Vande Mataram is a poem composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1870s, which he included in his 1881 novel Anandamath.

What does Vande Mataram literally means?

The title ‘Vande Mataram’ literally means “I praise the Mother” or “I bow to the Mother”.

The “mother goddess” in later verses of the song has been interpreted as the motherland of the people – Bangamata (Mother Bengal) and Bharat Mata(Mother India), though the text does not mention this explicitly.

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In which language Vande Mataram was originally written?

It was written in Sanskrit but printed in Bengali script in the Bengali novel Anandmath. Anandmath is a political novel depicting a Sanyasi army fighting the British soldiers. The tune of ‘Vande Mataram’ was, however, later composed by Rabindranath Tagore.

Who referred Vande Mataram as the “national Anthem of Bengal”?

Indian nationalist and philosopher Sri Aurobindo referred Vande Mataram as the “national Anthem of Bengal”.

When Vande Mataram was first sung in a political context?

It was first sung in a political context by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress.

What happened with Vande Mataram during Indian independence movement and after?

The song, as well as Anandmath, were banned under British colonial rule under threat of imprisonment, making its use revolutionary.

However it played a vital role in the Indian independence movement.

The first two verses of the song were adopted as the national song of India in 1947 when India became independent though it had inspired independence movement for the past five decades.

When Constituent Assembly of India adopted Vande Mataram as the Republic’s national song?

On 24 January 1950, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted Vande Mataram as the Republic’s national song.

Does Constitution of India makes any reference to a “national song”?

While the Constitution of India does not make reference to a “national song”, the Government filed an affidavit at the Delhi High Court in November 2022 stating that Jana Gana Mana and Vande Mataram would “stand on the same level”, and that citizens should show equal respect to both.

President of India Rajendra Prasad stated that the song should be honoured equally with the national anthem of India, Jana Gana Mana.

Are there any rules or decorum to be observed when reciting Vande Mataram?

Unlike the national anthem, there are no rules or decorum to be observed when reciting Vande Mataram.

Who first translated novel Anandamath and poem Vande Mataram into English?

The first translation of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel Anandamath, including the poem Vande Mataram, into English was by Nares Chandra Sen-Gupta.

External link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vande_Mataram