 200 years where each and every action and thought process was to drain us in each and possible way. To win a gold medal there where the "Firnagi" would hoist the national flag and play our national anthem ....wow..that would have been special because that does not happen always. That is why we needed a gold at London Olympics.

Durga Pujas : Social Revolution.

It is that time of the year when the Durga Puja festivies are back in the air. The place I come from i.e. from Kolkata (formally known as Calcutta), Durga Puja is not just a festival spiritually but a social festival where for three days when the not only Kolkata but the whole of Bengal is in a festive mood. Being a student of history a question which arises in my mind is that as to why is Durga Puja such a big festival and in the same logic as to why is Ganapati such a big festival in many parts of Western India because if we trace back or go back in history we would see that these festivals were something which were started not because of some spiritual reason but as a way to bring the society together. I always believe that any type of puja and especially something like Durga Puja is not something which is not spiritual but when people come together and enjoy and it is more of a social festival and so it questions as to how did this social festival evolve and how did it impact us.

The Durga Puja which is practiced at this time i.e. in the month of October is actually known as “Akaal Bodhon" as the real puja of Durga as per the scriptures is during I which roughly overlaps with the months of March or April but the present puja is done in the done in the month of September – October which is also known as Sharadiya (Autumnal) Durga Puja.

As per the Myth,  logically the story goes as that “Lord Rama” evoked Durga to get her blessings to defeat Ravan, who was the king of present of Sri-Lanka and who had kidnapped his wife Sita and that during the four days of puja was actually the fighting between Rama and Ravan which ended with Rama killing Ravan and that day is celebrated as “Dusshera”, which is also the last day of Durga – Puja. The killing of Ravan over Ram has always being used as win of good of evil.

Coming back to Durga Pujas in Bengal, Durga  Puja where practiced by the Zamindar’s (owners of the land), and they can be various names like “Goswami Barir Pujo in Serampore”, "Chapdani Mukherjee  Barir Pujo", "Saborno Roy Choudhury Barir Pujo" (the owners of Sutanuti, Govindapur and Kalikata  and who leased the lands to Jobe Charnok and these three villages formed Kolkata and  the puja in Saborno Roy Choudhury is considered the oldest puja of Kolkata) but the oldest puja is considered to be Guptipara Puja and this puja is said to be started during the time of “Chaitanaya” and  is considered to be started by one of the teachers of “Chaitanaya” but as time changes so does the age-old traditions and after 1857 there was rise of a class known as “Babus” who also started Durga Puja. “Babus” can be considered the first bureaucracy class which was established by the “Britishers” to run the country.

One of the first “Babus” can be considered to be Maharaj Nabakrishna Deb Bahadur , who was the dewan of Lord Clive  and organised Durga Puja which co-incided with the victory of  Lord Clive  in Plassey over Nawab Siraj –ud Daula (this victory had established East India’s Company Rule over Bengal) and later many “Babus, started organizing Durga Puja and this started the unique culture of “Babu Culture”, where these babus used to spend money like anything like on  kite flying to marrying their pets and organizing parties with pomp and flare which show their status in the society.

These “Babus” where actually a challenge to the age-old traditions of Zamindars as they where some-one who was challenging them in each and everything and fighting with them for status and to show to their status and pomp, they started to organise Durga Pujas. There were many “Babus” pujas and to name a few “Chatthubabu Lattubabu Pujo”, “Hatkhola Dutta Bari”, “Thantahania Dutta Bari” and they were many more but with time they have gone away in the wind.

The Puja which was practised in “Thantahania Dutta Bari” is very much unique as there the puja is not about Durga – Mahishashur but of Shiva – Durga and the reason that Durga is originally a form of Parvati (who is the wife of Lord Shiva) and that Parvati is the daughter of earth and when a married daughter comes to her father’s house after marriage she will not come alone but with her husband and with her children and the puja is not of someone who is savior of earth but as to of a daughter and as a lady in those times could not come out in open public there used to be purdah  or a chick  before the idol. This practice of puja is very much prevalent now as there are many houses which still have maintained this type of puja and that this type of Durja Puja is very much unique and is only found in this part of Bengal.

Apart from these there were certain sections of the society like “Rani Rashmoni Pujo”, “Chunder Pujo”, where the puja was actually done to form a base from where nationalism movements were preached and one of the best examples is the famous story where “Rani Rashmoni” brought the land adjoining Ganga and a huge part of Ganga itself so that the people to conduct Durga Puja without continuos intervention of the Britishers. 

In Bengal we use the term as "Barwari Puja"(the term is a hybrid of baro meaning 12 and yar, which means friends) or Sarbojanin Pujas (Community Puja), which was started as a protest to all the home Durga Pujas where only a few selected persons were selected and not everyone could come and enjoy and thus   pujas where started by community where any one of the community could come and enjoy and anyone could come and participate and enjoy the festivities. "Barwari Puja" is done by collecting of "chaanda" (donations), from the community as a whole so that it is participation of the community and it was started roughly in the  in between the late 19th century and the early 20th century and it was started by  12 friends which is why the name "Barwari Puja" and the friends started the pujas because they were not allowed to enter  the pujas of some zamindar house or Babus puja (I am not sure), i.e. when they thought of coming up with a puja where each and every one could enjoy and the first "Barwari Puja"  was not Durga Puja but  “Jagadhatri  Puja”. 

 This act of making a puja which was in the form of the protest sparked a social revolution and was one the first social revolutions which were started not by some leaders but some common people and it is a shame our bad fortune that the name of those 12 friends who started this puja because now most of the pujas are in the form of “Barwari Puja”. 

This small act of making a puja was start of social revolution as the concept of community has started to evolve at that time, as we are talking of the period of 19^th and 20^th century when for the first time as to what was India was being thought and evolving and that the idea that India did not belong to a few persons only was coming up and what could have been more revolutionary than the concept or the thought that “GOD”, did not belong to a few but to the community as a whole and that the seeds of socialism and democracy was been sowed then back in the 19^th and 20^th century.

A "Barwari Puja" was nothing less than a revolution because it defied the age-old beliefs that “GOD”, “COUNTRY”, “LAND”, belonged to a few but to the whole community (and that struggle which is still going on) and the seeds of these thoughts were started by these small movements which have gone unnoticed and not documented and it is time that we take  start steps where we revive back and bring into knowledge of these revolutions to our future generations  and make them understand that as to what is India and from where did the concept of India evolve.