On January 24, 1950, the Constituent Assembly declared Jana Gana Mana, written by eminent poet Rabindranath Tagore, as our National anthem. The song is an ode to the “Bhagya Vidhata”, as Tagore referred to the “Dispenser of India’s Destiny”. The ode celebrates an entity that stretches from the Himalayas to the Vindhyas, River Ganga to the Yamuna, and Punjab to south India.
Most often, the National Anthem is performed by stately orchestras. But in recent years, several versions of Jana Gana Mana have been recorded that demonstrate rather more abandon. Here are some examples of musicians giving the song a turbocharge.
Baiju Dharmajan
Kochi guitar maestro Baiju Dharmajan plays a rendition of the national anthem that is rich in influences from Carnatic music. The searing electric guitar is accompanied by the subtle beat of a marching band. Guitar aficionados may be interested in this video by Dharmajan that teaches folks how to play the national anthem in his inimitable style.
Ashu Breakless
With fast bass drum beats emanating from a machine, this is a heavy metal rendition of the National Anthem. The searing guitar peppers the song with distortion.
Shantanu Arora
Shantanu Arora's rendition is pure melody. His version is played on the acoustic guitar and begins with a 15-second introduction that is reminiscent of songs by the early '90s alternative American band Mazzy Star. The melody then seamlessly flows into the National Anthem, with the guitarist playing a deft rhythm passage on top of it.
Mangalore students
This rendition is by students from Mangalore. The underlying rhythm is provided by the acoustic guitar, with the electric guitar and the flute featuring more prominently.
Nigel Britto
The song is played on the classical guitar and glitters with flourishes.
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Most often, the National Anthem is performed by stately orchestras. But in recent years, several versions of Jana Gana Mana have been recorded that demonstrate rather more abandon. Here are some examples of musicians giving the song a turbocharge.
Baiju Dharmajan
Kochi guitar maestro Baiju Dharmajan plays a rendition of the national anthem that is rich in influences from Carnatic music. The searing electric guitar is accompanied by the subtle beat of a marching band. Guitar aficionados may be interested in this video by Dharmajan that teaches folks how to play the national anthem in his inimitable style.
Ashu Breakless
With fast bass drum beats emanating from a machine, this is a heavy metal rendition of the National Anthem. The searing guitar peppers the song with distortion.
Shantanu Arora
Shantanu Arora's rendition is pure melody. His version is played on the acoustic guitar and begins with a 15-second introduction that is reminiscent of songs by the early '90s alternative American band Mazzy Star. The melody then seamlessly flows into the National Anthem, with the guitarist playing a deft rhythm passage on top of it.
Mangalore students
This rendition is by students from Mangalore. The underlying rhythm is provided by the acoustic guitar, with the electric guitar and the flute featuring more prominently.
Nigel Britto
The song is played on the classical guitar and glitters with flourishes.
