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About India: Indian National Anthem

What is a National Anthem?

A national anthem (also "national hymn", "song" etc.) is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.

Although National Anthems gained prominence in Europe in the 19th Century, the oldest national anthem in the world is the Duch National anthem "Het Wilhelmus" which was written between 1568 and 1572 during the Dutch Revolt.

History of the National Anthem

The song 'Jana Gana Mana' was originally composed in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore on 11 December 1911 and was named 'Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata' which is composed of five verses. Only the first verse has been adopted as the national anthem.

The song was first publicly sung on the second day of the annual session of the Indian National Congress in Calcutta (Kolkata) on 27 December 1911. During the first session of the Indian Contituent Assembly as a sovereign body at midnight on 14 August 1947 the session was closed with a performance of "Jana Gana Mana".

It was adopted as the Indian national anthem on 24 January 1950.

National Anthem Lyrics

The anthem is written in highly Sanskritized Bengali and is part of a Brahmo poem. Only first of five stanzas of the hymn were made part of the anthem. A formal rendition of the national anthem takes fifty-two seconds.

The Anthem Reads:

The following is the english translation of the anthem:

Thou art the rulers of the minds of all people,
dispenser of India's destiny.
Thy name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sind, Gujarat and Maratha,
Of the Dravida and Orissa and Bengal;
It echoes in the hills of the Vindhyas and Himalayas,
mingles in the music of Yamuna and Ganga and is chanted by
the waves of the Indian Sea.
They pray for thy blessings and sing thy praise.
The saving of all people waits in thy hand,
thou dispenser of India's destiny,
Victory, victory, victory to thee.

A short version consisting of the first and last lines of the National Anthem is also played on certain occasions. It reads as follows:

Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka jaya he
Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.
Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he,
Jaya jaya jaya jaya he.

Playing time of the short version is about 20 seconds.

Playing of the Anthem

The National Anthem of India is played or sung on various occasions. Instructions have been issued from time to time about the correct versions of the Anthem, the occasions on which these are to be played or sung, and about the need for paying respect to the anthem by observance of proper decorum on such occasions. The substance of these instructions has been embodied in this information sheet for general information and guidance.

The full version of the Anthem shall be played on the following occasions:

1. 1. Civil and Military investitures;
   2. When National Salute (which means the Command “Rashtriya Salute – Salami Shastr” to the accompaniment of the National Anthem is given on ceremonial occasions to the President or to the Governor/Lieutenant Governor within their respective States/ Union Territories;
   3. During parades – irrespective of whether any of the dignitaries referred to in (ii) above is present or not;
   4. On arrival of the President at formal State functions and other functions organized by the Government and mass functions and on his departure from such functions;
   5. Immediately before and after the President addresses the Nation over All India Radio;
   6. On arrival of the Governor/Lieutenant Governor at formal State functions within his State/Union Territory and on his departure from such functions;
   7. When the National Flag is brought on parade;
   8. When the Regimental Colours are presented;
   9. For hoisting of colours in the Navy.
2. The short version of the Anthem shall be played when drinking toasts in Messes.
3. The Anthem shall be played on any other occasion for which special orders have been issued by the Government of India.
4. Normally the Anthem shall not be played for the Prime Minister, though there may be special occasions when it may be played.
5. When the National Anthem is played by a band, the Anthem will be preceded by a roll of drums to assist the audience to know that the National Anthem is going to be played, unless there is some other specific indication that the National Anthem is about to be played, as for example, when fanfares are sounded before the National Anthem is played, or when toasts are drunk to the accompaniment of the National Anthem or when the National Anthem constitutes the National Salute given by a Guard of Honour. The duration of the roll, in terms of marching drill, will be 7 paces in slow march. The roll will start slowly, ascend to as loud a volume as possible and then gradually decreases to original softness, but remaining audible until the seventh beat. One beat rest will then be observed before commencing the National Anthem.

Whenever the Anthem is sung or played, the audience shall stand to attention. However, when in the course of a newsreel or documentary the Anthem is played as a part of the film, it is not expected of the audience to stand as standing is bound to interrupt the exhibition of the film and would create disorder and confusion rather than add to the dignity of the Anthem.

As in the case of the flying of the National Flag, it has been left to the good sense of the people not to indulge in indiscriminate singing or playing of the Anthem.

Mass singing of the Anthem

1. The full version of the Anthem shall be played accompanied by mass singing on the following occasions:
   1. On the unfurling of the National Flag, on cultural occasions or ceremonial functions other than parades. (This could be arranged by having a choir or adequate size, suitably stationed, which would be trained to coordinate its singing with the band etc. There should be an adequate public audition system so that the gathering in various enclosures can sing in unison with the choir);
   2. On arrival of the President at any Government or Public function (but excluding formal State functions and mess functions) and also immediately before his departure from such functions.
2. On all occasions when the National Anthem is sung, the full version shall be recited accompanied by mass singing.
3. The Anthem may be sung on occasions which, although not strictly ceremonial, are nevertheless invested with significance because of the presence of Ministers etc. The singing of the Anthem on such occasions (with or without the accompaniment of an instruments) accompanied by mass singing is desirable.
4. It is not possible to give an exhaustive list of occasions on which the singing (as distinct from playing) of the Anthem can be permitted. But there is no objection to the singing of the Anthem accompanied by mass singing so long as it is done with due respect as a salutation to the motherland and proper decorum is maintained.
5. In all schools, the day’s work may begin with community singing of the Anthem. School authorities should make adequate provision in their programmes for popularising the singing of the Anthem and promoting respect for the National Flag among students.

Playing of Foreign Anthems

1. At receptions to foreign dignitaries in India at which the giving of National Salute has been prescribed, full version of the National Anthem of the visiting dignitary’s country should be played first, followed by the full version of the National Anthem of India.
2. At dramatic, film or other cultural festivals organised by a diplomatic or consular representative of a foreign country in India, the National Anthem of the foreign country concerned may be played with the National Anthem of India. The foreign Anthem should be played first followed immediately by the Indian Anthem.
3. At functions arranged by foreign Missions for celebrating their National Days, the National Anthem of the country holding the function may be played or sung. On theses occasions if the President of India is represented by a Chief Guest not below the rank of a Cabinet Minister of the Central Government or by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi (if the function is held in Delhi) the National Anthem of India may be played first followed by the playing of the National Anthem of the country hosting the function. This procedure will also be followed if the function includes proposing of the toasts to Heads of States i.e. the Indian Anthem should be played immediately after the toast has been proposed to the President of India and the National Anthem of the foreign country should be played immediately after the toast to Head of that country is proposed. In case National Anthem of India and of the country hosting the function have been played at the beginning of the function, there will be no need to play the Anthem of either or both the countries if any toasts are proposed.

Note: When the National Anthem is required to be played immediately before or after the National Anthem of a foreign country, as laid down in Section above, there should be no simultaneous singing of the National Anthem. However, mass singing of the National Anthem should be required when it is played immediately before or after the Anthem of another country in the event that the visiting dignitary and his delegation are singing their own National Anthem.