* Not all countries have both a national anthem and a national song.
* A national anthem is a song that is set to music, and has an exalted status for the people of the country.
* There are rules and regulations as well as propriety pertaining to a national anthem, while a national song, though important, is not sung compulsorily in national ceremonies where it is only national anthem that has to be sung.
* National anthem, requires the audience to give it a standing ovation and sing along with it, if possible.
* National anthem arouses feelings of nationalism and reminds citizens of the history and culture of the country.
What is the national song of India?
* Vande Mataram (Bengali script: বন্দে মাতরম্, Devanagari: वन्दे मातरम्, Vande Mātaram)—literally, "I praise thee, Mother"—is a poem from Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's 1882 novel Anandamath. It was written in Bengali and Sanskrit. It is a hymn to the Mother Land.
* This is our National Song. The song Vande Mataram, was a source of inspiration to the people in their struggle for freedom. It has an equal status with Jana-gana-mana. The first political occasion when it was sung was the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress.
National anthem of India:
* The song, Jana-gana-mana, composed originally in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore (was translated into Hindi-Urdu by Abid Ali) was adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly as the National Anthem of India on January 24, 1950. It was first sung on December 27, 1911 at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress.
Interesting facts about our National Anthem:
* The false myth that Jana Gana Mana was written and composed by Tagore to praise George the Fourth, who visited India in 1911.* In a letter dated 19th March 1939, Tagore wrote - "I should only insult myself if I cared to answer those who consider me capable of such unbounded stupidity as to sing in praise of George the Fourth or George the Fifth as the Eternal Charioteer leading the pilgrims on their journey through countless ages of the timeless history of mankind. That pretty much explains it.
* A hoax message spread like wild fire across e-mail, Whatsapp and social media, that UNESCO announced our anthem as the 'Best National Anthem' in the world. UNESCO intervened and denied any such declaration from their end.
* The first rendition of the song was during a convention of the Indian National Congress on December 16th, 1911. 'Jana Gana Mana' was performed for the first time in Hamburg on 11th September, 1942. It was only on 24th January 1950 that this song was officially declared as India's national anthem.
* The musical notations for the English translation of our national anthem were set by Margaret, wife of poet James H. Cousins, who was the principal of Besant Theosophical College.
* Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose commissioned a free translation of the national anthem from Sanskritized Bengali to Urdu-Hindi. The translation was written by Captain Abid Ali, composed by Captain Ram Singh Thakur and was called Subah Sukh Chain.
* There is no provision of law which compels anyone to sing the national anthem. It is not considered disrespectful to the nation or to the anthem if a person chooses only to stand up in respectful silence.
* Formal rendition of the anthem should take 52 seconds by law, and not 54 seconds.
* Interestingly, Rabindranath Tagore has written the national anthem of Bangladesh as well.
* In 2005, many protested and called for deleting the word Sindh and to replace it with the word Kashmir. Argument was that Sindh is now a part of Kashmir.
Some more facts:
* Every country has a song or poetic verse that serves the purpose of filling its people with feelings of nationalism and is played at official functions such as national days and international games and meets. It is one song that is set to music and has a standard duration and dignity to be sung in a proper manner. There is also a song given the status of a national song, though many countries do not have a national song and have just a national anthem.
* There are many differences between a national anthem and a national song, though not many are aware of them, and some confuse between the two not knowing their values and significance. A good example to explain these two terms is India where both are available. Let us take a closer look at the national anthem and national songs with reference to India.
* A national anthem has an exalted status in the minds of the citizens and requires propriety before it can be sung. It is usually reserved to be sung on special occasions like republic day, Independence Day, and international sports meet.
* A national anthem is a song that is revered by the people of the country and is granted privileges by the constitutions and law. There are occasions when singing of national anthem can be declared compulsory. In most cases, and certainly in Indian case, national anthem is a patriotic song that arouses feelings of nationalism. It is granted official status by the government and sung at all national ceremonies.
* A national song has a less exalted status than a national anthem and is not sung at national ceremonies (there is no compulsion certainly). There are no rules and regulations to be observed while national song is being sung, though it commands respect and arouses sentimental feelings in the minds of the citizens of the country.
* In India, it was the constituent assembly that granted the status of national anthem to Jana Gana Mana, while according the status of national song to Vande Mataram.
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