India’s national song ‘Vande Mataram’ will mark its 150th anniversary on November 7, with the government planning a nationwide celebration. Composed in Sanskrit by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, renowned as Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, during the 1880s, the song became a timeless anthem of courage and unity, inspiring millions during India’s struggle for independence.
With its stirring verses celebrating the motherland, Vande Mataram holds a place of honor equal to the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. As the nation celebrates this milestone, let’s revisit the rich cultural legacy that continue to make this song a symbol of India’s soul.
The revered song first appeared in Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s celebrated 1882 novel Anandamath, set against the
backdrop of the Sannyasi Rebellion.
During that period, the British were attempting to popularise ‘God Save Our Queen’ as the national anthem of British India — an idea that was met with strong resistance among Indians yearning for self-respect and identity.
The song gained nationwide prominence when Rabindranath Tagore sang it at the Indian National Congress session in Calcutta in 1896, transforming it into a powerful symbol of India’s awakening. Its lyrical tribute to the motherland resonated deeply: “Vande Mataram! Sujalam, suphalam, malayaja shitalam, Shasyashyamalam, Mataram! Vande Mataram!”
Later, Aurobindo Ghose, a revolutionary and philosopher, translated the song into English between 1909 and 1910, rendering it as:
“Mother, I bow to thee! Rich with thy hurrying streams,
Bright with thy orchard gleams,
Cool with the winds of delight,
Dark fields waving, Mother of might, Mother free!
In 1950, the Constituent Assembly of India formally adopted the song, and Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India’s first President, accorded it the status of the national song. He noted that ‘Vande Mataram’ had played a vital role in India’s fight for independence and deserved to be honored equally with national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana.’
Vande Mataram Lyrics
Vande Mataram !
Sujalam, Suphalam,Malayaja Shitalam,
Shasya shyamalam, Mataram !
Shubhra jyotsna Pulakita yaminim
Phulla Kusumita
Drumadala Shobhinim,
Suhasinim, Sumadhura Bhashinim,
Sukhadam, Varadam, Mataram !
Sapta Kotikantha Kalakala Ninada Karale
Dvisapt Koti Bhujair Dhrita Khara Karavale
Abala Kena Ma Eta Bale !
Bahubala Dharinim,Namami Tarinim,
Ripudalavarinim Mataram !
Tvam Hi Durga
Dashpraharana Dharini,
Kamala, Kamaladalaviharini, Vani,
Vidyadayani, Namami Tvam,
Namami, Kamalam,
Amalam, Atulam,
Sujalam, Suphalam, Mataram,
Vande Mataram !
Shyamalam, Saralam,
Susmitam, Bhushitam,
Dharanim, Bharanim Mataram !
Keeping in mind the role played by the song during the freedom struggle, the Union Cabinet on October 1 announced to celebrate the national song’s 150th anniversary across the country. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on citizens to actively participate in the nationwide celebration.
