“Vande Mātaram” (translated as “I praise you, Motherland”) is a poem composed in Sanskritized Bengali by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee during the 1870s. In October 1937, the Congress adopted the first two verses of this poem as the National Song of India.
The poem was first released in 1882 within Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s Bengali novel “Anandmath”. It serves as a tribute to the motherland, depicted as a “mother goddess” in later verses. Originally, it was meant to represent Bengal, with the “mother” figure symbolizing Banga Mata (Mother Bengal), though this is not explicitly stated in the text. Indian nationalist and philosopher Sri Aurobindo referred to “Vande Mātaram” as the “national anthem of Bengal.
Despite its origins, the poem became a crucial element in the Indian independence movement. Its political significance emerged when Rabindranath Tagore recited it at the Congress session in 1896. By 1905, it had gained popularity among political activists and freedom fighters as a rallying song. The British colonial authorities banned both the song and *Anandmath*, with penalties for those who used them, adding a revolutionary edge to their use. This ban was lifted by the Indian government after independence in 1947.
On January 24, 1950, the Constituent Assembly of India designated “Vande Mātaram” as the national song of the Republic. President Rajendra Prasad declared that it should be given equal respect alongside the national anthem, “Jana Gana Mana.” Although the Indian Constitution does not officially recognize a “national song,” the Government’s affidavit to the Delhi High Court in November 2022 affirmed that both songs should be regarded with equal honor. The initial verses of “Vande Mātaram” refer to the “mother” and “motherland” in a non-religious context, but later verses include references to Hindu goddesses like Durga.