It may sound unbelievable, but true that Asia's first Nobel Prize winner in Literature in 1913 Rabindranath Tagore was behind the three great national anthems of three great nations, viz. Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. In the recently concluded "ICC World Cricket Tournament - 2011" jointly organised by the said three countries, it was witnessed again that the players of three different nationalities singing 'Anthems' created and inspired by the same genius for their respective nations.
.
Indian National Anthem
Bangladesh National Anthem;
.
Indian National Anthem
Amar sonar Bangla,
Ami
tomae bhalobashi.
My
Bengal of Gold,
I
love you.
Chirodin
tomar akash,
Tomar
batash,
Amar
prane bajae bãshi.
Forever
your skies,
Your
air set my heart in tune
As
if it were a flute.
O
ma,
Phagune
tor amer bone
Ghrane
pagol kôre,
Mori
hae, hae re,
O
ma,
Ôghrane
tor bhôra khete
Ami
ki dekhechhi modhur hashi.
In
spring, O mother mine,
The
fragrance from your mango groves
Makes
me wild with joy,
Ah,
what a thrill!
In
autumn, O mother mine,
In
the full blossomed paddy fields
I
have seen spread all over sweet smiles.
Ki shobha, ki chhaea go,
Ki
sneho, ki maea go,
Ki
ãchol bichhaeechho
Bôt,er
mule,
Nodir
kule kule!
Ah,
what beauty, what shades,
What
an affection, and what tenderness!
What
a quilt have you spread
At
the feet of banyan trees
And
along the banks of rivers!
Ma,
tor mukher bani
Amar
kane lage,
Shudhar
môto,
Mori
hae, hae re,
Ma,
tor bôdonkhani molin hole,
Ami
nôeon jôle bhashi.
O
mother mine, words from your lips
Are
like nectar to my ears.
Ah,
what a thrill!
If
sadness, O mother mine,
Casts
a gloom on your face,
My
eyes are filled with tears!
Sri Lankan National Anthem
"Sri
Lanka Matha" is the national anthem of Sri Lanka. The words and
music were written by Ananda Samarakoon in 1940 in the Sinhala language,
and was officially adopted as the national anthem on November 22, 1951 by a
committee headed by Sir Edwin Wijeyeratne.The first line of the anthem
originally read: "Namo namo matha, apa Sri Lanka".
There was some controversy over these words in the 1950s, and in early 1962
they were changed to their present form.
Ananda Samarakoon was born George
Wilfred Alwis to a Christian family in Padukka, in Ceylon, on January 13, 1911.
In 1936, Samarakoon left for Santiniketan
in India to study art and music. After six months he abandoned his studies and
returned to Sri Lanka, and changed his name to Ananda Samarakoon, embracing
Buddhism. He was very much influenced by Rabindranath Tagore while in
India and his fascination and the desire to imitate the great Indian musician
would go on to take him in the direction of creating a musical tradition for
the Sri Lankan people. During Samarakoon's stay in India, one of his early
compositions, Namo Namo Mata (composed in 1940, recorded in 1946) was nominated
as the national anthem and was officially adopted by the State as the Sri
Lankan national anthem in 1952. Critics attacked Namo Namo Mata, particularly
the "Gana" significance of the introductory words (Namo Namo Matha) which
designate disease and ill luck. Samarakoon was not a believer in
"Gana", and the criticism caused him to write numerous articles
counter attacking his critics to defend his composition. However, without his
consent, the introductory words were changed to "Sri Lanka Mathaa" so
that the "Gana" significance now would designate victory and
prosperity.
In 1945 Samarakoon's only son died at the age of five and the grieving Samarakoon left Sri Lanka for India where he pursued a painting career and held eleven art exhibitions there. Though his painting were critically acclaimed, he returned to music in 1951 back in Sri Lanka. On April 5, 1962, at the age of fifty one, Samarakoon committed suicide.
Sri Lanka Matha, apa Sri Lanka,
Namo Namo Namo Namo Matha.
Sundara
siri barini,
Surendi athi Sobamana Lanka
Dhanya dhanaya neka mal pala thuru piri, Jaya bhoomiya
ramya.
Apa hata sapa siri setha sadana, jeewanaye Matha!
Piliganu mena apa bhakthi pooja,
Namo Namo Matha.
Apa Sri Lanka,
Namo Namo Namo Namo Matha
Obawe apa widya, Obamaya apa sathya
Obawe apa shakti, Apa hada thula bhakthi
Oba apa aloke, Aapage anuprane
oba apa jeewana we, Apa muktiya obawe
Nawa jeewana demine
Nnithina apa Pubudu karan matha
Gnana weerya wadawamina ragena yanu
mena jaya bhoomi kara
Eka mawekuge daru kala bawina
yamu yamu wee nopama
Namo Namo Matha
Apa Sri Lanka,
Namo Namo Namo Namo Matha.
Translated;
Mother Lanka we salute Thee!
Plenteous in prosperity, Thou,
Beauteous in grace and love,
Laden with grain and luscious fruit,
And fragrant flowers of radiant hue,
Giver of life and all good things,
Our land of joy and victory,
Receive our grateful praise sublime,
Lanka! we worship Thee.
Thou gavest us Knowledge and Truth,
Thou art our strength and inward faith,
Our light divine and sentient being,
Breath of life and liberation.
Grant us, bondage free, inspiration.
Inspire us for ever.
In wisdom and strength renewed,
Ill-will, hatred, strife all ended, In love enfolded, a mighty nation
Marching onward, all as one,
Lead us, Mother, to fullest freedom.In 1945 Samarakoon's only son died at the age of five and the grieving Samarakoon left Sri Lanka for India where he pursued a painting career and held eleven art exhibitions there. Though his painting were critically acclaimed, he returned to music in 1951 back in Sri Lanka. On April 5, 1962, at the age of fifty one, Samarakoon committed suicide.
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