Source: Graana.com
The national anthem of Pakistan was played for the first time in 1954, 7 years after Pakistan’s independence. Graana.com outlines its history and some interesting facts below.
In 1948, a South African Muslim named A. R. Ghani announced 2 prizes (each of PKR 5000) for the poet and composer of the national anthem of the newly independent state of Pakistan. A public announcement through a government press conference was made in June 1948. A National Anthem Committee (NAC) was later established in December 1948 for this task.
In January 1950, the President of Indonesia visited Pakistan and there was no national anthem to pay tribute to the foreign dignitary at that time. In the same year, a much-awaited visit of the Shah of Iran demanded urgency for the national anthem of Pakistan.
The government asked the NAC to finalise the lyrics and move forward with the final anthem. However, despite several attempts, the committee failed to do so.
Finally, on 21st August 1950, the government adopted Ahmad G. Changla’s tune for the national anthem. The same tune was performed without any lyrics in front of the Shah of Iran and several other foreign dignitaries until 1954.
In that year, the NAC distributed copies of the tune among the most prominent poets of that time. Several hundred songs were submitted to the committee as a result. Eventually, it chose the lyrics submitted by Hafeez Jalandhari and, on 13th August 1954, he himself sang the national anthem of Pakistan for the very first time.
In 1955, there was a performance of the national anthem by 11 famous singers of Pakistan, including Ahmad Rushdi, Kaukab Jahan, Rasheeda Begum, Najam Ara, Naseema Shaheen, Zawar Hussain, Akhtar Abbas, Ghulam Dastagir, Anwar Zaheer and Akhtar Wasi Ali.
An interesting fact about the national anthem is that the music was composed in 1949 without any words or lyrics. The tune was a harmonious composition, based on eastern music. However, the arrangement is such that foreign bands can easily play the melody.
Ahmad G. Changla composed the music of the National Anthem in 1949. 21 different musical instruments and 38 different tones were used to play the national anthem for the first time. Its total duration is 80 seconds.
Abu Al Asar Hafeez Jalandhari wrote the lyrics of the national anthem of Pakistan in 1952. The ‘tarana’ was written in Persian due to its similarities to the Urdu language. No verse has been repeated in the three stanzas, and there is only one Urdu word – “ka” – in the anthem.
The Urdu lyrics, written by the Pakistani Urdu-language poet Hafeez Jullundhri in 1952.
The following is the English translation of the national anthem of Pakistan:
Blessed be sacred land,
Happy be the bounteous realm,
Symbol of high resolve, Land of Pakistan.
Blessed be thou citadel of faith.
The Order of this Sacred Land
Is the might of the brotherhood of the people.
May the nation, the country, and the State
Shine in glory everlasting.
Blessed be the glory everlasting.
This flag of the Crescent and the Star
Leads the way to progress and perfection,
Interpreter of our past, the glory of our present, Inspiration of our future,
Symbol of Almighty’s protection.
For more informative articles, visit the Graana blog.
Here are some of the FAQs related to National Anthem of Pakistan
The national anthem of Pakistan is called “Qaumī Tarānah” in Urdu, which translates to “National Anthem” in English.
The Pakistan national anthem is not in Persian; it is in Urdu. The anthem’s lyrics were written by Hafeez Jallhandhri in 1952, and Urdu was chosen as the language to promote national unity among the diverse linguistic and ethnic groups in Pakistan.
The national anthem of Pakistan consists of a total of three stanzas. However, only the first stanza is played on official occasions.
The entire national anthem of Pakistan is written in Urdu, and all of its words are in the Urdu language. Therefore, every word in the anthem is in Urdu.
The lyrics of the Pakistan national anthem, “Qaumī Tarānah,” were penned by Hafeez Jullundhri in 1952. The music for the anthem was composed by Ahmad G. Chagla.
Composed in 1949, Pakistan’s anthem aired on Radio Pakistan in 1954, sung by lyricist Jalandhari. Officially adopted shortly after on August 16th.
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