BENGALURU : The national anthem of a country is a matter of pride – a symbol of patriotism, and a song meant to unite the people of the nation, just as a flag does. The national anthem is usually played at State events, in the presence of important ministers and dignitaries, and even at international sporting events. Most of us have learnt the national anthem while singing it at school events. National anthems vary from country to country. The first country to adopt a national anthem was Great Britain in 1825.
The shortest national anthem is Uganda’s, being eight bars in duration. The Greek national anthem, on the other hand, is the longest, with 158 stanzas. The lyrics of the Japanese national anthem are the oldest and date back to the 9th century, while the Spanish national anthem has no lyrics at all.
Having recently celebrated Independence Day, it is a good time to take a closer look at the Indian National Anthem. Jana Gana Mana, India’s national anthem, is 52 seconds long. Whenever it is performed or sung, that is the duration to be maintained.
Rabindranath Tagore wrote the five-stanza poem Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata highlighting India’s culture and diversity. Also credited with composing the melody, he first performed it first in 1911 at a Congress meeting. Written in Sanskritised Bengali, the poem was subsequently translated into 22 languages, including English.
The first stanza, Jana Gana Mana, became India’s National Anthem on January 24, 1950, the eve of India’s first Republic Day. It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly and announced by India’s first president, Dr Rajendra Prasad.
Respect for the National Anthem is mentioned in Article 51A(a) of the Indian Constitution which states: “Every Indian citizen has a responsibility to uphold the Constitution’s values and institutions, as well as the National Flag and the National Anthem’’. A court ruling clarified that no one could be forced to sing the national anthem but must stand in respect.
From time to time, controversies arose, be it suggesting the removal or replacement of certain words, or whether or not it should be played at certain events or in certain places, but the anthem remains a symbol of patriotism and pride for Indians everywhere. Numerous renditions of Jana Gana Mana exist, from solo vocal versions to brass band arrangements and orchestral performances to one with 75 artistes that features all five original stanzas.