NATIONAL ANTHEM OF INDIA

GURUDEV RAVINDRA NATH TAGORE

The song Jana-gana-mana, composed originally in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore, was adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly as the national anthem of India on 24 January 1950. It was first sung on 27 December 1911 at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress. The complete song consists of five stanzas. The first stanza contains the full version of the National Anthem :

Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka, jaya he

Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.

Punjab-Sindh-Gujarat-Maratha

Dravida-Utkala-Banga

Vindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga

Uchchala-Jaladhi-taranga.

Tava shubha name jage,

Tava shubha asisa mage,

Gahe tava jaya gatha,

Jana-gana-mangala-dayaka jaya heBharata-bhagya-vidhata.

Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he,

Jaya jaya jaya, jaya he!

Playing time of the full version of the national anthem is approximately 52 seconds. A short version consisting of first and last lines of the stanza (playing time approximately 20 seconds) is also played on certain occasions. The following is a translation of Rabindranath Tagore's rendering of the stanza:
"Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people,

dispenser of India's destiny.

The name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sind, Gujarat and Maratha,

of the Dravid and Orissa and Bengal;

It echoes in the hills of the Vindhyas and Himalayas,

mingles in the music of the Yamuna and Ganga

and is chanted by the waves of the Indian Sea.

They pray for thy blessings and sing thy praise.

The salvation of all people is in thy hand,

thou dispenser of India's destiny.

Victory, victory, victory to thee."