[2][3][4] The poem was first sung on the second day of the annual session of the Indian National Congress in Calcutta on 27 December 1911.
The song was performed by Sarala Devi Chowdhurani, Tagore's niece, along with a group of school students, in front of prominent Congress Members like Bishan Narayan Dhar, Indian National Congress President and Ambika Charan Majumdar.
In 1912, the song was published under the title Bharat Bhagya Bidhata in the Tatwabodhini Patrika, which was the official publication of the Brahmo Samaj and of which Tagore was the Editor.
Outside of Calcutta, the song was first sung by the bard himself at a session in Besant Theosophical College in Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh on 28 February 1919.
On the occasion of India attaining freedom, the Indian Constituent Assembly assembled for the first time as a sovereign body on 14 August 1947, midnight and the session closed with a unanimous performance of Jana Gana Mana.
The song was played by the house orchestra in front of a gathering consisting of representatives from all over the world.
জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় জয় জয় জয় হে॥ Jōno gōno mōno odhinayōko jōyo he Bharōto bhagyo bidhata!
Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, Maratha (Marathi heartland), Dravida (South India), Orissa and Bengal, The Vindhyas, the Himalayas, the Jumna (Yamuna) and the Ganges, and the oceans with foaming waves all around.
Your call is announced continuously, we heed Your gracious call The Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Muslims and Christians, The East and the West come together, to the side of Your throne And weave the garland of love.
Daruno biplōbo majhe, tōbo shōnkhodhoni baje Šōnkoṯo duːkho trata.
You who guide the people through torturous path, victory be to You, dispenser of the destiny of India!
জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় জয় জয় জয় হে॥ Ghōro timiro ghōno nibiro nishithe pirito murchhito deshe Jagrōto chhilo tōbo obichōlo mōngolo nōtonōyone ōnimeshe.
Ghōratimiraghana nibiṛa[p] niśīthē pīṛita mūrchita dēśē Jāgrata chila taba[e] abicala[q] maṅgala natanaẏanē animeṣē / Duḥsbapnē[r] ātaṅkē rakṣā karilē aṅkē Snēhamaẏī tumi mātā / Janaganaduḥkhatrāẏaka jaẏa hē Bhāratabhāgyabidhātā[a]!
During the bleakest of nights, when the whole country was sick and in swoon Wakeful remained Your incessant blessings, through Your lowered but wink-less eyes Through nightmares and fears, you protected us on Your lap, Oh Loving Mother Oh!
জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় জয় জয় জয় হে॥ Ratri probhatilo, udilo robichchhobi purbo udōyo giri bhale Gahe bihōngōmo, punyo šomirōno nōbo jibōnorōšo dhale.
Apart from the above translation which follows the original very closely, Tagore's own interpretation of Jana Gana Mana in English is available as The Morning Song of India – via Wikisource..