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Originally written in Sanskrit and Bengali, Vande Mataram (“I bow to thee, Mother”) first appeared in Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s 1882 novel Anandamath.
Bankim Chandra Chatterji composed the song on Akshaya Navami, which fell on November 7, 1875. (File Photo)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the year-long celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the national song Vande Mataram on Friday. Vande Mataram became the voice of India’s freedom struggle, resonating with every Indian.
Bankim Chandra Chatterji composed the song on Akshaya Navami, which was on November 7, 1875. Originally written in Sanskrit and Bengali, Vande Mataram (“I bow to thee, Mother”) first appeared in Chatterjee’s 1882 novel Anandamath. With six verses, the song became a rallying cry at many political gatherings and protests during the freedom movement.
However, in 1937, crucial stanzas were omitted, diminishing the song’s essence.
Only the First Two Stanzas Included
In October 1937, the Indian National Congress decided to adopt only the first two stanzas, which lack explicit religious imagery, as the national song. These verses, ending with “giver of bliss, Mother,” were officially recognised as India’s national song in 1950.
The remaining verses, depicting the nation as the Hindu goddesses Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati, were excluded to maintain the song’s secular appeal and inclusivity.
Many Muslims felt that reciting these verses forced them to associate their country with Hindu goddesses, conflicting with the Islamic concept of tawheed (the oneness of God), which forbids supplication to anyone other than God.
In a letter dated September 1, 1937, Nehru writes that anyone considering the words in Vande Mataram as related to a Goddess is absurd. He also opines that Vande Mataram is not suitable as a national song.
Netaji Subash Bose strongly advocated for the full original version of Vande Mataram. On October 20, 1937, Nehru wrote to Netaji Bose, claiming that the background of Vande Mataram was likely to irritate Muslims.
What Modi Said?
PM Modi stated that “a part of its spirit and significance was separated,” suggesting that this division “sowed the seeds of India’s eventual partition.” He called on the younger generation to understand the historical context, cautioning that “the same divisive mindset remains a challenge for the nation even today.”
His comments came in the midst of renewed political disputes between the BJP and the Congress over the legacy of the national song. BJP spokesperson C.R. Kesavan accused the Congress of “communalising” Vande Mataram in 1937 under Jawaharlal Nehru’s presidency, claiming that Nehru worried the song might “irritate Muslims,” a claim he supported with Nehru’s correspondence with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
Organisations such as the Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) have criticised these mandates as un-Islamic, asserting that no student or institution should be compelled to act against their religious beliefs. They argue that patriotism should be demonstrated through service, compassion, and ethical behaviour, rather than through forced participation in practices that conflict with their faith.
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November 10, 2025, 13:58 IST
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