Republic Day 2023: Who wrote India's national anthem and why people often confuse it with national song?

We Indians are aware of our National Anthem - 'Jana Gana Mana' and National Song - 'Vande Mataram'. But when it comes to referring to them in the Hindi language, most of us make a common mistake and call Jana Gana Mana our Rashtriya Geet and not Rashtriya Gaan.  

Anthem translates to “Gaan” and song translates to “Geet” in Hindi.

·        “Jana Gana Mana” is our National Anthem: Rasthriya Gaan  written by Rabindranath Tagore

·        “Vande Mataram” is our National Song: Rashtriya Geet   written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay

No one appears to care that students all around India, including our filmmakers, continue to make this simple error. The terms are frequently used in conjunction with one another, making it easy to forget or overlook their minute differences. Every Anthem is a song, however, every song is not an anthem. 

What’s the difference between a National Song (Geet) and a National Anthem (Gaan)?

A National Song is a patriotic hymn adopted by the government of a country to be sung on public or state occasions.

On the other hand, a National Anthem is a musical composition, sometimes of a patriotic nature, that sums up a nation's history, traditions, and struggles. It is acknowledged and adopted either by the government of a country or via common usage by the populace.

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