Several musicians and other citizens have been uploading new and old renditions of Abide With Me in different languages following the Centre’s decision to drop the Christian hymn from the January 29 Beating Retreat ceremony.

On Thursday, a group of Hindustani classical artistes were setting to music a translation of the hymn in Hindustani — the north Indian lingua franca that contains both Hindi and Urdu words — under the direction of Ustad Arif Ali Khan of the Kairana gharana.

The sarangi maestro, vocalist and composer told The Telegraph: “When (activist and lawyer) Suranya Aiyar told me about the hymn and its meaning, I was moved

as I understood how deeply this hymn is related to the situation of soldiers. I felt, why not in Hindustani so that more people can understand it?”

Earlier this week, Aiyar had asked people on social media to play the song in front of their homes at sunset on January 29. She told this newspaper that she saw the government’s decision on the hymn as part of a series of steps to erase Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy.

The Anglican hymn was a favourite with Mahatma Gandhi. It is used as a requiem across armed forces, and is a prayer to God to remain with one through life and death.

Tum Mere Paas Raho — the Hindustani version, scheduled to be uploaded on multiple Internet platforms on Friday — is being performed by five vocalists and with instruments including the sarangi, santoor, flute, sitar, harmonium and the tabla.

Khan, asked why he had lent his talent to the tune, which the Centre has rejected ostensibly for its colonial roots, said: “I don’t like borders between countries and would like all countries to unite so there are no more wars. As an artiste I feel happy if I can bring comfort to anyone through music.”

He added: “I don’t see any particular god in music; we can place the name of the god we like in any devotional song. We should not draw lines between ourselves.”

Khan’s challenge was, however, to set the translation by Mahmood Farooqui — a dastango lyrical Urdu storyteller and cultural personality — to musical metre.

“I have retained some English words to reflect the roots of the hymn and to fit it to the metre. The word ‘Khudah’ has been used for ‘Lord’ only because the sound fits to metre. We have been up for two nights to get it right. Hopefully, we will complete the recording of Tum Mere Paas Raho tonight (Thursday night),” Khan said.

Farooqui, drafted in by Aiyar, told this newspaper that a cultural resonance with the hymn had made it easier to adapt.

“After all, it is a call to God to be nurturing, (to be) a friend. This is an emotion present in all our religions as well…. Sufis in Islam regard God as a friend. In the Vaishnav Bhakti (tradition) too we regard Krishna as a friend, helper and mate.”

Farooqui quoted from the Rig Veda to explain why the hymn should remain part of the Indian heritage.

“Aano bhadra krtavo yantu vishwatah (Let noble thoughts come from every quarter). This is what Mahatma Gandhi did. Colonialism was a cultural encounter… out of which we also got good things like the English language, which is a language of liberation for many,” he said.

“There are things which the colonial encounter has given us which can also be moulded in a positive way. Not everything has to be thrown out because it is colonial.”

Farooqui added: “For me, it’s not a matter of outrage that the government is not using it. It’s not there at a government function, but no one is stopping us from using the hymn. So, we don’t have to depend on the government to ratify it.

“This was something close to Mahatma Gandhi and is part of our tradition, and we want to stick to our traditions and use whatever is best in our past and present. We should not hesitate to use it as we are not under-confident in our culture and tradition.”

Carnatic musicians T.M. Krishna and the Mumbai-based women’s western quartet, The Sassy Songbirds, also uploaded their covers of Abide With Me this week, as did Admiral L. Ramdas and his activist wife Lalita.

Lalita wrote on Facebook: “Regardless of their own linguistic or musical preferences and culture, have listened spellbound to the tubular bells or the trumpets gently sending out the memorable and soothing melody of Abide with Me into the sky turning into lovely shades as the sun goes down.

“It didn’t matter if the scores and melodies were ‘colonial’ and ‘Christian’; or lullabies from the hills of Nepal, or stirringly patriotic like Iqbal’s Sare Jahan se Achchha.... And there was a dignity and solemnity in the finale which had everyone choked and misty-eyed.”

She added: “So as the familiar and popular hymn Abide with Me bows out this year — victim of crosscurrents and forces about which we shall never know — here is our little offering to Bapu and the spirit of Vasudaiva Kutumbakam. The world is one family.”

Vasudhaiva kutumbakam means “the whole world is kin”.