[Raj_Copi_Jin]

I agree with most of your reasoning except that in the North at least they do frequently refer to Jai for God. From Siyavar Ramachandra ki jai to Jai Matadi to Jai Bajrangbali. I think the Jai is more like a salutation rather than victory explicitly.

But your point of God unifying the masses, Hindus, Muslims, Christians etc beside his throne, is quite true.

However in spite of everything our national anthem does sound quite grand when played by a full band. In fact it gives me goosebumps of patriotism. Probably not worth abandoning at this point. However individual state anthems may also make sense.

[LottiFurmann]

Of course all national anthems are grand. When I was in India I too felt the same excitement when the national anthem was played. In fact I did not know its specific significance except for the mention of the regions, rivers, and mountains overall. Besides, it is also entrenched now and any thought of replacing it is beyond imagination. But the facts have to be presented and my point is that the anthem is somewhat tainted. In the current trend when we change old names such as Bombay, Calcutta, Madras,Benares, Trivandrum, Calicut etc., into native names, it is anachronistic to sing the national anthem which declares allegiance to a foreign sovereign. By contrast Bharathi's "pArukkuLLE nalla nADu" praises the country and extols the people. In the US the national anthem describes the features of the country and does not even pay obeisance to the leader of the country.

[Paul Bunyan]

Ha ha, I personally think the Japanese national anthem is rather boring. And so is the Australian. And the US national anthem is all about their flag. How quaint!

The point I am making is that most people would be patriotically roused by their own national anthem. That is the whole purpose. The original purpose of the song is unknown and somewhat debatable. But it does serve the present purpose of making people feel patriotic.

Just like the "Star Spangled Banner" makes Americans feel patriotic even though it is about the flag flying undisturbed during the war of 1812. How many Yanks even know about that war now? It is all about the symbolism.

[doctorzlo]

Personally, I would be happy if Bharathi’s song gets wider recognition all the more as the National Anthem of India. But I also wonder what difference it makes in a country where the rulers and the people alike cannot recite the National Anthem. I remember a recent instance in a Government function where the recorded anthem could not be played and no one on the stage could sing it for they did not know the anthem. The function started without the anthem being played. Our people would know “Why this kolaveri?” much more than our national anthem.

If one looks at Independence day or Republic day in India,
For the BPL category people, it is the day they would get some sweets.
For the working class, they get a holiday. Don’t we blame it on the calendar when these days fall on a Sunday?
For the “fun-lovers”, they would have to pay double the rate for the “kick”
For the politicians, they get a chance to display their “identity”
Such is the patriotism in India.

Besides that, I also do not understand why we must have a national song and a national anthem. Typical of India – complicating things for no valid reason.

[Fegasderty]

Dear Mahakavi ji,

I remember reading this article sans Bharati's song in another website.
If I am not mistaken it was at Hindu Jagruti Samaj website.

Anyway why change the national anthem now?
I don't think it's fair to rest of India to have a National Anthem in Tamil..interstate fights will start.

A new Anthem should be composed in Sanskrit so that no one will fight cos there is no Sanskrit race or community.

Here in Malaysia we have National Anthem and State Anthems.

So Bharati's song can be made into Tamil Nadu State Anthem.

Hi Renuka,

Sorry have to disagree

first off, you are assuming the current national athem is acceptable to all ! & that Tamil National Anthem will create issues when a Bengali National Anthem did not create one ! Current National Anthem is not fair to south who have no connection to Bengali or Hindi !

By your own logic, this current National Anthem should become a Bengali State Anthem so that the rest of us spared from parroting this song !!

yes, I agree with your view that the National Anthem should be from Sanskrit, Bharatavarshe itself originates first in Sanskrit !!
PS: Sanskrit race / community are the south brahmins who read, learn, chant Sanskrit. It is our real mother tongue !!

Cheers,
JK

[Fegasderty]

OK, now that we have varied disagreement and any one particular regional language is not acceptable to all and that Sanskrit is not in common parlance let us have one in English. Bharathi's paean about the country can be rewritten in English and that can be the national anthem. I see lot of you nodding your heads in the negative since English is a foreign language. We all use English, right? We accepted Islam and Christianity in India (like it or not). So why not adopt English as our own? Of course it won't fly in the north at all where the "angrezi hatao" slogan reigns supreme. But the status quo is not acceptable to me.

[Ifroham4]

PS: Sanskrit race / community are the south brahmins who read, learn, chant Sanskrit. It is our real mother tongue !!

Cheers,
JK

Dear JK,

Why are you leaving the North Indian Brahmins out?
They also read,learn and chant Sanskrit isn't it?

BTW the Indian National Anthem has lots of Sanskrit words in it.

[Paul Bunyan]

Hi Renuka,

Sorry no deliberate intent. Agree, this applies to North Brahmins as well.

I understand your view that the national anthem has sanskrit words in it. However this is mired in a lot of controversy. so there is no harm in looking for a new anthem that is more unifying

Cheers,
JK

[Paul Bunyan]

Is there a ground swelling demand, is there a nationwide strike for changing the National Anthem of India?
Or is it some idle mind exercise, to stimulate the mind.

If it is not broken don't fix it. There are lot more pressing problem to solve in India.

[Slonopotam845]

Is there a ground swelling demand, is there a nationwide strike for changing the National Anthem of India?
Or is it some idle mind exercise, to stimulate the mind.

If it is not broken don't fix it. There are lot more pressing problem to solve in India.

Yes, it is broken and needs fixing. It depends on the perspective that one has.
It is not just an idle exercise. Other prominent people have raised this issue before. The thinking in government circles including the judiciary is that "we adopted it and so we will not change it now". In their opinion it would tantamount to accepting a failure. The irony is either most people don't know the background and meaning or turn a blind eye and deaf ear to it. What I don't know does not hurt me--right?

As for solving this problem, it does not require monetary or other resources such as labor, time etc. It just requires a deliberation and a decision. They could even conduct a competition for a new anthem just like they did for the symbol for the rupee in international currency markets.

Anyway it was an exercise worth bringing up for discussion in this group, if nothing else.

[Raj_Copi_Jin]

"Janagana mana" is a good National Anthem. Though the purpose of writing this song was different, it fits in for our National Anthem nicely. Interestingly when I was a Scout cadet with the Hindustan Scout troupe during my school days, this song was our Scout Anthem. Driven by the wave of Nationalism Hindustan Scout movement was an alternate Scout movement started by Annie Besant, Geroge Arundale, Pt.Hridhyanath Kunzsru and some other nationalists against Baden-Powell Scouts which denied admission of natives in Boys Scouts & Guides . After independence this was merged into the Bharat Scouts & Guides.

Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

[Big A]

No.5, Dr REnuka, I dont agree to have separate National Anthemfor center and States. That will be a dangerous proposal. yes this Mahakavi Bharathi'ssong could be translated into sanskrit and attempt could be made to make that as national Anthem. However, I dont think muslims will agree because they think sanskrit is fo Hindu language

[Paul Bunyan]

[QUOTE=sudeshwer;140158]...........yes this Mahakavi Bharathi'ssong could be translated into sanskrit and attempt could be made to make that as national Anthem. However, I dont think muslims will agree because they think sanskrit is fo Hindu language[/QUOTE[That is why my suggestion in the earlier post was to translate in Hindi!

After all it seems to be our national language!!

[radikal]

That is why my suggestion in the earlier post was to translate in Hindi! After all it seems to be our national language!!

Please read this: Hindi is NOT the National language of India

[tgs]

IMHO, it may not be possible to change the national anthem now, after singing it for years together!

Bharathiyar's grandson Sri. Rajkumar Bharathi tried to change the tune of the famous song 'chinnanj chiru kiLiyE kaNNammA'

and it was a total flop. The tune introduced in the movie is accepted and followed by all the leading and amateur musicians.

So, what will happen if the lyrics and tune are totally different? Will all the Indians accept Bharathiyar's song?

PS: This is not as easy as changing 'Madras' as 'Chennai', 'Bombay' as 'Mumbai', 'Bangalore' as 'Bengaluru' or 'Calcutta' as 'Kolkata'!

[Raj_Copi_Jin]

<b><font color="#000080">>>Bharathiyar's grandson Sri. Rajkumar Bharathi

[PhillipHer]

[QUOTE=Raji Ram;140164]

...........yes this Mahakavi Bharathi'ssong could be translated into sanskrit and attempt could be made to make that as national Anthem. However, I dont think muslims will agree because they think sanskrit is fo Hindu language

The muslims objected to the song of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya's vande mataram song and hence was abandoned. Like that they will object to anything connected with Hindu (Sanskrit, sambhAr, tayir sAdham etc., too). As the saying goes, குனியக் குனியக் குட்டுவார் குட்டக் குட்டக் குனிந்தால்

[brraverishhh]

.. correction: Rajkumar is the great-grandson of the mahAkavi Bharathi........

Thanks for the correction. I shall remember this!

In this video notes, Poet Bharathi's great grandson is given as great poet Bharathi grandson.

Nalla kaalam varuguthu - Shri. Rajkumar Bharathi - YouTube

[HedgeYourBets]

understand. It is difficult for the North Indians to accept a song sung by a South Indian. even Vande matharam was not accepted. Moroever, South Indian politicians, particularly TN politicians dont have the bone to take up any issue strongly. take the care of Dr Abdul Kalam; which TN politicians support him for the Presidentship?? the above quoted Bharatjhiyar song has tremendous meaning on National nlevel. but Alas,it cannot gather any support from any quarter.

[LottiFurmann]

well analysed, explained, clarified etc. yet I feel it will be a herculian task to try to change the present National Anthem.