Read a piece of news that said Muslims in India have issued a fatwa against the National Song because it calls us to worship the country. Even with some amount of patriotism, I think I understand their point, you know. Why would anyone go against the tenets of one’s religion, something that one follows in every manner possible, to go worship something else? Even if it is the country we are talking about. And why just Muslims? What about Parsis, Sikhs, Arya Samajis and all those people who do not worship anything but one being?
In fact, Muslims are the only people I know who follow their religion so well. How many of us Hindus have been inside a temple in the last five years? How many of us Christians have lit the candle on Sunday? But all the Muslims I know have done their Ramzan and read the Quran. So if religion is so important to them, why would they want to go against it and worship the country? Perfectly justified, I think.
And come to think of it, I do not think the national anthem is that great either. Ok, I do feel very nice when it’s being sung, and I insist on people standing in attention for it, but the song was meant to be an ode to the English king, for Christ’s sake !! And the words in it are so bloody obsolete…Sindh is not even a part of India, even if we do have Sindhis here, and Orissa is Orissa, not Utkal any more. Bengal is West Bengal, not Bango. And seen one way, it too calls for blessings from the country…taba shubha ashish maage…which is again not in keeping with the vast population following Islam in this country. Couldn’t we have something neutral…something that all of us can sing without it being a bone of contention for anyone…something lie Saare Jahaan Se Achha…?
What do you think?
Filed under: Opinion, Social | Tagged: fatwa against vande mataram, Indian National Anthem, Indian national song, Jana Gana Mana, Vande mataram
ahem.. only one problem Suchi..
following your neutral suggestion if we try singing “saare jahan se accha.. hindustan hamara..” it will be oppsed (by muslims only i m sure) as calling Hindustan (meaning place for hindus) where other religions are very much there..and again following your logic Hindustan is backdated as we call our country India.
lets see.. what if we try our another most popular song “Bandemataram..”. Oh! no! that is again worshiping the country as mother..(matri vandana)..!!then what !!
I just think it is not really fair to relate ones national song to ones religion.as I b’live feeling for your country and is much more imp that following your religion.
and about national song.. its not about just the words not just the tune..its more like a common feeling that we all relate to..
substituting or changing it is not a easy task..is it!!
Well, we dont really know the history behind it, isn’t it? Aren’t there doubts whether Tagore had written that song as an ode to King George? I mean, by then, the Partition of Bengal had already taken place and Tagore had voiced his protest against it. So it seems weird that he would do suck up to the British after that.
Also, what is meant by worshipping a country? It is not following any ritual, nor visiting religious places, not lighting diyas, not chanting slokas….its definition varies from person to person and for me, it is what Tarashankar Bandhopadhyaya said in ‘Dhatri Debota’ – if u can respect and provide help, support, love to your countrymen, the poor, illiterate, famished Indians with all their vices, then “mrinmoyee maa chinmoyee hoye uthben”.
It is probably not true completely in today’s world, but we can surely understand what is being implied.
Is there really a pukka secular song? Maybe someone should commission Gulzar to pen one… though that would, without question, enrage the saffron brigade.
We’re too big, too different, too uptight and too non-tolerant. India cannot have a national anthem that works for everyone.