Vande Mataram: The National Song of India and its Significance
A Melody That Became a Movement
A Powerful Patriotic Song of India
This year, November 07, 2025, marks the 150th anniversary of India's National Song Vande Mataram, which translates to “Mother, I Bow to Thee”. This composition, an enduring anthem, has inspired countless generations of freedom fighters and nation builders, standing as a lasting emblem of India’s national identity and collective spirit. Composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, 'Vande Mataram' was first published in the literary journal Bangadarshan on 7 November 1875. Later, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee incorporated the hymn in his immortal novel 'Anandamath' which was published in 1882. It was set to music by Rabindranath Tagore. It has become an integral part of the nation’s civilizational, political and cultural consciousness. Commemorating this milestone presents an occasion to reaffirm the timeless message of unity, sacrifice, and devotion that Vande Mataram embodies for all Indians.
Historical Background :
To comprehend the importance of Vande Mataram, it is imperative to examine its historical origins, a path that connects literature, nationalism, and India’s fight for independence. The development of the hymn from a poetic composition to a national song exemplifies India’s collective awakening against colonial dominance. • The song was first published in 1875. This is corroborated by a passage in the English daily Bande Mataram written by Sri Aurobindo on 16 April 1907, that it was thirty-two years ago that Bankim composed his renowned song. He further observed that few listened at that time, but during a moment of awakening from long delusions, the people of Bengal looked around for truth, and in a fated moment, someone sang "Bande Mataram." • Prior to its publication in book form, Anand Math was serialised in the Bengali monthly magazine Bangadarshan, of which Bankim was the founder editor. • The song "Vande Mataram" appeared in the very first instalment of the serialisation of the novel in the March-April 1881 issue. • In 1907, Madam Bhikaji Cama raised the tricolour flag for the first-time outside India in Stuttgart, Berlin. The words Vande Mataram were written on the flag.
Ananda Math and the Religion of Patriotism :
The central plot of the novel 'Ananda Math' revolves around a group of Sanyasins known as Santanas, meaning children, who dedicate their lives to the cause of their motherland. They venerate the motherland personified as the mother goddess; their devotion is solely to their land of birth. "Vande Mataram" is the song sung by the Santanas of Ananda Math. It stood as the symbol of the "religion of patriotism" that was the central theme of Ananda Math In their temple, they placed three images of the mother representing the motherland: Mother that was, great and glorious in her majestic grandeur; Mother that is wretched and grovelling in the dust; Mother that will be, in her pristine glory. In the words of Shri Aurobindo " The Mother of his vision held trenchant steel in her twice seventy million hands and not the bowl of the mendicant." Bankim Chandra Chatterjee Bankim Chandra Chatterjee (1838–1894), the author of Vande Mataram, was one of the most prominent figures of 19th-century Bengal. He holds a pivotal role in the intellectual and literary history of Bengal during the nineteenth century. As a distinguished novelist, poet, and essayist, his contributions significantly influenced the development of modern Bengali prose and the articulation of an emerging Indian nationalism. His notable works, including Anandamath (1882), Durgeshnandini (1865), Kapalkundala (1866), and Devi Chaudhurani (1884), reflect the social, cultural, and moral concerns of a colonised society striving for self-identity. The composition of Vande Mataram, is recognised as a milestone in nationalist thought, symbolising the synthesis of devotion to the motherland and spiritual idealism. Through his writings, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee not only enriched Bengali literature but also laid the foundational ideological principles for India’s early nationalist movement. In Vande Mataram he gave the country the vision of the motherland personified as the Mother.
Commemorating 150 Years of Vande Mataram:
As the nation celebrates 150 years of Vande Mataram, commemorative activities across India seek to honour its enduring legacy as a song of unity, resistance, and national pride. Institutions, cultural bodies, and educational centres are organising seminars, exhibitions, musical renditions, and public readings to revisit the song’s historical and cultural significance. The Government of India will commemorate this in four phases.
A Few of the activities are listed below.
On 7th November 2025 • National Level inaugural programme of the commemoration to be held in Delhi (Indira Gandhi Stadium). • VIP events with widespread public participation will be held across the country till the tehsil level on 7 November.
Phase 1 7-14 November 2025
Phase 2 19 -26 January, 2026
Phase 3 7-15 August, 2026
Phase 4 1-7 November 2026
• A commemorative stamp and coin will be released at the national event.
• An exhibition on the history of Vande Mataram will be organised, and a short film will be screened.
• Films of the stamp and coin releases will be shown at every official event.
• Photos and videos of the events will be uploaded to the campaign website.
• At the national level, the programme features prominent singers from across the country presenting different adaptations of Vande Mataram.
Yearlong Activities:
• Special programmes to be hosted on All India Radio and Doordarshan and FM radio campaign.
• PIB to organize panel discussions and dialogues on Vande Mataram in Tier 2 and 3 cities. • A cultural evening dedicated to the spirit of Vande Mataram to be organized in all Indian Missions and Posts across the world.
• A global music festival dedicated to the spirit of Vande Mataram to be organised.
• Vande Mataram: Salute to Mother Earth - Tree plantation drives to be organised.
• Patriotic murals to be created and displayed on highways.
• Audio messages and special announcements to be made. LED displays at railway stations and airports are to display information about Vande Mataram. Special Activities
• 25 films of 1 minute each on different facets of Vande Mataram, the Life story of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, the role of Vande Mataram in the freedom struggle, and the history of India to be made, and outreach to be done via social media.
• To channelise the energy of patriotism, the Vande Mataram Campaign and the Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign will be celebrated simultaneously These initiatives not only pay tribute to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s timeless creation but also highlight its role in inspiring generations during the freedom struggle. Through these celebrations, the spirit of Vande Mataram is being reinterpreted for contemporary India— linking the nation’s proud past with its aspirations for a united, self-reliant, and culturally vibrant future.
References: Ministry of Culture
https://indianculture.gov.in/digital-district-repository/district-repository/vande-mataramnationalist-artwork
https://knowindia.india.gov.in/national-identity-elements/national-song.php https://www.abhilekh-patal.in/Category/Search/QuerySearch?query=vande%20mataram https://indianculture.gov.in/node/2820573 https://amritkaal.nic.in/vande-mataram
https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2024/nov/doc202411254503 01.pdf https://www.pib.gov.in/newsite/erelcontent.aspx?relid=11804
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