Tomorrow happens to be the date that the GOI wants students to celebrate the centenary of a wonderful song, Vande Mataram.
There has been much controversy over this issue:
Firstly experts claim that 7th of Sep 1906 has no significance for this song. History records that Bankim Chandra Chaterjee wrote this song in 1875 and an abridged form appeared in his 1882 Magnus Opus Ananda Math. It was well known but it made its mark in 1905, in the struggle against the partition of Bengal. It was the December of 1907 that it was adopted by the Indian national Congress. So why was this particular date chosen? Only Arjun Singh knows, and we can't be too sure about his judgement.
Secondly there are questions about its secular credentials. It was no doubt written as a prayer to Goddess Durga in 1875, but it had a wider & different meaning in 1905 and was explicitly adopted by the INC, as an anthem, dependent on that fact. There will always be people wanting to pick up fights, and appear Victims. There will also be lots of people wanting to believe in conspiracy theories, despite evidence to the contrary. A case in point being the forward going around on Orkut that Jana Gana Mana being a homage to George V. Tagore had laid that controversy to rest years back, but these people were neither born then, nor do they have the brains to accept his defence.
The words 'Vande Mataram' have been a wonderful rallying point for millions during the freedom struggle, and even today to signify the Mahatma's presence in Munabhai lage raho, the lyricist had to come up with the song 'Bande me tha dum, Vande mataram'.
Frankly I don't care a damn about any of this ignorant crap. It's a wonderful song that is very beautiful when you hear it. Even if you do not know the meaning of the words, the words have a very musical air about them. It expresses wonderful ideas, and conjures up a very beautiful image in front of our eyes. It is sad that the people have had to been reminded about it and some elements are forcing people to sing the song.
Also read this wonderful article by H. Y. Sharada Prasad.
A Political Song
Finally here are the accepted lyrics of the song.
[This is from a Picture I took in Trimurti bhavan last year]
1 Response to "Vande Mataram"
Its a wonderful song, man, quite happy that you can appreciate it. The words are very very nice and regardless of what they meant before, the song has alot of meaning even today, as it can be easily interpretted as a song about the Motherland. People are so trying sometimes...cause it really is a beautiful song.
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