[Reader-list] Dispenser of India's destiny - Kashmir, Orissa, Bihar, Karnataka

[Gargi Sen]

Dear all,
Over the last rather surreal months I have sometimes felt a strange
connection to the song by Tagore that is used by the Indian state as its
national anthem. Tagore himself translated the poem into English and defined
the Œadhinayak¹ of Œjana, gana, mana¹ as the Œdispenser of India's destiny¹
and claimed that Œthou art the ruler of the minds of all people.¹
It is alleged that the song was written to felicitate George the fifth¹s
coronation as the monarch of the benevolent British empire - that
incidentally also included this very nation - and the Œdispenser of India¹s
destiny¹ was the king. The poet disagreed and said he meant God.

Tagore had a deeply spiritual side and composed various litanies to god so
it is possible that he meant god as the dispenser of India¹s destiny.
Tagore had returned the knighthood conferred to him by his government in
protest. It was perhaps an act of deep insult, though not quite treason,
against the state.
Tagore also criticised the international league of nations and differed with
the Mahatma on many scores, especially caste.

But I have begun to wonder recently whether he was also clairvoyant? Or at
least a clever clown? Had he heard the voices from Batla house? Jamia Nagar?
Srinagar? Did he know already that this nation/ nation-state would soon be
re-defined, region by region, using another set of parameters? Had he sensed
the media circus that Yousuf talks about? Did he know of the fantastic
plans, to build bunds on the Kosi, to link rivers? The conspiracies of
silence, of hate, of using armed military on unarmed citizens, or arming
criminals and unleashing them on adivasis? Did he already know?
Who did he mean when he sang a paean to the the dispenser of destiny?

Be that as it may, today it is certainly jaya he, jaya he, jaya he, jaya
jaya jaya, jaya he.

Gargi Sen