national anthem

The Limits of Allegory

Sumana Roy

There are some who say ‘Jana Gana Mana' is sung in the raga Alhaiya Bilaval; there are others who believe it is in raga Gaud Sarang. It is neither but has some of their characteristics. This is the kind of freedom I have taken as a given

The Song of the Nation

TCA Raghavan

National anthems, like national flags and independence days, are shortcuts to patriotism. Their elevation to iconic status makes them supersede their immediate contexts by becoming timeless emblems of peoples nations