In a colonial situation like the British Raj, when a great part of
the colonial administration was manned by Indians, patriotic songs were often a
surrogate for overt action for many Indian government officials. Such songs
played a significant role in shaping the mentality of people who came of age at
the time of independence. Anyone with an ear for music and a fondness for
poetry would have imbibed notions of his or her identity as a citizen of a free
country in terms of patriotic songs heard while growing up. To know more read:
