The poem was first sung on the second day of the annual session of the Indian National Congress in Calcutta on 27 December 1911. The song was performed by Sarala Devi Chowdhurani, Tagore's niece, along with a group of school students, in front of prominent Congress Members like Bishan Narayan Dhar, Indian National Congress President and Ambika Charan Majumdar.
Outside of Calcutta, the song was first sung by the bard himself at a session in Besant Theosophical College in Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh on 28 February 1919. The song enthralled the college authorities and they adopted the English version of the song as their prayer song which is still sang today. Tagore made the first English translation of the song at Madanapalle.
On the occasion of India attaining freedom, the Indian Constituent Assembly assembled for the first time as a sovereign body on 14 August 1947, midnight and the session closed with a unanimous performance of Jana Gana Mana.
The members of the Indian Delegation to the General Assembly of the United Nations held at New York in 1947 gave a recording of Jana Gana Mana as the country's national anthem. The song was played by the house orchestra in front of a gathering consisting of representatives from all over the world.
| Bengali (বাংলা) | Bengali transliteration | | English translation |
|---|
| style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | Bengali: italics=no|জনগণমন-অধিনায়ক জয় হে ভারতভাগ্যবিধাতা!
পঞ্জাব সিন্ধু গুজরাট মরাঠা দ্রাবিড় উৎকল বঙ্গ
বিন্ধ্য হিমাচল যমুনা গঙ্গা উচ্ছলজলধিতরঙ্গ
তব শুভ নামে জাগে, তব শুভ আশিষ মাগে,
গাহে তব জয়গাথা।
জনগণমঙ্গলদায়ক জয় হে ভারতভাগ্যবিধাতা!
জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় জয় জয় জয় হে॥ | style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | Jōno gōno mōno odhinayōko jōyo he Bharōto bhagyo bidhata!Panjab Šindhu Gujraṯ Mōraṯha Drabiṟo Utkōlo BōngoBindhyo Himachōlo Jomuna Gōnga Uchchhōlo jōlodhitōrongoTōbo shubho name jage, tōbo shubho ashisho mage,Gahe tōbo jōyo gatha.Jōno gōno mōngolodayōko jōyo he Bharōto bhagyo bidhata | Jōyo he, jōyo he, jōyo he, jōyo jōyo jōyo jōyo he. | style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | Janaganamana-adhināẏaka jaẏa hē Bhāratabhāgyabidhātā!Pañjāba Sindhu Gujarāṭa Marāṭhā Drābiṛa Utkala BaṅgaBindhya Himācala Yamunā Gaṅgā ucchalajaladhitaraṅgaTaba Śubha nāmē jāgē, taba śubha āśiṣa māgē,gāhē taba jaẏagāthā /Janaganamaṅgaladāẏaka jaẏa hē Bhāratabhāgyabidhātā | Jaẏa hē, Jaẏa hē, Jaẏa hē, jaẏa jaẏa jaẏa jaẏa hē. | style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | Oh! the ruler of the minds of people, victory be to You, dispenser of the destiny of India | Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, Maratha (Marathi heartland), Dravida (South India), Orissa and Bengal,The Vindhyas, the Himalayas, the Jumna (Yamuna) and the Ganges, and the oceans with foaming waves all around.Wake up listening to Your auspicious name, ask for Your auspicious blessings,And sing to Your glorious victory.Oh! You who impart well being to the people, victory be to You, dispenser of the destiny of India | Victory, victory, victory to You! |
|---|
| style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | Bengali: italics=no|অহরহ তব আহ্বান প্রচারিত, শুনি তব উদার বাণী
হিন্দু বৌদ্ধ শিখ জৈন পারসিক মুসলমান খৃস্টানী
পূরব পশ্চিম আসে তব সিংহাসন-পাশে
প্রেমহার হয় গাঁথা।
জনগণ-ঐক্য-বিধায়ক জয় হে ভারতভাগ্যবিধাতা!
জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় জয় জয় জয় হে॥ | style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | Ōhorōho tōbo aobhano procharito, shuni tōbo udaro bani;Hindu Bouddho Shikh Joino Parošik Musolmano KhrishṯaniPurōbo poshchimo aše, tōbo šinghašōno pashe,Premoharo hoy gãtha.Jōno gōno oikyo-bidhayōko jōyo he Bharōto bhagyo bidhata!Jōyo he, jōyo he, jōyo he, jōyo jōyo jōyo jōyo he. | style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | Aharaha taba āhbāna pracārita, śuni taba udāra bānīHindu Baudhha Śikha Jaina Pārasika Musalamāna Khr̥sṭānīPūraba Paścima āsē taba siṁhāsana-pāśēPrēmahāra haẏa gām̐thā /Janagana-aikya-bidhāẏaka jaẏa hē Bhāratabhāgyabidhatā!Jaẏa hē, Jaẏa hē, Jaẏa hē, jaẏa jaẏa jaẏa jaẏa hē. | style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | Your call is announced continuously, we heed Your gracious callThe Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Muslims and Christians,The East and the West come together, to the side of Your throneAnd weave the garland of love.Oh! You who bring in the unity of the people | Victory be to You, dispenser of the destiny of India!Victory, victory, victory to You | |
|---|
| style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | Bengali: italics=no|পতন-অভ্যুদয়-বন্ধুর পন্থা, যুগ যুগ ধাবিত যাত্রী।
হে চিরসারথি, তব রথচক্রে মুখরিত পথ দিনরাত্রি।
দারুণ বিপ্লব-মাঝে তব শঙ্খধ্বনি বাজে
সঙ্কটদুঃখত্রাতা।
জনগণপথপরিচায়ক জয় হে ভারতভাগ্যবিধাতা!
জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় জয় জয় জয় হে॥ | style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | Pōtono obhyudhōyo bondhuro pōntha, jugo jugo dhabito jatri.He chirošarothi, tōbo rōthochokre mukhoritho pōtho dinoratri.Daruno biplōbo majhe, tōbo shōnkhodhoni bajeŠōnkoṯo duːkho trata.Jōno gōno pōthoporichayōko jōyo he Bharōto bhagyo bidhata!Jōyo he, jōyo he, jōyo he, jōyo jōyo jōyo jōyo he. | style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | Patana-abhuyadaẏa-bandhura panthā, yuga yuga dhābita yātrī /Hē cirasārathi, taba rathacakrē mukharita patha dinarātri /Dāruna biplaba-mājhē taba śaṅkhadhbani bājēSaṅkaṭaduḥkhatrātā.Janaganapathaparicāẏaka jaẏa hē Bhāratabhāgyabidhātā!Jaẏa hē, Jaẏa hē, Jaẏa hē, jaẏa jaẏa jaẏa jaẏa hē. | style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | The way of life is somber as it moves through ups and downs, but we, the pilgrims, have followed it through ages.Oh! Eternal Charioteer, the wheels of your chariot echo day and night in the pathIn the midst of fierce revolution, your conch shell sounds.You save us from fear and misery.Oh | You who guide the people through torturous path, victory be to You, dispenser of the destiny of India!Victory, victory, victory to You | |
|---|
| style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | Bengali: italics=no|ঘোরতিমিরঘন নিবিড় নিশীথে পীড়িত মূর্ছিত দেশে
জাগ্রত ছিল তব অবিচল মঙ্গল নতনয়নে অনিমেষে।
দুঃস্বপ্নে আতঙ্কে রক্ষা করিলে অঙ্কে
স্নেহময়ী তুমি মাতা।
জনগণদুঃখত্রায়ক জয় হে ভারতভাগ্যবিধাতা!
জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় জয় জয় জয় হে॥ | style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | Ghōro timiro ghōno nibiro nishithe pirito murchhito desheJagrōto chhilo tōbo obichōlo mōngolo nōtonōyone ōnimeshe.Duːšopone atōnke rōkkha korile ōnkeSnehomoyi tumi mata.Jōno gōno duːkhotrayōko jōyo he Bharōto bhagyo bidhata!Jōyo he, jōyo he, jōyo he, jōyo jōyo jōyo jōyo he. | style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | Ghōratimiraghana nibiṛa niśīthē pīṛita mūrchita dēśēJāgrata chila taba abicala maṅgala natanaẏanē animeṣē /Duḥsbapnē ātaṅkē rakṣā karilē aṅkēSnēhamaẏī tumi mātā /Janaganaduḥkhatrāẏaka jaẏa hē Bhāratabhāgyabidhātā!Jaẏa hē, Jaẏa hē, Jaẏa hē, jaẏa jaẏa jaẏa jaẏa hē. | style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | During the bleakest of nights, when the whole country was sick and in swoonWakeful remained Your incessant blessings, through Your lowered but wink-less eyesThrough nightmares and fears, you protected us on Your lap,Oh Loving MotherOh! You who have removed the misery of the people, victory be to You, dispenser of the destiny of India | Victory, victory, victory to You! |
|---|
| style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | Bengali: italics=no|রাত্রি প্রভাতিল, উদিল রবিচ্ছবি পূর্ব-উদয়গিরিভালে –
গাহে বিহঙ্গম, পূণ্য সমীরণ নবজীবনরস ঢালে।
তব করুণারুণরাগে নিদ্রিত ভারত জাগে
তব চরণে নত মাথা।
জয় জয় জয় হে জয় রাজেশ্বর ভারতভাগ্যবিধাতা!
জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় জয় জয় জয় হে॥ | style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | Ratri probhatilo, udilo robichchhobi purbo udōyo giri bhaleGahe bihōngōmo, punyo šomirōno nōbo jibōnorōšo dhale.Tōbo korunaruno rage nidrito Bharōto jageTōbo chōrone nōto matha.Jōyo jōyo jōyo he jōyo rajeshwōro Bharōto bhagyo bidhata!Jōyo he, jōyo he, jōyo he, jōyo jōyo jōyo jōyo he. | style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | Rātri prabhātila, udila rabicchabi pūrba-udaẏagiribhālē -Gāhē bigaṅgama, pūrnya samīrana nabajībanarasa ḍhālē /Taba karunārurarāgē nidrita Bhārata jāgētaba caranē nata māthā /Jaẏa Jaẏa Jaẏa hē jaẏa rājēśbara Bhāratabhāgyabidhātā!Jaẏa hē, Jaẏa hē, Jaẏa hē, jaẏa jaẏa jaẏa jaẏa hē. | style='border-style: none solid none solid;' | The night is over, and the Sun has risen over the hills of the eastern horizon.The birds are singing, and a gentle auspicious breeze is pouring the elixir of new life.By the halo of Your compassion, India that was asleep is now wakingOn your feet we now lay our headsOh! Victory, victory, victory to you, the Supreme King, victory be to You, dispenser of the destiny of India | Victory, victory, victory to You! | |
|---|
Apart from the above translation which follows the original very closely, Tagore's own interpretation of Jana Gana Mana in English is available as The Morning Song of India. .
