Amar Sonar Bangla

আমার সোনার বাংলা

English: My Golden Bengal
Amar Sonar Bangla
National anthem of  Bangladesh
Lyrics	Rabindranath Tagore, 1905
Music	Gagan Harkara, 1889
Adopted	1971
Music sample
Amar Sonar Bangla (Instrumental)

Amar Sonar Bangla (Bengali: আমার সোনার বাংলা, pronounced: [amar ʃonar baŋla] "My Golden Bengal") is the national anthem of Bangladesh.^[1][2] An Ode to Mother Bengal, it was written by Bengali polymath Rabindranath Tagore in 1905. The melody of the hymn derived from the Baul singer Gagan Harkara's song "Ami Kothay Pabo Tare" (কোথায় পাবো তারে) set to Dadra Tala^[3][4][5]

The word sonar literally means 'made of gold' or 'beloved', but in the song sonar Bangla may be interpreted to either express the preciousness of Bengal or refer to the colour of paddy fields before harvest.

Historical background

The song was written in 1905 during the first partition of Bengal, when the ruling British Empire had an undivided India's province of Bengal split into two parts; the decision was announced on 19 July by the then-Viceroy of India Lord Curzon, taking effect on 16 October. This divide of Bengal, being along communal lines–East Bengal having a majority of Muslims and West Bengal having a majority of Hindus–is claimed to have undermined India's national movement against British imperialism and to have been politically motivated. Along with a host of others, songs such as this were meant to rekindle the unified spirit of Bengal, to raise public consciousness against the communal political divide.

The lyrics first appeared in the September issues of "Bongodorshon" and "Baul" simultaneously, in 1905. The song along with the musical notation (referred to as swaralipi in Bengali), first appeared in the periodical musical journal Shongeet Biggnan Probeshika in the same month and year. Indira Devi, Tagore's niece, Satyendranath Tagore's daughter, jotted down the musical notation hearing it from Tagore himself (this was the common norm, Tagore singing the song, and someone formally jotting down the musical notations).

Lyrics

The following provides the lyrics of the "Amar Sonar Bangla" as written by Rabindranath Tagore.

Only the first ten (10) lines of this song currently constitute the People's Republic of Bangladesh's national anthem are in bold.

Bengali script

আমার সোনার বাংলা, আমি তোমায় ভালোবাসি । চিরদিন তোমার আকাশ, তোমার বাতাস, আমার প্রাণে বাজায় বাঁশি ॥      ও মা, ফাগুনে তোর আমের বনে ঘ্রাণে পাগল করে,                              মরি হায়, হায় রে— ও মা, অঘ্রানে তোর ভরা ক্ষেতে আমি কী দেখেছি মধুর হাসি ॥                      কী শোভা, কী ছায়া গো, কী স্নেহ, কী মায়া গো—           কী আঁচল বিছায়েছ বটের মূলে, নদীর কূলে কূলে ।      মা, তোর মুখের বাণী আমার কানে লাগে সুধার মতো,                              মরি হায়, হায় রে— মা, তোর বদনখানি মলিন হলে, ও মা, আমি নয়নজলে ভাসি ॥           তোমার এই খেলাঘরে শিশুকাল কাটিলে রে,           তোমারি ধুলামাটি অঙ্গে মাখি ধন্য জীবন মানি ।   তুই দিন ফুরালে সন্ধ্যাকালে কী দীপ জ্বালিস ঘরে,                              মরি হায়, হায় রে— তখন খেলাধুলা সকল ফেলে, ও মা, তোমার কোলে ছুটে আসি ॥                      ধেনু-চরা তোমার মাঠে, পারে যাবার খেয়াঘাটে,           সারা দিন পাখি-ডাকা ছায়ায়-ঢাকা তোমার পল্লীবাটে,      তোমার ধানে-ভরা আঙিনাতে জীবনের দিন কাটে,                              মরি হায়, হায় রে— ও মা, আমার যে ভাই তারা সবাই, ও মা, তোমার রাখাল তোমার চাষি ॥                      ও মা, তোর চরণেতে দিলেম এই মাথা পেতে—           দে গো তোর পায়ের ধুলা, সে যে আমার মাথার মানিক হবে ।      ও মা, গরিবের ধন যা আছে তাই দিব চরণতলে,                                   মরি হায়, হায় রে— আমি পরের ঘরে কিনব না আর, মা, তোর ভূষণ ব'লে গলার ফাঁসি ॥ ঊইইউই

Bengali romanisation

Aamar sonaar baangla, aami tomay bhalobasi. Chirodin tomar aakash, tomar baatas, ogo aamar praane baajay baanshi. O ma, Phaagune tor aamer bone ghraane paagol kore,                       Mori haay, haay re – O ma, Oghrane tor bhora khete aami ki dekhechi modhur haasi. Ki shobha, ki chhaaya go, ki sneho, ki maaya go- Ki aanchol bichhayechho boter mule, nodir kule kule. Maa, tor mukher baani aamar kaane laage sudhar moto,                       Mori haay, haay re – Ma, tor bodonkhani molin hole, o ma, aami noyonjole bhasi. Tomar ei khelaghore shishukaal kaatilo re, Tomari dhulamaati onge maakhi dhonyyo jibon maani. Tui din phurale sondhakaale ki deep jaalis ghore,                       Mori haay, haay re – Tokhon khyaladhula shokol phele, o maa, tomaar kole chute aasi. Dhenu-chora tomaar maathe, paare jaabar kheyaghaate, Sara din paakhi-daaka chhaayay-dhaaka tomar pollibaate, Tomaar dhaane-bhora aanginate jiboner din kaate,                      Mori haay, haay re – O ma, aamar je bhaai taara sobai, o maa, tomar raakhal tomar chaashi. O maa, tor choronete dilem ei maatha pete- De go tor payer dhula, se je aamar maathar manik hobe. O maa, goriber dhon ja aache tai dibo choronotole,                     Mori haay, haay re – Aami porer ghore kinbo na, maa, tor bhushon bole golar phaansi.

English translation

My golden Bengal, i love you. Forever your skies, your air set my heart in tune as if it were a flute O mother! the aroma of the mango orchard in the spring time drives me crazy,                         Ah, what a thrill! O mother! in Autumn time sees smiles all through mature fields of paddy. What beauty, what shades, what affection, what tenderness! What a quilt have you spread at the feet of banyan trees and along the bank of every river Oh mother mine, words from your lips are like nectar to my ears.                          Ah, what a thrill! If sadness, O mother! casts a gloom on your face, my eyes are filled with tears! Spending my childhood in your playhouse Your dirt and soil smeared all-over my body, I consider myself privileged. Wonderful lamp you light up at dusk,                           Ah, what a thrill! I quit play and sprint back to your lap at once, O mother! In the cattle grazing field, on the pier for crossing stream, Shaded village walkways, serene with calling birds, Open porch with heaped ripe paddy my life goes on.                           Ah, what a thrill! All your shepherds and farmers are my brothers. This time I offer my head beneath your feet, Bless me with your dust, I shall be obliged to flaunt overhead. I shall offer you meagrely whatever I have at home,                          Ah, what a thrill! Never bother to buy you, from others, a hanging rope disguised as crown.

Official adoption

The first ten (10) lines of this song constitute Bangladesh's national anthem, adopted in 1971 during its liberation war. Only those lines are given in the following section. The instrumental orchestra rendition was composed by Samar Das.^[6]

Notable performances and covers

The Ministry of Cultural Affairs planned to stage an event on Bangladesh's 44th independence day, in a bid to have the world record of the most people singing a national anthem simultaneously. Consequently, on 2 March, the ministry launched a program titled "Lakho Konthe Sonar Bangla" whose main objective was to hold an event with the cooperation of Bangladesh Armed Forces where approximately 300,000 people would sing the national anthem.^[7] Several popular Bangladeshi musicians and cultural groups later joined the program.^[8]

The record was broken at 11:20 on 26 March 2014 by 254,537 participants at Dhaka's National Parade Ground. The event was attended by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, the Speaker of Jatiyo Shangshad, and all the members of the cabinet.^[9] After receiving the required evidence, the Guinness Book of World Records approved the record on 9 April.^[10]

See also

• Notuner Gaan, the national march of Bangladesh, written by Kazi Nazrul Islam.
• Ekusher Gaan, a song in the memory of the martyrs of the Bengali language movement

References

1. "The Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh - 4. National anthem, flag and emblem". Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
2. "Bangladesh: Amar Sonar Bangla". NationalAnthems.me. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
3. Folk singer, Swapan Basu, demonstrates the similarity in a live recitation (0:43/8:46 to 1:21/8:46)
4. Chakrabarti, Santosh (2004). Studies in Tagore: Critical Essays. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. p. 108. ISBN 9788126903405.
5. http://tagoreweb.in/Render/ShowContent.aspx?ct=Essays&bi=72EE92F5-BE50-40D7-AE6E-0F7410664DA3&ti=72EE92F5-BE50-4A47-7E6E-0F7410664DA3
6. Komol, Khalid Hasan (2012). "Das, Samar". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
7. "Logo of 'Lakho Konthe Sonar Bangla' unveiled". The Independent. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
8. "Bangladesh prepares for another record". New Age. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
9. "Bangladesh sets world record singing nat'l anthem". New Age. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
10. "Guinness accepts national anthem record". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 3 June 2014.

External links

• Bangladesh: Amar Shonar Bangla - Audio of the national anthem of Bangladesh, with information and lyrics