On Rabindranath Tagore's birth anniversary, the poet's English translation of Jana Gana Mana goes viral

India celebrates Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagrore's birth anniversary on May 9. The prolific writer and song composer is the only poet whose songs were adapted as national anthems by two countries- India and Bangladesh. The Indian national anthem- Jana Gana Mana was originally composed by Tagore in 1911. The anthem only takes a few verses from the song Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata. The original song has five verses of which only the first stanza has been adapted as India's national anthem. 

To mark Tagore's 162nd birth anniversary, the official social media handle of the Nobel Prize organisation shared a rare image of the translated manuscript of the Indian national anthem. The script reportedly was written by Tagore himself. The original song, that we all know now, is in Bangla. 

The image has received an overwhelming response, with many expressing appreciation for the post.

“Jana Gana Mana is the national anthem of India, originally composed in Bengali by poet Rabindranath Tagore, who was awarded the #NobelPrize in Literature in 1913. Pictured: An English translation of Jana Gana Mana by Tagore,” reads the caption alongside the picture shared on Twitter.

The timeless image has Tagore's handwritten note - and the English translation of Jana Gana Mana - titled as The Morning Song Of India.

Each year, the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore is celebrated with great fervour, especially among the Bengali community across the world. The day, known as Rabindra Jayanti, has become a cultural celebration, where the poet's works are sung and recited. 

Various schools, colleges, and universities organise cultural programmes and events such as poetry recitations, dances, and drama competitions on this day.

Born in 1861 to an affluent Zamindar family in Bengal, Tagore was mostly self-taught and homeschooled. He published his first work at the age of sixteen.