National Anthem from ‘Oh’ to ‘Ahaa’



National Flag and Anthem possess the unique power to ignite the nationalist feelings and spirits in any one but it has been painfully seen and experienced that our National Anthem is slowly fading away as schools and colleges have failed to include them in their daily routine. How shameful it is to find that the youth of today cannot recite the full text of our National Anthem. It is only on Independence and Republic day that we witness the tricolour being hoisted and National Anthem being sung. On my visit to Mumbai last year, I very pleasantly found the National Anthem being played at the start of movie in the PVRs and everyone getting on feet on their own as a mark of respect. Such simple looking measures and steps undoubtedly leave subtle yet longer lasting impact on one’s character and psychology. 

 The youth of today who have to shoulder the responsibility of carrying our country forward should sensitize themselves towards such things and initiate measures so that every Indian can not only sing, but make National Anthem a part of their character and soul with pride. Such feeling should ooze out from every Indian heart on its own. Such respect towards National Anthem and pride in reciting it should be enjoyed at heart by every Indian. Such feelings and sentiments cannot be thrusted upon any body and if they are, the warmth and glory gets sinfully lost. The recent decision of Honourable Supreme Court making National Anthem mandatory at the start of movie in theatres would certainly go a long way in popularising it among masses especially in young generation but getting it ingrained in the soul and character of countrymen would require a soulful effort not only from a common man but from the leaders who navigate our country.

Recently I was in Gurgaon and happened to watch the movie Dangal. The packed house where everyone was enjoying the pre movie screening of trailers of the movies to be released and busying themselves in gossips and snacks got the directive to rise in their respective seats for National Anthem. The instant response from the audience came in the form of ‘oh ho’ as they had to manage their coffee cups, the popcorn buckets, their chats on mobile phones and other paraphernalia. The end of National Anthem was taken by the audience with a sigh of relief as some of them spilled the popcorns in hurry; some of them had to ask their kids to keep quite. Soon everything got settled as the movie started. The movie took every one with its emotional ups and downs. In a scene when Aamir Khan as Mahavir Singh Phogat is locked in a store room of the stadium and his daughter Geeta the wrestler is fighting her final bout in the Commonwealth Games, the National Anthem once again is played this time in the movie that signals in a very subtle way to the confined father that Geeta has won the Gold Medal. This time the entire audience in the hall without any directions got on their feet very naturally and became hearty part of every moment of the National Anthem with utmost pride. The feeling of contentment and pride accompanied them as they got seated and exclamatory sounds of ‘Ah haa’ echoed the entire auditorium showering praise not only on the real characters portrayed by the reel stars but on the director too who successfully made the audience move with the emotions and sentiments depicted on screen. I wishfully thought of the persons holding the reins of our country, the persons directing the policies and programs of our great Nation. Had they put their soul and heart in giving direction to the country, the countrymen would have very naturally associated themselves not only with the text but with the spirit of our most revered National Anthem. I very sincerely hope and wish that not only our leaders, our sportspersons, our artists, our professionals but common men also contribute to make our National Flag rise high and National Anthem echoes from the core of every heart.       

- DR. SANJEEV TRIKHA

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