Singer T.M. Krishna Explores How National Symbols Move Us

When T.M. Krishna began performing all the verses of Jana Gana Mana instead of just the official one, he found himself unexpectedly moved by words most Indians never hear. That emotional reaction sparked a seven-year journey to understand why symbols touch us so deeply.

The acclaimed Carnatic singer shared his discoveries at The Hindu Lit For Life festival in a conversation about his latest book, We, The People of India: Decoding a Nation's Symbols. His personal question became universal: what does responding to these symbols really mean?

Krishna points out that symbols guide our daily lives in ways we rarely notice. When you see a temple and bow, spot a flag fluttering outside a hotel window, or hear familiar anthem notes, something happens inside you before your mind catches up.

"The thing about symbolism is it's often an emotional activity, not an intellectual activity," Krishna explained. That instinctive response, whether from memory or conditioning, connects us to something larger than ourselves.

But here's where his exploration gets fascinating: symbols don't stay frozen in time. The Ashoka Lion Capital that became India's national emblem meant something entirely different when Emperor Ashoka first erected it centuries ago than it did when the new republic adopted it in 1947.

Why This Inspires

Krishna's work encourages citizens to think deeply about the symbols shaping their nation. He asks important questions about how meanings shift as society changes, using the example of the new parliament's emblem, which some see as more aggressive than its predecessor.

His approach turns passive acceptance into active citizenship. By examining where national symbols came from and how they've evolved, people can better understand what kind of society they're building together.

Conversation partner Suhrith Parthasarathy called the book more than just historical research. It's also "a ruminative exploration" of how these symbols travel with citizens, sometimes supporting and sometimes challenging the constitutional republic's ideals.

Krishna's message is ultimately hopeful: understanding our emotional connections to symbols helps us thoughtfully choose what we preserve, what we reconsider, and what kind of future we want to create. By asking "why does this move me?" we become more conscious architects of our shared national story.