The song that stirred the nation: Army band brings Vande Mataram to life at 150-year tribute

The timeless lines, “Sujalam, suphalam, malayaja shitalam, Shasyashyamalam, Mataram, Vande Mataram,” reverberated through the corridors of the South Block during a ceremony organised to commemorate the 150 years of the national song, here on Friday. The Army band from Rajput Regimental Center, Fatehgarh, Uttar Pradesh presented a special performance bringing the stirring melody to life with their strong notes.

The ceremony was attended by Vice Chief of Army Staff Pushpendra Singh along with other senior officers from the South Block. The gathering later joined the live telecast of the national event, during which Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the year-long commemoration marking 150 years of the National Song Vande Mataram. The prime minister also released a Commemorative Stamp and Coin along with launching the portal – “vandemataram150.in ”, where citizens can upload their videos of singing the national song and earn a certificate.

Advertisement

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). The song which translates to “Mother, I Bow to Thee” was first sung by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 Congress Session in Calcutta. Later, it was first used as a political slogan on 7 August 1905.

Notably, the Army band, which included 25 members including two junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and 23 other ranks have previously played at the birthday celebrations of the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, in 2014. They have also played in Russia and during the CommonWealth Games 2010.

The band, which was formed in 1934, has a strength of 232 soldiers as its band members. On Friday, the band was led by Naib Subedar Laxman Singh.

As part of the yearlong celebrations to commemorate the 150 years of the national song special programmes will be hosted on All India Radio and Doordarshan and FM radio campaign.

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) will hold panel discussions and dialogues on Vande Mataram in Tier 2 and 3 cities. A cultural evening dedicated to the spirit of Vande Mataram will also be organized in all Indian Missions and Posts across the world. Vande Mataram: Salute to Mother Earth – Tree plantation drives will be held across the country. As part of the special activities, the government has planned minute-long 25 films showcasing different facets of Vande Mataram, the Life story of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, the role of Vande Mataram in the freedom struggle, and the history of India to be made. These short films will be broadcast via social media.