Utkala Kingdom Utkala Kingdom Utkala Kingdom was located in the northern and eastern portion of the modern-day Indian state of Odisha and also included the districts of Bankura, Purulia and Midnapore districts of West Bengal. This kingdom was mentioned in the epic Mahabharata, with the names "Utkala", "Utpala", and "Okkal". It is mentioned in India's national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. The early medieval literature says in Sanskrit "उत्कृष्ट कलायाः देशः यः सः उत्कलः " Meaning the land having excellent opulence of artists and art is called Utkala(Kala=Art, Utkrishta=Excellent);land of Utkrishta=Excellent-Kala=Art. The Dasarnas, the Mekalas (a kingdom to the west of Utkala) and
Jana Gana Mana also played on certain occasions. It reads as follows Translation by Tagore, dated 28 February 1919 at the Besant Theosophical College. Refer to for the translation of the full poem. Primary sources available in the "Gallery" section. In Kerala, students belonging to the Jehovah's Witnesses religious denomination were expelled by school authorities for their refusal to sing the national anthem on religious grounds, although they stood up respectfully when the anthem was sung. The Kerala High Court concluded that there was nothing in it which could offend anyone's religious susceptibilities, and upheld their expulsion. On 11 August 1986, the Supreme