Where the Mind is Without Fear…

Date : 15 September 2026
Time : 06:30 A.M.

George jogged to the Ballroom, his blue cloak flying behind him. Sunlight streamed in,refracted through the glass of the windows when he burst inside, panting.

The room was empty.

Not to worry, George,he told himself. They would be here soon.

He walked up to the piano he had set up the previous night and opened it. He swiftly plucked out a notebook lying next to it and propped it open. "Pray these aren't the wrong notes."

The text on the notebooks might seem alien language to others, though not to him and his friends. And the Romanized form would be unpronounceable for a few too.

Reducio

জনগণমন-অধিনায়ক জয় হে ভারতভাগ্যবিধাতা!

পঞ্জাব সিন্ধু গুজরাট মরাঠা দ্রাবিড় উৎকল বঙ্গ বিন্ধ্য হিমাচল যমুনা গঙ্গা উচ্ছলজলধিতরঙ্গ তব শুভ নামে জাগে, তব শুভ আশিস মাগে, গাহে তব জয়গাথা।

জনগণমঙ্গলদায়ক জয় হে ভারতভাগ্যবিধাতা!

জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় জয় জয়, জয় হে ৷৷

অহরহ তব আহ্বান প্রচারিত, শুনি তব উদার বাণী হিন্দু বৌদ্ধ শিখ জৈন পারসিক মুসলমান খৃস্টানী পূরব পশ্চিম আসে তব সিংহাসন-পাশে প্রেমহার হয় গাঁথা।

জনগণ-ঐক্য-বিধায়ক জয় হে ভারতভাগ্যবিধাতা!

জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় জয় জয়, জয় হে ।

পতন-অভ্যুদয়-বন্ধুর পন্থা, যুগ-যুগ ধাবিত যাত্রী। হে চিরসারথি, তব রথচক্রে মুখরিত পথ দিনরাত্রি।

দারুণ বিপ্লব-মাঝে তব শঙ্খধ্বনি বাজে সঙ্কটদুঃখত্রাতা।

জনগণপথপরিচায়ক জয় হে ভারতভাগ্যবিধাতা! জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় জয় জয় জয় হে ।

ঘোরতিমিরঘন নিবিড় নিশীথে পীড়িত মূর্ছিত দেশে জাগ্রত ছিল তব অবিচল মঙ্গল নতনয়নে অনিমেষে।

দুঃস্বপ্নে আতঙ্কে রক্ষা করিলে অঙ্কে স্নেহময়ী তুমি মাতা।

জনগণদুঃখত্রায়ক জয় হে ভারতভাগ্যবিধাতা!

জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় জয় জয় জয় হে ।

রাত্রি প্রভাতিল, উদিল রবিচ্ছবি পূর্ব-উদয়গিরিভালে-গাহে বিহঙ্গম, পুণ্য সমীরণ নবজীবনরস ঢালে।

তব করুণারুণরাগে নিদ্রিত ভারত জাগে তব চরণে নত মাথা।

জয় জয় জয় হে, জয় রাজেশ্বর ভারতভাগ্যবিধাতা!

জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় জয় জয় জয় হে ।।

He had shown that notebook to a few curious children who were peeking the day before. When they asked what it was, he had said, with a mysterious smile, to come to the Ballroom on 15th September, exactly one month after 15th August.

He had spent a few years of his childhood in India. His mother had taught him three languages, no less, there. He could speak fluent Bengali and Hindi, as well as great deal of Spanish.

And his Bengali skills came to use a few days ago when he taught his friends something.

He could see a few of those curious faces flooding in. But his trusted club members still weren't there…

Reducio

TRANSLATION OF THE ANTHEM

Victory to Thee, O Ruler of the minds of the people, O Dispenser of India's destiny!

Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Dravida, Utkala, and Bengal; the Vindhyas, the Himalayas, the Yamuna, and the Ganges—all awaken to the surging waves of the ocean at the sound of Thy auspicious name; they seek Thy blessed benediction and sing songs of Thy victory.

Victory to Thee, O Bestower of the people's welfare, O Dispenser of India's destiny!

Victory, victory, victory to Thee!

Thy call resounds ceaselessly; hearing Thy noble message, people of all faiths—Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain, Parsi, Muslim, and Christian—gather from East and West around Thy throne, weaving a garland of love.

Victory to Thee, O Architect of the people's unity, O Dispenser of India's destiny!

Victory, victory, victory to Thee!

The path of life is rugged, marked by both decline and rise; for ages, the travelers have journeyed on. O Eternal Charioteer, the wheels of Thy chariot make the path resound with music day and night.

Amidst fierce upheavals, the sound of Thy conch-shell rings out—O Savior from crisis and sorrow!

Victory to Thee, O Guide of the people's path, O Dispenser of India's destiny! Victory, victory, victory to Thee!

In the deep, pitch-black darkness of night, while the land lay stricken and unconscious, Thy unwavering, benevolent gaze kept watch, unblinking.

Thou didst protect us from nightmares and terror, cradling us in Thy loving embrace like a tender mother.

Victory to Thee, O Reliever of the people's suffering, O Dispenser of India's destiny!

Victory, victory, victory to Thee!

The night has ended; the sun has risen upon the peaks of the eastern mountains. Birds are singing, and the sacred breeze pours forth the elixir of new life.

Bathed in the rosy glow of Thy compassion, slumbering India awakens, bowing her head at Thy feet.

Victory, victory, victory to Thee, O Sovereign Lord, Dispenser of India's destiny!

Victory, victory, victory to Thee!