What does the Indian national anthem “Jana Gana Mana” mean?

Indian National Anthem

India was declared independent of British colonialism on 15 August 1947, and the reins of control were handed over to the country’s leaders. Achieving India’s independence was an endeavor with destiny, as the struggle for independence was a long one, which saw the sacrifices of many freedom fighters who laid down their lives.

National Anthem is a solemn patriotic song which is officially taken by a country as an expression of national identity. The National Anthem of India, “Jana Gana Mana”, was written by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. The song showcases the national heritage of India and exhibits patriotism, pride and national allegiance. It acts as a catalyst for the feeling of national pride.

Originally, it was a Brahmo hymn named “Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata”, written in Bengali, Sanskrit which contained five stanzas. Today, the anthem which is sung is a snippet of the song as only a single paragraph is adopted as the National Anthem of India. It depicts the religious, regional and cultural unity and diversity of the country. This beloved song of India reflects the emotions which are reverberated in unison.

The National Anthem of India was first sung on December 21 in the year 1911 at the annual conference of the Indian National Congress. Jana Gana Mana was translated by Abid Ali into Hindi and Urdu. It was on January 24, 1950, after Independence that the Constitution of India officially declared Jana Mana Gana as the “National Anthem of India”.

The underlying meaning of our National Anthem is pluralism. It talks about the differences of culture, creed, caste and religion and the feeling of unity which lie inside every Indian.

The whole translation of Jana Gana Mana can be read below –

You are the ruler of minds of people, let the victory be with you,

The dispenser of the destiny of India —Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, Maratha, Dravid, Orissa, Bengal

There are echoes in the hills of Vidhya, and the Himalayas and music is mingled in Yamuna, and Ganga which is chanted by foaming waves of the Indian Sea

Wake up listening to the auspicious name of yours and pray for your blessings, The saving of all the people is lying in your hands.

You are the one to impart well-being to the people, the dispenser of the destiny of India

May you get victory, victory, and victory for you!

The anthem urges us to wake up from slumber and helps in reviving the strife and countless sacrifices which our freedom fighters underwent while waging the war for independence.

Know who composed the rhythm of the National Anthem:

The rhythm in which we sing the national anthem today was composed in Madanapalli, a small district in Andhra Pradesh.

  • Translation 

It was translated into English by Margaret, the wife of the famous poet James Cousin, who was the principal of Besant Theosophical College.

The translation of the national anthem from Sanskritised Bengali to Hindi was done by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.  It was translated into Hindi by Captain Abid Ali and composed by Captain Ram Singh.

 – Under Section 3 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honor Act, 1971, strict action is taken for not following the rules of the National Anthem and for insulting it. 

On the occasion of Republic Day and Independence Day, the national anthem is played in all the schools, colleges, government offices of the country and now even in cinemas before the movie starts.