The Saare Jahan Se Achcha reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004
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Saare Jahan Se Achcha

The poem Saare Jahan Se Achcha was composed by the poet Muhammad Iqbal when India was under British administration. The poem is in praise of Hindustan and preaches harmony between people of separate religious beliefs. Ironically, after the partition of Indian Iqbal preferred to live in Pakistan. The poem is sung by Indians on occasions of national importance and in schools as part of morning prayer. After the Indian National Song Jana-Gana-Mana and the Indian National Song Vande Mataram, Sare Jahan Se Achcha enjoys the reputation as the most patriotic song in India.

Lyrics

A simple English transliteration of the poem is

saare jahaan se achcha hindostaan hamaraa
hum bul bule hai is kee, ye gul sitan hamaraa

parbat vo sabse unchaa hum saaya aasma kaa
vo santaree hamaraa, vo paas baa hamaraa

godee mein khel tee hain is kee hajaaron nadiya
gulshan hai jinke dam se, ras ke jinaa hamaraa

maj hab nahee sikhataa apas mein byr rakhnaa
hindee hai hum, vatan hai hindostaa hamaraa

Translation

(Our) India is the best amongst the countries of the World.
We are its nightingales and it is our garden.

The highest mountain-neighbor to the skies is our sentinel and guards us.

A thousand rivulets play in its lap, and due to them it has become the envy of the heavens.

Religion does not teach us to hate each other.
We are all Indians and India is our homeland.