The Indian National Anthem is Strenuous to Sing Yet Quintessential

When Rabindranath Tagore first presented Jana Gana Mana to a session of the Indian National Congress in Calcutta in 1911, he commenced over 70 years of patriotic singing by Indians. Jana Gana Mana became the official national anthem of India in January 1950, but it had been used as a college prayer for decades before that and was popular from the start. The problem with this anthem? The melody and lyrics weren't exactly written for the masses.

Women singing the Indian national anthem. Image source: India Today

The Jan Gan Man anthem is challenging to sing for children and adults alike. The anthem contains low and high notes, sometimes within the same line. It's not only the anthem's broad range; the entire song is challenging to sing. The "Star-Spangled Banner" of the United States and "O Canada" of Canada are two national anthems that are also notoriously difficult to sing. Discussions regarding the political and cultural significance of Tagore's anthem began in 2005 when the term Sindh was to be removed from the national anthem and replaced with Kashmir. In 2010, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy proposed substituting the national anthem with the Indian National Army's rendition. The Indian Supreme Court has repeatedly denied altering the words of the national anthem, therefore they stay the same. However, the Indian national anthem is not going anywhere anytime soon, despite its challenging range.

The Indian national anthem is sung at sporting events, movie theatres, and schools across the nation. However, due to its high-pitched notes and challenging lyrics, singing it has proven to be demanding. Every Republic Day and Independence Day, Jana Gana Mana is played as Indians around the world watch stirring patriotic displays live or on television. It's a song that covers a lot of India's essential characteristics. The anthem's complex lyrics have caused a few stumbles for anyone who has attempted to sing it; this is not meant as an insult but rather to highlight why so many individuals struggle with the song.

In commemoration of India's 75th Independence Day, 75 singers and musicians joined together to perform in Jaya Hey 2.0. With 1.8 million views on YouTube, this is one of the most humbling and revered performances of the national anthem. As a citizen of the country, when you listen to the song, you feel something, especially when it's sung by the right singers.

A microphone with a 'Jaya Hey' plaque on it. Image source: Hindustan Times

One of the most popular ragas in Indian music is the Yaman Kalyan and it is widely used in Bollywood music, folk music and much more. Manoj Govindraj, a classically trained singer, describes it as one of the favourite ragas of Indian music director, Roshan Lal Nagrath and Indian film director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali. It's popularly used in songs such as Laal Ishq, Yoon Shabnami, and Mile Na Phool To. The raga Yaman Kalyan appears to be the inspiration for India's national song.

The notes of the national anthem are presented flat, i.e., in straight transition, as opposed to raga renditions where they are rendered with meend (glide). Thus, neither is it essential nor does the raga develop. In truth, if correctly performed by an orchestra, and not the masses, the national anthem of India sounds incredibly melodic due to the correct delivery of the notes.

Look at the anthem's lyrics, which include phrases like "Punjaba-Sindhu-Gujarata-Maratha, Dravida-Utkala-Banga, Vindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga-Uchchala-Jaladhi-Tiranga". Lines 2, 3, and 4 are sung in one breath. Additionally, these phrases are more geographically descriptive than motivational, in contrast to the remainder of the song. Furthermore, they are phrased sequentially, so it is understandable why they don't seem to stick in one's mind.

So, the question arises, shouldn't a national anthem be something that everyone can sing? However, how frequently do Indians do that? Especially young adults. The major settings in which the majority of Indians hear or sing this song include when the National flag is hoisted, at parade demonstrations, formal ceremonies, or if they choose, in some movie theatres. Despite the many controversies with the Indian national anthem, it is not going anytime soon, so enjoy it.