150 YEARS OF VANDE MATARAM: A MELODY THAT BECAME A MOVEMENT

Commemorating India’s National Song

Introduction:

7 November 2025 marks 150 years of Vande Mataram, India’s National Song, composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. First published in Bangadarshan (1875) and later included in Anandamath (1882).

The hymn has been an enduring symbol of unity, resistance, and devotion to the motherland. Set to music by Rabindranath Tagore, it has shaped India’s civilizational and cultural consciousness.

Historical Background:

• • First published on 7 November 1875 in Bangadarshan.
  • Included in the first instalment of Anandamath’s serialization (1881).
  • According to Sri Aurobindo, the hymn awakened Bengal’s spirit of truth and freedom.
  • The hymn became an emotional and spiritual battle cry against colonial rule, sung at public meetings, protests, and Congress sessions.

Message of Anandamath:

The novel Anandamath portrays monks (Santanas) who worship the Motherland as Goddess. Their song, Vande Mataram, symbolizes sacrifice and devotion to the nation. As Sri Aurobindo described: “The Mother of his vision held trenchant steel in her seventy million hands.” The three images of the Mother represent:

• • • Mother That Was – glorious past
    • Mother That Is – suffering under foreign rule
    • Mother That Will Be – restored to her former glory

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee:

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee (1838–1894), the author of Vande Mataram, was one of the most prominent figures of 19th-century Bengal.  Through works like Durgeshnandini, Kapalkundala, Devi Chaudhurani, and Anandamath. He articulated early nationalist consciousness. Vande Mataram blended spiritual idealism and patriotism, inspiring generations of freedom fighters.

Vande Mataram as Song of Resistance

It became a movement of awakening during the Swadeshi and anti-partition struggles (1905). Bande Mataram Sampradaya (1905) held Prabhat Pheris singing the hymn in Calcutta.

The Bande Mataram Daily (1906), edited by Bipin Chandra Pal and Aurobindo Ghosh, became a voice of nationalism. British repression:

• • • Circulars banned singing of Vande Mataram in schools and colleges.
    • Fines imposed on students (e.g., Rangpur, 1905).
    • Public processions banned; participants arrested and assaulted.
  • Despite suppression, the slogan spread as a unifying cry of resistance across India.

Adopted at the Varanasi Session of INC (1905) as a national song for all-India occasions.

7 August 1905: First political use during anti-partition rallies in Calcutta.

It resonated across Bengal, Bombay, and Punjab, inspiring protests and unity.

Chanting continued despite bans in Barisal (1906), Lahore (1907), Tuticorin (1908), and Bombay (1908).

Symbolized moral courage, national identity, and spiritual unity.

Impact on Indian Revolutionaries:

1. Madam Bhikaji Cama (1907): Unfurled the first Indian flag in Stuttgart, inscribed with Vande Mataram.

2. Madan Lal Dhingra (1909): Last words before execution — “Bande Mataram.”

3. Indian patriots in Paris & Geneva (1909): Published the Bande Mataram magazine.

4. Gopal Krishna Gokhale (1912): Welcomed in South Africa with chants of Vande Mataram.

National Status

• • On 24 January 1950, Dr. Rajendra Prasad declared in the Constituent Assembly:
    • “Jana Gana Mana” to be the National Anthem,
    • “Vande Mataram” to have equal honor and status as National Song.
  • Recognized for its historic role in India’s freedom struggle and unity across diversity.

Significance

• • Reaffirms unity in diversity and the spiritual foundation of nationalism.
  • Links India’s literary heritage with its freedom movement and modern national identity.
  • Serves as a bridge between India’s civilizational roots and contemporary patriotic consciousness.

Conclusion:

The 150-year commemoration of Vande Mataram honors a song that transcended poetry to become India’s anthem of freedom, devotion, and collective awakening.

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