[Reader-list] National Anthem - In whose praise ?

[subhrodip sengupta]

Dear Pawan,
Yup some bengali scholar showed some letters to show that it was an appeasement in pro quo to knighthood. on some officer's request. The letters were shown but alas are neither available, nor anybody bothered to match the handwritings, tagore used a typical cursive. However, since the scholar was a bramhin,  and most of them who suported this view, years after tagores death were also bramhins, some people suggested it was another attack to outcaste the Bramho's a british- aided organisation. My take is thus, so many years after tagores death, we research on him . Good. But we do not provide funds for educating and enhancing many more contemporary poets, exept his variety, his writings are greatly inspired from west. There were many morderns who couldnt get recognision in lifetime true. but this master piece which would be bad to suggest tagore thought India lacked oneness or one leader would imply the 
A. Identity politics Gandhi and tagore giving each other names,
B . The desire of Rule, ONe big India, Siasat, the impermissibility of independance, later on. Jinnah had to be given his fair stake so that Nehru could be PM, under identity system.
C. My knowledge of History is really weak, but in 1940's when the first charkha bearing congress flag was flown, tagore was not in list. Most probably the partition scenario and disparity in though which prompted to select this song, reminds us of father of nation, Nehru and others. Their right to fame, I guess.
Remember RGV's RANN.   We should seriously consider skipping the Sind word, in India I believe. And With Indian Navy bearing British symboll for long, well this tradition is also imbibed from them, and Contemporarily it seems there has always been a change of regimes, Aparthied was merely a culture surrounding such regimes, Some people favoured Indian business class, for stake to resources and power, and changing the anthem on such grounds would give fuel to the pseudo nationalist bug, which inspires racism, abuse and harrasment. After all Mughal, British India were also India, and we were the people, lol. We still follow the british customs, the british system of education, imperial brands and what not, how can we seperate that piece from History, if Akbar can be On equal status with the Great lord, why not elisabeth? And why do we still hover around the independance-colonial hangover?
My accounts may be based on a few accounts, and with a bit of apparently faded memory. So members,Please contri....



Regards,
Subhrodip



 



________________________________
From: Pawan Durani <pawan.durani at gmail.com>
To: reader-list <reader-list at sarai.net>
Sent: Thursday, 2 July, 2009 5:52:27 PM
Subject: [Reader-list] National Anthem - In whose praise ?

Dear Readers ,

Many years back I had read that "Jana Gana Mana" or national anthem
was written in praise of King & Queen Of England. There were quite a
few justification about it written like the name of states were only
those which were under English control etc etc.

If someone has good knowledge about this 'controversy' , I would love to know .

How true is it ?

Regards

Pawan

Maybe dear friend Shuddha may write a note on this.
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