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

[Jhuma Sen]

I had read this article some time back when the controversy started
gathering itself around the national anthem. A part of it is produced
below.

"The mythology surrounds the 1911 visit to India by King George V. To
commemorate the occasion, the Indian National Congress (INC) approached
Tagore for a poem of welcome. As Yeats (his Irish admirer of many years)
recalled later, Tagore was deeply troubled by the assignment. Early one
morning, he composed a very beautiful poem and handed it over to his
colleagues. He suggested that it was a poem addressed to God, and that they
should give it to the Congress people. At the Calcutta Congress session
which began on December 16, 1911, the second day was apparently devoted
entirely to welcoming King George V. *Jana Gana Mana* was sung on this
occasion. Thereafter, the newspaper reports maintained that it was sung as a
salute to the King Emperor (George V). Since Tagore did not immediately
refute the allegation, the perception spread that the song was a eulogy to
the monarchy.
......................................................................


In Tagore's collected works, it is mentioned that the INC requested that
Tagore write a felicitation to the King Emperor as an appeasement gesture to
the British monarchy in response to the annulment of the Bengal Partition
Act. Not only was Tagore troubled by the request, *he was downright offended
by it*. It is said that *Jana Gana Mana* was written more out of protest and
rebellion than adoration towards the monarchy. An objective reading of the
song should make it eminently clear as to whom the poet decided to offer his
worship. In a letter to Pulin Behari Sen, Tagore later wrote, "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* 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."

(http://homepages.udayton.edu/~chattemr/janaganamana.html)


Regards

Jhuma

On Fri, Jul 3, 2009 at 9:20 AM, subhrodip sengupta <sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in
> wrote:

> 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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