A Song Born Decades Before Freedom
The journey of 'Jana Gana Mana' began long before India's independence. It was penned by the polymath and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore as 'Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata', a five-stanza hymn. The song was first performed publicly on December 27, 1911, at the Calcutta
session of the Indian National Congress. Sung by Tagore's niece, Sarala Devi Chowdhurani, it was presented as a patriotic composition. However, for years it remained largely within intellectual and cultural circles, one of many patriotic songs that captured the spirit of a nation yearning for freedom. An early controversy falsely claimed it was written to honour King George V, a rumour Tagore himself refuted, clarifying it was a hymn to a divine dispenser of India's destiny, not a British monarch.
The Contenders: Jana Gana Mana vs. Vande Mataram
As India moved towards independence, the question of a national anthem became prominent. There were two main contenders: Tagore's 'Jana Gana Mana' and 'Vande Mataram', a poem from Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's 1882 novel 'Anandamath'. 'Vande Mataram' was the clarion call of the freedom struggle, a song that revolutionaries and activists sang with defiant passion. However, its later verses contained imagery and references that some communities found exclusionary. Recognising this, the Indian National Congress in 1937, on the recommendation of a committee that included Tagore, adopted only the first two stanzas, which celebrate the motherland without specific religious connotations.
An Anthem in Waiting
Between 1947 and 1950, India existed as a sovereign nation without a formally designated anthem. Yet, 'Jana Gana Mana' was steadily gaining de facto acceptance. On the historic night of August 14-15, 1947, as the Constituent Assembly heralded India's freedom, the session concluded with a unanimous performance of 'Jana Gana Mana'. In 1947, it was also presented to the United Nations General Assembly as India's anthem, solidifying its international presence. Its growing popularity was also thanks to Subhas Chandra Bose, who had adopted a Hindi version, 'Subh Sukh Chain', as the anthem for his Indian National Army in 1941.
The Final Decision in 1950
The final decision came on January 24, 1950, just two days before India became a republic. The President of the Constituent Assembly, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, announced the verdict. Instead of a formal vote, he made a statement declaring 'Jana Gana Mana' as the National Anthem of India. He cited its inclusive message and suitability for orchestration as key factors. At the same time, he gave 'Vande Mataram' a place of honour, stating it "shall be honoured equally with Jana Gana Mana and shall have equal status with it" as the national song, recognising its historic role in the freedom struggle. This careful decision aimed to adopt a symbol of unity while respecting the legacy of another powerful patriotic song.
