Time for Indian National Anthem to Go?

In recent weeks, I have been bombarded with emailsGeorge VI, or any other George."
regarding Indian national anthem from various emailIf this categorical rejection by the author doesn't lay
groups that I am member of. While traditionally thethe controversy to rest, then the controversy
controversy has always owed its origins to Hindusurrounding Vande Matram, which for a time was a
nationalist forces that prefer Chaterjee's Vandefront-runner to be the national anthem, should. It lost out
Matram over Tagore's Jana Gana Mana, the recentto Tagore's composition only because it had strong
resurgence of pride in India and Indian culture hasreligious undertones. The song equates India with
bolstered the rank of another constituency thatGoddess Durga, a popular Hindu deity. Here, I quote
attacks Tagore's composition. This constituencyTagore once more. In his letter to Subhash Bose, he
believes that the anthem was actually composed inwrote that "The core of Vande Mataram is a hymn to
the honor of King George V of United Kingdom whenDurga; this is so plain that there can be no debate
he visited India in 1911 and therefore it's a relic ofabout it.... No Muslim can be expected patriotically to
colonial period that needs to go to erase signs ofworship the ten-handed deity as Swadesh (Mother
continued psychological subservience to the "west".land)." This criticism remains valid to this day. India has
First, let's consider whether there is any evidence thatthe second highest Muslim population in the world and
Jana Gana Mana was actually written in praise ofpeople of all religions in the world inhabit it. National
British crown. Next, we will examine the suitability ofanthem is a rallying cry to unite all people behind it. By
Vande Matram for the national anthem. The pressadopting a particularistic anthem, India would be
reports at the time seem to corroborate the claim. Forrejecting one of the basic tenets of its constitution.
example, Statesman on December 28, 1911 and theTherefore, can Vande Matram replace Jana Gana
Indian a day later reported that Tagore sang a songMana as national anthem? Absolutely not!
on the occasion specially composed by him in honor ofThis doesn't, however, mean that Jana Gana Mana
the emperor. There are however other version of theautomatically gets a perennial extension. After all, life
story that have floating around. One such versionoffers more choices than just one. It has to be
claims that Tagore wrote a song in praise of God, butunderstood, though, that there are more legitimate
he let the Congress party use it as it thought fit, andreasons for replacing or modifying the national anthem
the Congress used it to welcome the emperor.than the irresolvable controversy of whose praise it
However, what did Tagore himself to have to saywas initially composed in. One such reason is that the
about the controversy? He was incensed at thissong includes only those states that were part of union
suggestion. He wrote to his friend P.B. Sen that "I wasduring British India and excludes then nominally
approached by some official and it caused a great stirindependent princely states like Kashmir, Rajasthan,
in my heart. In response to that great mental turmoil, IAndhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala, which are an
pronounced the victory in Jana Gana Mana of thatintegral part of the union now.
God of Destiny who has from age after age heldIn conclusion, change the anthem if you must, but don't
steadfast the reins of India's chariot through rise andlook back. Look forward and engage creative writers
fall, through the straight path and the curved. That Lordto compose more appropriate anthem for this day and
of Destiny, that Reader of the Collective Mind of India,age. Be proud to be Indian, but without making half of
that Perennial Guide, could never be George V,them feel excluded!