07 Nov 2025 : 150 years on "Vande Mataram"

Editorial 2: 150 years on "Vande Mataram"

"Vande Mataram" (meaning "Mother, I Bow to Thee") is a poem composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in the 1870s and later included in his 1882 novel, Anandamath. It became a powerful, emotional slogan and an unofficial anthem for the anti-British freedom struggle, especially during the Swadeshi movement following the 1905 partition of Bengal.

Origins and Significance

• Author and Publication: Bankim Chandra Chatterjee wrote the song in a mix of Sanskrit and Bengali. It was published in his novel Anandamath, which depicted a revolt by Hindu ascetics (Sannyasis) against the Muslim rulers and the British.
• Symbol of Resistance: The song and its slogan became a rallying cry for revolutionaries, inspiring countless people to sacrifice their lives for the nation.
• First Public Performance: Rabindranath Tagore first sang the song in a musical tune at the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress in Calcutta.

Core Objections from the Muslim League

The primary objections raised by the Muslim League and other Muslim nationalists stemmed from the song's religious and historical context:

• Idolatry and Monotheism: The later stanzas of the song explicitly personify the motherland (Bharat Mata) as Hindu goddesses like Durga and Lakshmi and describe her as having "hands that strike" and "swords of sheen." In monotheistic Islam, worshipping or bowing down to any entity other than God (Allah) is considered shirk (idolatry), a grave sin.
• Context of Anandamath: The novel Anandamath itself was seen as having anti-Muslim overtones, as its antagonists included Muslim rulers and the plot was set against a backdrop where the Sannyasi rebels fought both the British and the Muslim rulers.
• Promotion of a 'Hindu Nationhood': Critics argued that the song promoted a sectarian view of nationalism by conflating the idea of the motherland with a Hindu deity, which was incompatible with the concept of an inclusive, secular nation.

The Congress Resolution and Compromise (1937)

Facing a clear dilemma—recognizing the song's immense role in the freedom struggle while addressing the concerns of Muslim nationalists—the Congress Working Committee (CWC) passed a resolution in Calcutta on October 26, 1937:

• Partial Adoption: The CWC decided to adopt only the first two stanzas of "Vande Mataram" as the party's national song.
• Rationale: They reasoned that the first two stanzas purely describe the beauty of the motherland and contain no objectionable communal or religious content. The remaining stanzas, which contained the overt references to Hindu deities, were dropped.
• Key Figures: Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru supported this middle path to maintain communal harmony. Nehru, who read an English translation of Anandamath, noted to Tagore that the novel's background was "bound to irritate Muslims."

Status: "Anthem" vs. "Song" (1950)

Despite the compromise, the controversy persisted, and when it came to choosing the national symbols for independent India, the decision tilted toward a more secular and universally accepted composition.

Conclusion:

The selection of "Jana Gana Mana" as the National Anthem and "Vande Mataram" as the National Song represents a foundational compromise in Indian nationalism.

This dual designation was essential to balance historical reverence for the powerful, revolutionary fervor of "Vande Mataram" with the constitutional requirement for secular, all-inclusive national symbols. While "Vande Mataram" remains the emotional song of the freedom struggle, "Jana Gana Mana" serves as the officially accepted expression of the Indian State's commitment to unity and diversity across all communities. Both compositions are accorded equal status and respect, collectively symbolizing India's rich history and its commitment to a pluralistic future.