National Anthem Comparison
India vs Nepal
3
Shared themes
✗
Different moods
96
96 years apart
✓
Same continent
Comparison Analysis
India and Nepal, both Asia nations, take distinct approaches to their national anthems. India's "Jana Gana Mana" was written in 1911, while Nepal's "Hundreds of Flowers" dates to 2007.
Both anthems share themes of unity, diversity and nature. India additionally explores god / faith, while Nepal also touches on independence and ancestors / heritage.
The emotional tones differ: India's anthem is majestic, while Nepal's is proud.
India's anthem predates Nepal's by 96 years, having been written in 1911 compared to 2007.
Nepal changed its national anthem in 2007, reflecting a shift in the nation's identity or political landscape.
Shared themes
India
🤝 Unity 🌈 Diversity 🌿 Nature ✝ God / Faith
Nepal
🌿 Nature 🌈 Diversity 🤝 Unity 🗽 Independence 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage
Shared themes:
🤝 Unity 🌈 Diversity 🌿 Nature
Metadata
| India | Nepal | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 1911 | 2007 |
| Adopted | 1950 | 2007 |
| Lyricist | Rabindranath Tagore | Pradip Kumar Rai (Byakul Maila) |
| Composer | Rabindranath Tagore | Amber Gurung |
| Language | bn | ne |
| Region | South Asia | South Asia |
Lyrics Side by Side
India
জন গণ মন
Original
জনগণমন-অধিনায়ক জয় হে
ভারত ভাগ্য বিধাতা।
পঞ্জাব সিন্ধু গুজরাট মরাঠা
দ্রাবিড় উৎকল বঙ্গ
বিন্ধ্য হিমাচল যমুনা গঙ্গা
উচ্ছল জলধি তরঙ্গ
তব শুভ নামে জাগে
তব শুভ আশিষ মাগে
গাহে তব জয়গাথা।
জনগণমঙ্গলদায়ক জয় হে
ভারত ভাগ্য বিধাতা।
জয় হে! জয় হে! জয় হে!
জয় জয় জয় জয় হে!
Translation
Victory to thee, ruler of the minds of all people,
Dispenser of India's destiny.
Thy name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat and Maratha,
Of the Dravida and Odisha and Bengal.
It echoes in the hills of the Vindhyas and Himalayas,
Mingles in the music of Yamuna and Ganga
And is chanted by the waves of the Indian Sea.
They pray for thy blessings
And sing thy praise.
Victory to thee, giver of good to all people,
Thou dispenser of India's destiny.
Victory, victory, victory to thee!
Victory, victory, victory, victory to thee!
Nepal
सयौं थुँगा फूलका हामी
Original
सयौ थुँगा फूलका हामी एउटै माला नेपाली
सार्वभौम भई फैलिएका मेची-महाकाली।
प्रकृतिका कोटीकोटी सम्पदाको आँचल
वीरहरूका रगतले स्वतन्त्र र अटल
ज्ञानभूमि शान्तिभूमि तराई पहाड हिमाल
अखण्ड यो प्यारो हाम्रो मातृभूमि नेपाल
बहुल जाति भाषा धर्म संस्कृति छन् विशाल
अग्रगामी राष्ट्र हाम्रो जय जय नेपाल।
Translation
Woven from hundreds of flowers, we are one garland: Nepali,
Sovereignly extended, from Mechi to Mahakali.
The shawl of nature's countless treasures,
Made free and immovable by the blood of the brave.
Land of knowledge, land of peace: Terai, hills, and Himalaya,
Indivisible, this beloved land of ours, our motherland Nepal.
Many peoples, languages, faiths, and cultures, vast in their diversity
A progressive nation we are. Victory, victory to Nepal!
Interesting facts
India
- 1. Rabindranath Tagore also wrote Bangladesh's national anthem, 'Amar Shonar Bangla'
- 2. The anthem names Sindh, which became part of Pakistan at Partition in 1947; in 2005 India's Supreme Court dismissed a petition to remove the word, ruling that an anthem 'is not a chronicle which defines the territory of the nation'
- 3. Official instructions give the full version a playing time of approximately 52 seconds; a short version of the first and last lines takes about 20 seconds
Nepal
- 1. When it was first played on 3 August 2007, Nepal had gone nearly 14 months without a national anthem: after the 2006 people's movement the government had stopped playing the old one and chosen a new one through an open competition.
- 2. Byakul Maila's lyrics were judged the best of 1,272 entries. For the music, the government listened to six tunes, three by Amber Gurung, two from the Nepali Army and one by a young composer, and chose Gurung's second.
- 3. During the selection Byakul Maila had to prove he was not a royalist: officials and journalists combed through his background because he had once edited a book of poetry that included a contribution from the former king.
- 4. In August 2016 the BBC placed it third in its list 'Rio 2016: The most amazing national anthems', saying that rather than a military march or a church hymn, it sounds like 'a joyous Nepali pop song'.
Listen
India
Nepal
