Adopted as India’s National Song by the Constituent Assembly in 1950, Vande Mataram was initially composed independently and later included in Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s novel “Anandamath” (published in 1882). First sung by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 Congress Session in Calcutta (now Kolkata), Vande Mataram, as a political slogan, was first used on August 07, 1905.
The commemoration of 150 years of Vande Mataram underscores the song’s profound historical and cultural significance in the evolution of India’s national identity. Emerging from the intellectual and literary milieu of the late nineteenth century, Vande Mataram transcended its literary origins to become a potent symbol of anti-colonial resistance and collective aspiration. The present observance not only reaffirms the enduring relevance of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s vision but also invites renewed reflection on the song’s role in shaping the discourse of nationalism, unity, and cultural self-awareness in modern India.
This year, November 07, 2025, marks the 150th anniversary of India's National Song Vande Mataram, which translates to “Mother, I Bow to Thee”. This composition, an enduring anthem, has inspired countless generations of freedom fighters and nation builders, standing as a lasting emblem of India’s national identity and collective spirit. Composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, 'Vande Mataram' was first published in the literary journal Bangadarshan on November 07, 1875. Later, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee incorporated the hymn in his immortal novel 'Anandamath' which was published in 1882. It was set to music by Rabindranath Tagore. It has become an integral part of the nation’s civilizational, political and cultural consciousness. Commemorating this milestone presents an occasion to reaffirm the timeless message of unity, sacrifice, and devotion that Vande Mataram embodies for all Indians.
To comprehend the importance of Vande Mataram, it is imperative to examine its historical origins, a path that connects literature, nationalism, and India’s fight for independence. The development of the hymn from a poetic composition to a national song exemplifies India’s collective awakening against colonial dominance.
The song was first published in 1875. This is corroborated by a passage in the English daily Bande Mataram written by Sri Aurobindo on April 16, 1907, that it was thirty-two years ago that Bankim composed his renowned song. He further observed that few listened at that time, but during a moment of awakening from long delusions, the people of Bengal looked around for truth, and in a fated moment, someone sang "Bande Mataram." Prior to its publication in book form, Anand Math was serialised in the Bengali monthly magazine Bangadarshan, of which Bankim was the founder editor.
The song "Vande Mataram" appeared in the very first instalment of the serialisation of the novel in the March-April 1881 issue. In 1907, Madam Bhikaji Cama raised the tricolour flag for the first-time outside India in Stuttgart, Berlin. The words Vande Mataram were written on the flag.
The central plot of the novel 'Ananda Math' revolves around a group of Sanyasins known as Santanas, meaning children, who dedicate their lives to the cause of their motherland. They venerate the motherland personified as the mother goddess; their devotion is solely to their land of birth. "Vande Mataram" is the song sung by the Santanas of Ananda Math. It stood as the symbol of the "religion of patriotism" that was the central theme of Ananda Math
In their temple, they placed three images of the mother representing the motherland: Mother that was, great and glorious in her majestic grandeur; Mother that is wretched and grovelling in the dust; Mother that…