Lyric and background history of song janoganomano adhinayaka

Parjaay: Swadesh (14)

Taal: Kaharwa

Raag: Iman

Written on: 1911

Published in: Tatwabodhini Patrika

Swarabitan: 16 (Geetapanchashika) / 47

Notation by: Dinendranath Tagore

Notes: This song was first sung on 28th December, 1911 at Calcutta.

Neither the manuscript of this song has been found nor the date and time of composition of this song have been discovered. On 27th December this song was sung by a chorus on the occasion of 26th Annual Conferrence of the Indian National Congress held between 26th and 28th December 1911 at Calcutta. Dinendrnath Tagore had been the leader of the rehearsal that was held at the residence of Dr.Nilratan Sarkar on Harrison road. The news along with the translation of the song was published on the next day by The Bengali, the daily. On the Magh, 1318B edition of Tatwabodhini magazine the song was first published with a heading Brahma-sangeet. The same year the song was sung as Brahma-sangeet in the Maghotsava celebration.

A controversy had erupted when this song was proposed as the National Anthem of the independent India when a few people had claimed that the song was written to commemorate arrival of the British King, George V. Pulinbihari Sen, an ex-student of the VisvaBharati University had written a letter to Rabindranath asking him to explain the objective of the song. Rabindranath had replied him on 20th November, 1937 –

… Preparations were on for the reception of the British King, George V on his arrival to India that year. One of my friends, well-positioned in the British Government, had come to me with a special request to compose a song in salutation of the British Emperor. I was very much surprised and infuriated as well. I have hailed for Him who governs the destiny of India in my song Janaganamana Adhinayaka in a forceful reaction to that request; the eternal Charioteer for travelers pursuing crests and troughs of the jagged route, He who is the perpetual reconnoiter of the people, the timeless charioteer of the human fortune can never be any George, whether fifth or sixth; my friend, however faithful to the British he might be, too could quite feel that. …

Rabindranath had used it in various occasions, although the song had been at the center of confusion for a short period of time. In 1919 he had been to Madanapalli in South India where a meeting was organised to pay tribute to him by James H.Cousins, Principal of the Theosophical College and his friend. In this meeting Rabindranath had sung this song and introduced it as ‘The Morning Song of India’. The College Management had been fascinated by the composition and its inherent meaning. It was selected as a prayer song for daily assembly in the College.

From Geneva Rabindranath had travelled to Moscow in September, 1930. He was greeted by a group of orphan children at ‘Pioneers’ Commune’. After a brief session of questionnaire He had sung the song ‘Janaganamana’ on request.