Vande Mataram — The timeless anthem

The 150-year celebrations of  National Song Vande Mataram are currently on across the country. The song emerged as a powerful symbol during India's freedom movement, rekindling patriotic fervour across the nation and uniting people of all regions, languages, and faiths in one voice of devotion and courage.

It transcended regional, religious, and linguistic barriers to unite diverse people in the common goal of achieving self-governance. Leaders, students, and workers chanted it during protests and demonstrations across the country. Madam Bhikaji Cama even inscribed the words "Vande Mataram" on the first version of the Indian flag she unfurled in Germany in 1907.

Writer: The poem was composed by the Bengali poet and novelist Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in a mix of Sanskrit and Bengali.

Date of Composition: It is widely believed to have been written on November 7, 1875.

Publication: The full poem was later incorporated into Chatterjee's seminal Bengali novel, Anandamath, which was serialised in the magazine Bangadarshan in 1881 and published as a book in 1882. The novel is set against the backdrop of the Sanyasi Rebellion, portraying ascetic warriors fighting foreign rule, which gave the song a potent anti-colonial context.

First Sung: The song was first sung in a political context by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress.

National Status: On January 24, 1950, the Constituent Assembly of India, recognising its historical role in the freedom struggle, adopted the first two stanzas as the national song.

It had noted that while "Jan Gan Man" will be the national anthem, "Vande Mataram" will get the same status and respect.

Parliament sessions commence with the recital of "Jan Gan Man" and conclude (adjourn sine die or indefinitely) with recital of "Vande Mataram".