150 Years of Vande Mataram
Context – A national initiative (2025–26) launched to commemorate 150 years of India’s National Song, Vande Mataram. The year-long celebration aims to reconnect citizens—particularly the youth—with the song’s spiritual depth and revolutionary role in uniting India during the freedom struggle.
Origin:
Composed by Bankimchandra Chatterji on 7th November 1875 (Akshaya Navami), Vande Mataram was first published in his literary journal Bangadarshan as part of the novel Anandamath. The song depicts the Motherland as divine, powerful, and nurturing.
History & Essence:
Evolving from a poetic tribute to a national call for freedom, Vande Mataram became a symbol of patriotic awakening. Rabindranath Tagore first performed it publicly at the Calcutta Congress Session in 1896. Its vivid imagery—“Sujalam, Sufalam, Malayaja Sheetalam”—celebrates India’s natural beauty, spiritual richness, and collective strength, envisioning a prosperous and free nation.
Features:
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Serves as a timeless symbol of unity, blending devotion and patriotism.
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Officially accorded equal status with the National Anthem by the Constituent Assembly in 1950.
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Reflects the civilizational ethos of Bharat—harmony between moral strength, wisdom, and courage.
Role in the Freedom Struggle:
The song became a rallying cry during the Swadeshi Movement (1905) and the anti-Partition protests in Bengal. Though banned by the British for its revolutionary appeal, it continued to echo in protest marches, prisons, and gallows. Revered by Sri Aurobindo as a “mantra of awakening” and by Mahatma Gandhi as the vision of a united India, Vande Mataram transcended regions, religions, and languages, inspiring collective patriotism across the nation.
The Vande Mataram Movement (1948)
What it is:
A regional resistance movement in Gulbarga (Karnataka) during the Hyderabad-Karnataka freedom struggle, inspired by the slogan “Vande Mataram” to oppose the autocratic rule of the Nizam.
History:
On 9th November 1948, leaders such as Sharanabasappa and Qadeer Dargah led peaceful marches chanting Vande Mataram, which were met with violent repression by the Nizam’s police. Despite the brutality, the movement spread across the region, symbolizing unity and courage. The freedom fighters’ resolve was later recognized by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who praised their spirit and integrated the region into the Indian Union.