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Amar Sonar Bangla

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Amar Sonar Bangla
English: 'My Golden Bengal'
আমার সোনার বাংলা

National anthem of Bangladesh
LyricsRabindranath Tagore, 1905[1]
MusicRabindranath Tagore[2] (adapted from a melody by Gagan Harkara[3][4]), 1905[5]
Adopted10 April 1971 (provisional)
26 March 1972 (official)
Preceded by
Audio sample
U.S. Navy Band instrumental rendition in A-flat major

"Amar Sonar Bangla"[a] is the national anthem of Bangladesh.[6][7] An ode to Mother Bengal, the lyrics were written by Bengali polymath Rabindranath Tagore, while the melody is derived from Baul singer Gagan Harkara's "Ami Kothay Pabo Tare", set to Dadra tala.[8][9][10] The modern instrumental rendition was arranged by Bangladeshi musician Samar Das.

Etymology

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The word amar refers to the possessive first-person singular 'my' or '(of) mine'; the word sonar is the adjectival form of the root word sona, meaning 'gold'; and the word sonar, which literally translates as 'golden' or 'made of gold', is used as a term of endearment meaning 'beloved', but in the song, the words Sonar Bangla may be interpreted to express the preciousness of Bengal.

History

[edit]
Rabindranath Tagore, writer of the song in 1905

The song was written in 1905 during the first partition of Bengal, when the ruling British Empire had an undivided province of Bengal Presidency split into two parts; the decision was announced on 20 July by the then-Viceroy of India Lord Curzon, taking effect on 16 October. This divide of Bengal, being along communal lines–East Bengal and Assam having a majority of Muslims and West Bengal having a majority of Hindus–is claimed 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).

Official adaption

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The first ten lines of the original poem constitute the most commonly sung version of Bangladesh's national anthem, adopted in 1971 during the Bangladesh Liberation War. The instrumental orchestra rendition was composed by Samar Das.[11]

Lyrics

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The following provides the lyrics of Amar Sonar Bangla as written by Rabindranath Tagore. Only the first ten bolded lines of the original lyrics are sung as Bangladesh's national anthem. The anthem was translated into English by Syed Ali Ahsan.[12]

Bengali original[5][13][14][15] Romanisation of Bengali IPA transcription[b] English translation[citation needed]

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, অঘ্রাণে 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

Amar sonar Bangla, ami tomay bhalobasi.
Cirôdin tomar akas, tomar batas, amar praṇe bajay bãśi.
O ma, phagune tor amer bône ghraṇe pagôl kôre,
Môri hay, hay re–
O ma, Ôghraṇe tor bhôra kṣete ami ki dekhechi môdhur hasi.

Ki śobha, ki chaya go, ki snehô, ki maya go,
Ki ãcôl bichayechô bôṭer mule, nôdir kule kule.
Ma, tor mukher baṇi amar kane lage sudhar môto,
Môri hay, hay re–
Ma, tor bôdônkhani môlin hôle, o ma, ami nôyônjôle bhasi.

Tomar ei khêlaghôre śiśukal kaṭile re,
Tomari dhulamaṭi ôngge makhi dhônnô jibôn mani.
Tui din phurale sôndhakale ki dip jalis ghôre,
Môri hay, hay re–
Tôkhôn kheladhula sôkôl phele, o ma, tomar kole chuṭe asi.

Dhenu-côra tomar maṭhe, pare jabar kheyaghaṭe,
Sara din pakhi-ḍaka chayay-ḍhaka tomar pôllibaṭe,
Tomar dhane-bhôra anginate jibôner din kaṭe
Môri hay, hay re–
O ma, amar je bhai tara sôbai, o ma, tomar rakhal tomar caṣi.

O ma, tor côrôṇete dilem ei matha pete:
De go tor payer dhula, se je amar mathar manik hôbe.
O ma, gôriber dhôn ja ache tai dibô côrôṇtôle,
Môri hay, hay re–
Ami pôrer ghôre kinbô na ar, ma, tor bhuṣôṇ bô'le gôlar phãsi.

[ˈa.maɾ ˈɕo.naɾ ˈbaŋ.laˑ ǀ ˈa.miˑ ˈt̪o.mae̯ ˈbʱa.lo.ˌba.ɕiˑ]
[ˈt͡ɕi.ɾo.ˌd̪in ˈt̪o.maɾ ˈa.kaɕ ǀ ˈt̪o.maɾ ˈba.t̪aɕ ǀ ˈa.maɾ ˈpɾa.ɳeˑ ˈba.d͡ʑae̯ ˈbã.ɕiˑ ‖]
[oˑ maˑ ǀ ˈpʰa.gu.ˌneˑ t̪oɾ ˈa.meɾ ˈbo.neˑ ˈgʱɾa.ɳeˑ ˈpa.gol ˈkɔ.ɾeˑ ǀ]
[ˈmo.ɾiˑ ɦae̯ ǀ ɦae̯ ɾeˑ ǀ]
[oˑ maˑ ǀ ˈɔ.gʱɾa.ˌɳeˑ t̪oɾ ˈbʱɔ.ɾaˑ ˈkʰe.t̪eˑ ˈa.miˑ kiˑ ˈd̪e.kʰe.ˌt͡ɕʰiˑ ˈmo.d̪ʱuɾ ˈɦa.ɕiˑ ‖]

[kiˑ ˈɕo.bʱaˑ ǀ kiˑ ˈt͡ɕʰae̯.aˑ goˑ ǀ kiˑ ˈsne.hoˑ ǀ kiˑ ˈmae̯.aˑ goˑ ǀ]
[kiˑ ˈã.t͡ɕol ˈbi.t͡ɕʰae̯.ˌe.t͡ɕʰoˑ ˈbɔ.ʈeɾ ˈmu.leˑ ǀ ˈno.d̪iɾ ˈku.leˑ ˈku.leˑ]
[maˑ ǀ t̪oɾ ˈmu.kʰeɾ ˈba.ɳiˑ ˈa.maɾ ˈka.neˑ ˈla.geˑ ˈɕu.d̪ʱaɾ ˈmɔ.t̪oˑ ǀ]
[ˈmo.ɾiˑ ɦae̯ ǀ ɦae̯ ɾeˑ ǀ]
[maˑ ǀ t̪oɾ ˈbɔ.d̪on.ˌkʰa.niˑ ˈmo.lin ˈɦo.leˑ ǀ oˑ maˑ ǀ ˈa.miˑ ˈnɔe̯.on.ˌd͡ʑɔ.leˑ ˈbʱa.ɕiˑ ‖]

[ˈt̪o.maɾ ei̯ ˈkʰɛ.la.ˌgʱɔ.ɾeˑ ˈɕi.ɕu.ˌkal ˈka.ʈi.ˌleˑ ɾeˑ ǀ]
[ˈt̪o.ma.ˌɾiˑ ˈd̪ʱu.la.ˌma.ʈiˑ ˈɔŋ.geˑ ˈma.kʰiˑ ˈd̪ʱon.noˑ ˈd͡ʑi.bɔn ˈma.niˑ]
[t̪ui̯ d̪in ˈpʰu.ɾa.ˌleˑ ˈɕon.d̪ʱa.ˌka.leˑ kiˑ d̪ip ˈd͡ʑa.liɕ ˈgʱɔ.ɾeˑ ǀ]
[ˈmo.ɾiˑ ɦae̯ ǀ ɦae̯ ɾeˑ ǀ]
[ˈt̪ɔ.kʰon ˈkʰɛ.la.ˌd̪ʱu.laˑ ˈɕɔ.kol ˈpʰe.leˑ ǀ oˑ maˑ ǀ ˈt̪o.maɾ ˈko.leˑ ˈt͡ɕʰu.ʈeˑ ˈa.ɕiˑ ‖]

[ˈd̪ʱe.nu.ˌt͡ɕɔ.ɾaˑ ˈt̪o.maɾ ˈma.ʈʰeˑ ǀ ˈpa.ɾeˑ ˈd͡ʑa.baɾ ˈkʰe.a.ˌgʱa.ʈeˑ ǀ]
[ˈʃa.ɾaˑ d̪in ˈpa.kʰi.ˌɖa.kaˑ ˈt͡ɕʰae̯.ae̯.ˌɖʱa.kaˑ ˈt̪o.maɾ ˈpol.li.ˌbʱa.ʈeˑ ǀ]
[ˈt̪o.maɾ ˈd̪ʱa.ne.ˌbʱɔ.ɾaˑ ˈaŋ.i.ˌna.t̪eˑ ˈd͡ʑi.bɔ.ˌneɾ d̪in ˈka.ʈeˑ]
[ˈmo.ɾiˑ ɦae̯ ǀ ɦae̯ ɾeˑ ǀ]
[oˑ maˑ ǀ ˈa.maɾ d͡ʑeˑ bʱai̯ ˈt̪a.ɾaˑ ˈɕɔ.bai̯ ǀ oˑ maˑ ǀ ˈt̪o.maɾ ˈɾa.kʰal ˈt̪o.maɾ ˈt͡ɕa.ʂiˑ ‖]

[oˑ maˑ ǀ t̪oɾ ˈt͡ɕɔ.ɾo.ˌɳe.t̪eˑ ˈd̪i.lem ei̯ ˈma.t̪ʰaˑ ˈpe.t̪eˑ ǀ]
[d̪eˑ goˑ t̪oɾ ˈpae̯.eɾ ˈd̪ʱu.laˑ ǀ ʃeˑ d͡ʑeˑ ˈa.maɾ ˈma.t̪ʰaɾ ˈma.nik ˈhɔ.beˑ]
[oˑ maˑ ǀ ˈgo.ɾi.ˌbeɾ d̪ʱɔn d͡ʑaˑ ˈa.t͡ɕʰeˑ t̪ai̯ ˈd̪i.boˑ ˈt͡ɕɔ.ɾoɳ.ˌt̪ɔ.leˑ ǀ]
[ˈmo.ɾiˑ ɦae̯ ǀ ɦae̯ ɾeˑ ǀ]
[ˈa.miˑ ˈpɔ.ɾeɾ ˈgʱɔ.ɾeˑ ˈkin.boˑ naˑ aɾ ǀ maˑ ǀ t̪oɾ ˈbʱu.ʂoɳ ˈbo.leˑ ˈgɔ.laɾ ˈpʰã.ɕiˑ ‖]

My golden Bengal, thee I love.
Forever thy skies be, thine air like a flute set my heart in tune;
O Mother, aroma of mango orchard in Falgun driveth me crazy,
Ah, such miraculousness!
O Mother, time seeth in Ogrohayon smiles sweet all through fields of paddy.

What beauty, what shades, what affection, what tenderness;
What a quilt thou hast spread at tip of banyans 'long ev'ry bank,
O Mother, words from thy lips like nectar to my ears.
Ah, such miraculousness!
If sadness, o mother, cast a gloom on thy face, my eyes filled with tears.

Spending my childhood in thy playhouse
Thy soil o'er my body smeared, I consider myself privileged.
Wonderful lamp at dusk thou lightest,
Ah, such miraculousness!
At once I quit playing and sprint back to thy lap, o mother.

In cattle grazing field, on pier for crossing stream,
Shaded village walkways, serene with calling birds
Open porch with heaped ripe paddy, my life goeth on.
Ah, such miraculousness!
All thy shepherds and farmers are my brothers.

This time I offer my head beneath thy feet,
Bless me with thy dust, obliged shall I be to flaunt overhead.
To thee I shall offer meagrely whatever I have at home,
Ah, such miraculousness!
Ne'er bothered to buy thee from others a hanging rope coronal guise.

Criticism

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From the late 1970s, Bangladeshi nationalists started to challenge Amar Sonar Bangla as the national anthem and called for adaptation of a more Bangladesh-centric national anthem. In 1975 after the 15 August coup, then President Khondaker Mostaq Ahmed set a committee that proposed the replacement of the anthem with Kazi Nazrul Islam's "Notuner Gaan" or Farrukh Ahmed's "Panjeri".[16] However, the process was halted after his removal. In 1979, in a letter sent to the Cabinet Division, then Prime Minister Shah Azizur Rahman argued that Amar Sonar Bangla was contradictory to the national identity and the culture of Bangladeshis as it was written by a person who had a non-Bangladeshi background, and proposed the patriotic song "Prothom Bangladesh" (lit.'First is Bangladesh') for the national anthem.[16] During the presidency of Ziaur Rahman, the song was played after Amar Sonar Bangla on national television and government programmes.[16] However, after the death of Rahman in 1981, the initiative was stopped and the song lost its status. Today, Prothom Bangladesh is the party anthem of Bangladesh Nationalist Party.[17]

In 2002, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami proposed an amendment to the lyrics of Amar Sonar Bangla, citing Islamic values and spirit. However, the Cabinet Division rejected this proposal.[16]

In 2019, Bangladeshi singer Mainul Ahsan Nobel, who was a runner-up in the Indian-Bengali musical show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Bangla, said that Prince Mahmud's song "Bangladesh" depicted the beauty of Bangladesh far better than Amar Sonar Bangla.[18][19] This remark sparked controversy among Bangladeshis. Later, he apologized for his remark.[19]

In a press conference on 3 September 2024, Abdullahil Amaan Azmi, retired Brigadier General of Bangladesh Army and son of Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Ghulam Azam, called for a replacement of Amar Sonar Bangla, claiming that Indian government had forced the Provisional Government of Bangladesh to adopt the song. He also argued that "Amar Sonar Bangla" contradicted with the characteristics of Bangladesh, as the song was composed in the context of the partition of Bengal to unite the two Bengals.[20][21] This remark sparked controversy on historical context and the significance of the anthem across the country.[22][23]

Notable performances and covers

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A former world record of more than a hundred thousand people performing Bangladesh's national anthem.

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 (lit.'Amar Sonar Bangla in lakh voices') 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.[24] Several popular Bangladeshi musicians and cultural groups later joined the program.[25]

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, Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad, and all the members of the cabinet.[26] After receiving the required evidence, the Guinness Book of World Records approved the record on 9 April 2014.[27] The record was broken by India on 21 January 2017.[28]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Bengali: আমার সোনার বাংলা, pronounced [ˈamaɾ ˈɕonaɾ ˈbaŋlaˑ]; 'My Golden Bengal'
  2. ^ See Help:IPA/Bengali and Bengali phonology.

References

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  1. ^ "Rabindranath Tagore - Songs - swadesh - amar sonar bangla". tagoreweb.in. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  2. ^ হাসান, রবিউল (2020-09-06). "আমার সোনার বাংলা, আমি তোমায় ভালোবাসি". The Daily Star Bangla. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  3. ^ Rayhan, Abdullah (2024-10-12). "On the national anthem of Bangladesh: An apologetic discourse". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  4. ^ "আমার সোনার বাংলা". banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 2011-06-10. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  5. ^ a b "Rabindranath Tagore - Songs - স্বদেশ - আমার সোনার বাংলা". tagoreweb.in. Archived from the original on 2012-07-09. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
  6. ^ "The Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh - 4. National anthem, flag and emblem". Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06.
  7. ^ "Bangladesh: Amar Shonar Bangla". NationalAnthems.me. Archived from the original on 2018-05-26. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  8. ^ Folk singer, Swapan Basu, demonstrates the similarity in a live recitation (0:43/8:46 to 1:21/8:46)
  9. ^ Chakrabarti, Santosh (2004). Studies in Tagore: Critical Essays. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. p. 108. ISBN 9788126903405.
  10. ^ "Rabindranath Tagore - Essays - Creative Unity - An Indian Folk Religion ()". tagoreweb.in. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  11. ^ Komol, Khalid Hasan (2012). "Das, Samar". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  12. ^ "National Anthem of Bangladesh". bangla2000.com. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  13. ^ "জাতীয় সংগীত (পাঠ) - নেত্রকোণা জেলা". www.netrokona.gov.bd. Archived from the original on 2020-07-30. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
  14. ^ "About Bangladesh-2". www.parjatanbd.com. Archived from the original on 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
  15. ^ "আমার সোনার বাংলা | দেশ বরেণ্য ৫০ জন শিল্পীর কন্ঠে জাতীয় সংগীত | National Anthem of Bangladesh". YouTube. 2021-03-25. Archived from the original on 2022-04-15. Retrieved 2022-04-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  16. ^ a b c d "যে ৩ সময়ে 'জাতীয় সংগীত' পরিবর্তনের উদ্যোগ নেয়া হয়েছিল". Jugantor (in Bengali). 7 August 2019. Archived from the original on 18 November 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  17. ^ "Slogan". Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
  18. ^ "'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa' second runner up Nobel makes controversial comments on Bangladesh's national anthem 'Amar Sonar Bangla'". Times of India. 3 August 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  19. ^ a b "'জাতীয় সংগীত' নিয়ে মন্তব্য করে নতুন বিতর্কে নোবেল". Jugantor. 1 August 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  20. ^ "নতুন করে সংবিধান ও জাতীয় সংগীত রচনার দাবি আয়নাঘরফেরত আযমীর". www.kalerkantho.com. 3 September 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  21. ^ "জাতীয় সংগীত ও সংবিধান পরিবর্তন চান আমান আযমী". bdnews24.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  22. ^ "৩ লাখকে ৩০ লাখ বলে ঘোষণা করেছিলেন শেখ মুজিব: ব্রিগেডিয়ার আযমী". Jugantor. 3 September 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  23. ^ "Bangladesh's war on Bengali identity picks up pace". New Indian Express.
  24. ^ "Logo of 'Lakho Konthe Sonar Bangla' unveiled". The Independent. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  25. ^ "Bangladesh prepares for another record". New Age. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  26. ^ "Bangladesh sets world record singing nat'l anthem". New Age. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  27. ^ "Guinness accepts national anthem record". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  28. ^ "Most people singing a national/regional anthem simultaneously". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
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