The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued new guidelines about the National Song, Vande Mataram. According to the new rules, everyone must stand in respect whenever Vande Mataram is played at government events, government school programs, or other official gatherings.
Under the Home Ministry’s order, Vande Mataram will be played or sung at:
- Government and state functions
- Civilian award ceremonies, including the Padma awards
- Events attended by the President and Governors
- School assemblies and educational programmes
The ministry has, however, clarified that standing is not mandatory in cinema halls when the song is played during films or documentaries, as this could disrupt viewing. The song will now be played immediately after the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana. The government said this step is meant to show respect and promote national spirit.
However, these rules will not apply in cinema halls. Vande Mataram will not be played before movies, and people will not be required to stand in theatres. This decision comes after past controversies and legal debates about respect for the National Anthem and the National Song in cinema halls.
Officials said the new guidelines aim to give clear instructions about showing respect to Vande Mataram. However, it has been placed in a different category from the National Anthem, especially in public entertainment places.
Vande Mataram, the National Song of India, was written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee on 7 November 1875. It was first published in 1882 in his magazine Bangadarshan as part of his novel Anandamath.
In 1896, Rabindranath Tagore sang Vande Mataram at a session of the Indian National Congress. This was the first time the song was sung publicly at a national level. Many people in the audience were emotional.
According to the book Vande Mataram: The Biography of a Song by Sabyasachi Bhattacharya, Jawaharlal Nehru wrote a letter to Subhas Chandra Bose on 20 October 1937. In the letter, he said that the background and language of the song made some Muslims uncomfortable. He also said the language was difficult to understand.
At that time, communal tensions in the country were rising over Vande Mataram. Nehru believed the controversy was part of an organized campaign. He also mentioned discussing the issue with Rabindranath Tagore.
On 22 October 1937, the Congress Working Committee decided to remove four of the six original stanzas of the song. The meeting was attended by leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose, Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, and Sarojini Naidu.
Last year, another controversy arose when some Muslim organisations opposed the recitation of Vande Mataram.
During the winter session of Parliament, the BJP accused the Congress of reducing the original six stanzas to one stanza for political reasons. Currently, only the first two stanzas of the original six are officially sung as the National Song. The removed parts mention three Hindu goddesses, including Durga.
The BJP also shared letters written by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1937, in which he expressed concern that the song’s background could make Muslims uncomfortable. During the debate, former BJP president J.P. Nadda said that the National Song should be given the same respect as the National Anthem and the National Flag.
The Congress responded by saying that the issue was being raised due to the upcoming elections in West Bengal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke about Vande Mataram in the Lok Sabha. In his one-hour speech, he accused the Congress of dividing the song under pressure from the Muslim League. He questioned why changes were made to the original version of the song.
Vande Mataram Verses
The first two verses of “Vande Mataram” adopted as the national song of India read as follows:
वन्दे मातरम्।
सुजलाम् सुफलाम्
मलयजशीतलाम्
शस्यश्यामलाम् मातरम्।
वन्दे मातरम्।
शुभ्रज्योत्स्नाम्
पुलकितयामिनीम्
फुल्लकुसुमित
द्रुमदलशोभिनीम्
सुहासिनीम्
सुमधुर भाषिणीम्
सुखदाम् वरदाम्
मातरम्॥
वन्दे मातरम्।
The complete original lyrics of the “Vande Mataram” are as follows:
वन्दे मातरम्
सुजलां सुफलाम्
मलयजशीतलाम्
शस्यश्यामलाम्
मातरम्।
शुभ्रज्योत्स्नापुलकितयामिनीम्
फुल्लकुसुमितद्रुमदलशोभिनीम्
सुहासिनीं सुमधुर भाषिणीम्
सुखदां वरदां मातरम्॥
सप्त-कोटि-कण्ठ-कल-कल-निनाद-कराले
द्विसप्त-कोटि-भुजैर्धृत-खरकरवाले,
अवला केन मा एत वले
वहुवलधारिणीं
नमामि तारिणीं
रिपुदलवारिणीं
मातरम्॥
तुमि विद्या, तुमि धर्म
तुमि हृदि, तुमि मर्म
त्वम् हि प्राणा: शरीरे
बाहुते तुमि मा शक्ति,
हृदये तुमि मा भक्ति,
तोमारई प्रतिमा गडी मन्दिरे-मन्दिरे॥
त्वम् हि दुर्गा दशप्रहरणधारिणी
कमला कमलदलविहारिणी
वाणी विद्यादायिनी,
नमामि त्वाम्
नमामि कमलाम्
अमलां अतुलाम्
सुजलां सुफलाम्
मातरम्॥
वन्दे मातरम्
श्यामलाम् सरलाम्
सुस्मिताम् भूषिताम्
धरणीं भरणीं
मातरम्॥
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