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Question 38 of 54 · Indian States & Union Territories
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The word 'Utkala' in the National Anthem of India refers to the modern state of:

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Answer: Option A — Odisha

Detailed Solution

In the National Anthem of India, "Jana Gana Mana", the word "Utkala" refers to Odisha. Utkala is an ancient name of the region.

About the National Anthem:

  • "Jana Gana Mana" was written by Rabindranath Tagore in highly Sanskritised Bengali.
  • It was first sung on 27 December 1911 at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress.
  • It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly as the National Anthem on 24 January 1950.
  • The full song has five stanzas; the first stanza is the National Anthem.

The official version takes about 52 seconds to play. A shorter version, with the first and last lines, takes about 20 seconds.

Tagore translated it into English as "The Morning Song of India" (1919) at Madanapalle, in Andhra Pradesh.

Regions mentioned in the anthem:

"Punjab Sindhu Gujarata Maratha, Dravida Utkala Banga":

  • Punjab, Sindh (Sindhu), Gujarat, the Maratha region (Maharashtra), the Dravida region (south India), Utkala (Odisha) and Banga (Bengal).
  • It also mentions the Vindhya and Himachal (Himalayan) mountains, and the Yamuna and Ganga rivers, as well as the "Jaladhi Taranga" (the waves of the ocean).
  • Since Sindh is now in Pakistan, there have been suggestions to change the word, but the Supreme Court and the government have retained it, as "Sindhu" also refers to the Indus civilisation and Sindhi culture.

About the name "Utkala":

  • "Utkala" is believed to mean "land of excellent art" or "land at the northern edge (of Kalinga)".
  • Odisha has also been known as Kalinga, Odra and Udra in ancient times.
  • Odisha celebrates "Utkala Dibasa" on 1 April, the day the separate province of Orissa was formed in 1936.
  • "Bande Utkala Janani" is the state song of Odisha.

Other national symbols:

  • National Song: "Vande Mataram" by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, from "Anandamath".
  • National Emblem: from the Lion Capital of Sarnath.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Uttarakhand is part of the "Himachal" (Himalayan) region.
  • ✗Uttar Pradesh is not named directly in the anthem.
  • ✗West Bengal is referred to as "Banga".

Quick tip

Remember: "Utkala" in Jana Gana Mana = Odisha; "Banga" = Bengal; "Dravida" = south India; anthem first sung 27 December 1911, adopted 24 January 1950; about 52 seconds.

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Indian States & Union Territories — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Indian States & Union Territories, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers state-wise GK for India: capitals, formation dates, high courts, state animals, birds and flowers, famous places, and the culture, dances and festivals that identify each state and union territory. Questions commonly ask about the newest state or union territory, the state formed on a particular date, the capitals of states, and which high court serves more than one state. Keep a single table per state with its capital, formation year and key facts. Reorganisations such as that of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 change the answers, so make sure your notes are up to date. Practise the Indian states and union territories questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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