I read your essay on the "true intention" of Tagore in writing the National Anthem. Its very factual but it hardly disputes the fact that in the original Bengali verses only those provinces that were under British rule, i.e. Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, etc. were mentioned. None of the princely states were recognized --Kashmir, Rajasthan, Andhra, Mysore or Kerala. Neither the Indian Ocean nor the Arabian Sea were included, since they were directly under Portuguese rule at that time. So was Tagore not honoring the British who ruled India? If so, then he was clearly glorifying the Vidhata of British India. Moreover, King George V had proclaimed on Dec.12 the annulment of the partition of Bengal. There was therefore nothing unnatural or extraordinary in a Bengali poet composing or singing a song in praise of the Emperor out of gratitude. His reliquinshing of his Knighthood does not disprove the fact that Jana Gana Mana was not written in praise of George; It happened 9 years later and he was just disassociating himself from the British because of Jallianwala bagh. Why, can you explain, was "Vande Matram" more readily adopted by freedom fighters and common people alike in their protest marches against the British rule? And nobody sang Jana Gana Mana. Tagore was a great and unmatched poet, artist and composer, but that hardly is a basis to glorify (or doubt) his patriotism. I think your essay is doing just that; it glorifies it based on his artistic abilities.

-Harshad

Dear Mr. Sane:

Thank you for your observations re. the "Tagore and Jana Gana Mana" article. Your observations are appropriate and understandable; interestingly, they are along very similar lines as I had earlier received in feedback from another correspondent.

First of all, let me mention at the outset that in raising or debating a speculative issue about someone who is no longer with us is almost guaranteed to be beyond any resolution. It is much like the classic legal scenario wherein the defendant is absent while the prosecution and the defense teams exchange their respective missiles and slingshots. I have no illusion of being able to argue on Tagore's behalf and convince detractors on this issue of the validity of the counterpoint. Why, then, did I even care to write on this subject? The reason, quite simply, is that I was prompted by more than one friend to try and make a case in defense of what they (and indeed I as well) believe to have been Tagore's motivation behind the writing of the poem, and especially since the assumption of his glorifying a colonial monarch can potentially distort the vision of those who are only peripherally familiar with Tagore.

Next, let it be understood that neither Bankim Chandra Chatterjee nor Rabindranath Tagore planned the writing of Vande Mataram and Jana Gana Mana as potential candidates for India's national anthem. Once again, if people in sizable numbers choose to presume such intentions (incidentally, I do not imply that this is the point of your question; however, this is a very interesting and I believe relevant hypothetical here) on the part of the authors- there is nothing that neither the authors (obviously) nor their defenders can do to induce people to change their views. Therefore, indeed if more freedom fighters happened to have chosen Bankim's poem (which, incidentally, was by no means free from controversies, especially from Muslim quarters, wherein Bankim was, wrongfully, in my opinion, derided for being rather "pro-Hindu nationalistic") over Tagore's, it was what I would simply describe as poor Rabindranath's sheer misfortune. Here is the scenario: two authors in advance of the origins of the controversies, write a novel and a poem, respectively, in which they hail their motherland- one as a perennial Devi figure, and the other as a Destiny figure that has guided India through her history. Now, years later, their fellow countrymen believe what they believe about the intentions of the authors vis-a-vis the poems in question- and a quarrel ensues regarding intentions and inclinations. Does the fact that the one poem is embraced more than the other by groups of people provide any further proof (or any proof whatsoever, for that matter) of Tagore's imperial glorification? Imagine, then, how defenseless Tagore is, should any fresh "controversy" arise out of modern Bangladesh, now that Tagore's Amar Sonar Bangla is that country's national anthem, having been so chosen in 1971?

Perceptions and impressions are, to me, intrinsically suspect measures. I hardly need to dwell upon the manner of poetic constructions that must follow patterns of rhyme, rhythm, meters, length, artistic beauty and content. A poem (and more particularly a song) is not a dictionary or an encyclopedia. Thousands upon thousands of extraordinary poems exist that touch upon certain themes (nature, land, people and culture, history, art and personalities), and that can be viewed as quite "incomplete" if examined from an exhaustive, encyclopedic mapping perspective. To write an anthem for India, if the criteria were to include all geographic locales and ethnic and linguistic varieties of India- I am convinced the result would have to be an encyclopedia, but absolutely never, ever, a poem. Even so, an encyclopedic work would be fraught with incompleteness. Whom would a writer, willfully or not, dare leave out of the list? What would prevent him or her from being held up for accountability in view of any perceived omission? Nothing. Writing is a creative process, and cannot simply be measured by using scientific arguments and yardsticks. Thank heaven that writers have the freedom not to prepare exhaustive shopping lists or place their creations under the "controversy" microscope in order to create inspired work.

May I also point out that Jana Gana Mana, the poem, is far longer than the portion commonly represented in the national anthem. And in that extended poem, there are images of the Bhagya Vidhata who is also India's eternal Mother (an image hardly reconcilable with His Royal Highness), and India's guide through triumphs and tragedies throughout history (a history that began long before the first English traders arrived at India's doorstep). Tagore did not set out to write a geographic or anthropological primer of India or her culture in a short poem. He did plenty of that, many times over, across the spectrum of his writings. To understand his intentions, it is far more meaningful to explore the range of his writings, and develop a feel for his psyche and his orientation towards India and the world.

Now a word or two about conspiracy theories. In this, one may well be reminded of the variety of conspiratorial constructs that are out there with regards to the Kennedy assassination. Once again, groups of people will believe what they wish to believe, and since most of the principals are absent- it is unlikely that the issue will ever be resolved. The fact that certain geographic regions of India are absent from Jana Gana Mana would, I trust, appear quite normal to many unbiased admirers of poetry not turned myopic by thoughts of potential conspiracy, especially in a writer who wrote continually on endless ideas, topics and themes. To defenders of Tagore in this matter, the absence of the places you cite, while quite attractive and seemingly plausible to conspiracy theorists, is no more than an unfortunate coincidence engendered by the limits of space and by the inspired guidelines or impulses of creative beauty.

Finally, as for Tagore writing in gratitude for the British monarch sparing Bengal from the axe of partition- the idea is absurd to the point of being laughable to some, even offensive to others. From the beginning of the initial partition proposal, Tagore had campaigned (as he did throughout much of his writing career on behalf of India's freedom struggle like few writers of his stature I believe have anywhere) tirelessly against the draconian and divisive proposal. It is unimaginable that any principled individual, much less one of Tagore's magnitude, would voice his "gratitude" to the very opponent against whose injustice he campaigned so hard. I cannot imagine this of Gandhi, or Malcolm X, or Martin Luther King, Jr., or Garibaldi. And while I am prepared to accept Tagore's human limitations in legitimate and incontrovertible areas, in this matter of groveling "gratitude," I take great exception. I invite people not familiar with Bengal's history from that period to study Tagore's role in trying to unite Bengal and Bengalis against the offensive British proposal- it reads like pure legend, yet much of it is indeed true. In studying that history, I hope that Tagore's immense capacity to inspire will be better understood, and in the light of that revelation, I hope, his unfortunate inability to inspire India's freedom fighters by the Jana Gana Mana ode to his Motherland will be seen in a more forgiving light.

Best regards-

Monish R. Chatterjee.

I was not debating the patriotism or Tagore or his artistic abilities. Few have surpassed the former and no one comes too close to surpass the later, if anyone dares to compare. I was merely irked by your effort to show that Tagore meant to be patriotic or rebelling when he wrote that poem. But you have very well answered that question in your reply. Thank you very much for that. As you said there is no need to speak on behalf of Tagore, his work speaks quite loudly by itself.

Anyhow, thanks a lot for such a detailed reply. You truly are a admirer. Have a good week,

-Harshad

Dear Dr. Chatterjee:

I read with essay on Rabindranath Tagoe on the web page and would like to congradulate you and thank you. TAGORE'S POEMS AND WRITINGS HAVE INSPIRED ME SINCE MY CHILDHOOD and have been my spiritual foundation. I still regret not knowing Bengali and having missed at least a part of the essense of his work.

By the way, do you know where I can find a transcript of his conversation with Einstein, not the one about art and music but the one about the nature of reality, where Einstein says at the end, something to the effect ,"I am more of a religious man than you are!"

Regards, Balakrishnan

[Monish Chatterjee's Response]

Dear Mr. Balakrishnan:

Thank you for your very kind words- it is always good to learn that the thoughts of our great human exemplars have a way of reaching people irrespective of linguistic or cultural barriers. I agree that knowing Bengali would help seeing/appreciating Tagore's greatness even more- but please by no means consider that an impediment. That you have been inspired says much about your own inner thirst and intrinsic capacity to recognize that which is uncommon and of a greater magnitude. Your appreciation of Tagore adds to our hope that his efforts to advance human civilization, in which quest he joined himself with the timeless aspirations of India as a whole, shall in the centuries to come continue to inspire our species to greater heights, and help us see the magnificence of the world around beyond machines, power and "narrow domestic walls."

The several conversations with Einstein are to be found in several sources- I believe the volume "A Tagore Reader," edited by Amiya Chakravarty includes the one you are looking for. I will confirm this later, and also let you know if there may be any other resource.

Very best wishes-

Monish R. Chatterjee, Ph.D.

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