Jana Gana Mana - A R Rahman

I have reposted this here.

Jana Gana Mana - A R Rahman

[EDITED VERSION OF AN EARLIER POST]


‘Jana Gana Mana’, authored by the Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in Bengali, was instituted as the national anthem of India in 1950. It is as sacred as the National Flag, but then while the flag has just one form and one appeal – the patriotic - and it is indeed treason to mutilate it, the anthem comes in varied renderings, and as many types of appeal. Together with Bharatbala, A R Rahman has produced a masterpiece. In this post, I wish to share parts of the artifact with the sole intention of spreading my own enjoyment. The patriotic is one such appeal, the principal one, at that.

Although it is said in jest that Indians are most prone to exhibit the highest patriotic sentiments when watching cricket matches, there is no gainsaying that the national anthem stirs some intense patriotic feelings deep within, pulls a string or two in the heart, as it were. I often wonder what should the tunes – the original set by Tagore himself, or its allotropic forms - have been made of, that they should be so potent! What is there in them that they manage to move me every time I hear it? Take this very version, for instance. Was the tune composed with that very intention of moving the listener? It couldn’t have been a mere coincidence, could it? If yes, isn’t it damnably UNBELIEVABLE! I run out of words when I attempt to express the beauty of the tune. I abandon the attempt...

A R Rahman's version is an effort to showcase the flavours of the national anthem through soulful music. This was a project in which over 35 great, accomplished musicians of the nation came together to sing or play the national anthem. Their rendering turned out to be a fantastic classic. Most of us would have probably watched this video at some point. The album I am talking about contains, in addition to several other things, this very video. One can get more information about this project here.

The album contains individual renditions of the national anthem by each of 35 artists, both instrumental and vocal. The culminating artifact, i.e. the video, was actually produced by choosing a specific artist's rendition of a specific line and then putting them all together. It would be churlish to expect yourself to stand stiff in attention throughout the video. In fact, I enjoyed the work with my eyes closed and my legs on top of my table. Although seemingly blasphemous, I assuaged my conscience by viewing Rahman's work as an outpouring of love for the nation (patriotism is a form of passion after all isn't it...) or, a poetic expression of love to a beloved nation, or a devotional chant to a sacred diety, or may be, just as musical meditation.

To me, love is respect in its highest form. Our respect for the national anthem need not be fearful, it can be thoroughly innate (we all took Shah Rukh Khan's side in Mohabbatein didn't we!). I found that sitting down while listening not only seemed appropriate but perhaps even necessary, to deal with the emotions that rush through you ... like when The Late Bhimsen Joshi employs micro-cadences or like when Pt. Jasraj sings gahe tava jaya gatha... or like when Rahman himself launches a clarion call: Jaya he, Jaya he, Jaya he... Every performer leaves behind a stamp on this most public of properties. Each one of us has a unique equation with our nation, and this fascinatingly unique album is a reminder of that.

Below, you shall find that I have uploaded the audio tracks in the album. Essentially, I have uploaded the audio versions of every artist's rendition. Please download them and enjoy. My decision to upload tracks was purely because I know that ending with a "please buy this album at your nearest store" would be completely pointless. By doing this, I believe a lot more people will experience the beauty of the creation. Technically, I am doing wrong! However, the fact that this will only lead to good feelings assuages my conscience. If ever I am tried in the court of Hades, I hope to be let off because this act of mine, I am sure, will eventually do more good than bad. Let me close by wondering what exhilarating feelings any human may get by his/her own national anthem!


[No Copyright Infringement Intended!]


[Although all renditions are fabulous, the ones I strongly recommend are coloured red]

Collective Renditions:-
1. Instrumental Version
2. Vocal Version
Individual Renditions:-
1. Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia
2. Pt. Bhimsen Joshi 
3. Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt with Vikku Vinayakram
4. D.K. Pattamal with Nityashree
5. Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan Ali Bangash, Ayaan Ali Bangash with Vikku Vinayakram
6. Pt. Jasraj
7. Lata Mangeshkar
8. Ustad Sultan Khan with Vikku Vinayakram
9. S P Balasubramanyam
10. Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma and Rahul Sharma
11. Dr. Balamuralikrishna
12. Shobha Gurtu - Alaap, Rendition
13. Ravikiran with Vikku Vinayakram
14. Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan with Ghulam Murtaza Khan and Ghulam Qadir Khan
15. Bhupen Hazarika - Alaap, Rendition
16. Saddiq Khan Langa - Alaap
17. Pt. Kartick Kumar and Niladri Kumar
18. Sudha Raghunathan and P. Unnikrishnan
19. Jagjit Singh
20. Rashid Khan - Alaap, Rendition 
21. Asha Bhosle
22. Kumaresh & Ganesh with E. Gayathri 
23. Begum Parweena Sultana - Alaap, Rendition
24. Pt. Ajoy Chakrabarthy
25. Pt. Ajoy Chakrabarthy with Kaushiki Chakrabarthy
26. Hariharan - Alaap, Rendition
27. Kavita Krishnamurthy with Shruti Sadolikar
28. Rabindranath Tagore - ORIGINAL RENDITION