Narendra Modi inaugurates year-long Commemoration of 150 Years of the National Song “Vande Mataram”

Narendra Modi inaugurated the year-long commemoration of 150 Years of the National Song “Vande Mataram” in New Delhi today. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Shri Modi remarked that Vande Mataram is not merely a word—it is a mantra, an energy, a dream, and a solemn resolve. He highlighted that Vande Mataram embodies the devotion and spiritual dedication to Maa Bharati. The Prime Minister stated that this one word connects us to our history, fills our present with confidence, and inspires our future with the courage to believe that no resolve is beyond fulfillment, and no goal is beyond our reach.

Describing the collective singing of Vande Mataram as a truly sublime experience, beyond the bounds of expression, Shri Modi noted that amidst so many voices, there emerged a singular rhythm, a unified tone, a shared thrill, and a seamless flow. He spoke of the resonance and waves of harmony that stirred the heart with energy. The Prime Minister stated that 7th November is a historic day as the nation celebrates 150 years of Vande Mataram. He affirmed that this sacred occasion will offer new inspiration and infuse fresh energy to our citizens. To mark this day in the pages of history, a special commemorative coin and postage stamp dedicated to Vande Mataram were released. Paying tributes to all the bravehearts and luminaries of India who dedicated their lives for Maa Bharati, Shri Modi extended congratulations to all present and conveyed his best wishes to every citizen on the completion of 150 years of Vande Mataram.

Noting that every song and every poem carries a core emotion and a central message, the Prime Minister posed the question—what is the essence of Vande Mataram? He affirmed that its essence is Bharat—Maa Bharati—the eternal idea of India. He elaborated that this idea began shaping itself from the dawn of human civilization, reading each era as a chapter, witnessing the rise of different nations, the emergence of various powers, the evolution of new civilizations, their journey from nothingness to greatness, and their eventual dissolution back into the void. He added that India observed the making and unmaking of history, the shifting geography of the world. From this infinite human journey, India learned, drew new conclusions, and based on them, shaped the values and ideals of its civilization, forging a distinct cultural identity. Shri Modi emphasized that India understood the balance between strength and morality, and thus emerged as a refined nation—like pure gold—immortal despite the wounds of the past. 

Highlighting that the conception of India and the philosophical force behind it stand apart from the rise and fall of global powers, rooted in a distinct sense of independent existence, Shri Modi remarked that when this consciousness was expressed in written and rhythmic form, it gave rise to a creation like Vande Mataram. “That is why, during the colonial era, Vande Mataram became the proclamation of the resolve that India would be free, the chains of bondage would be broken by the hands of Maa Bharati, and her children would become the architects of their own destiny”, stated Shri Modi.

Recalling Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s words that Bankimchandra’s Anandamath is not merely a novel—it is a dream of a free India, the Prime Minister emphasized the profound significance of Vande Mataram in Anandamath, noting that every line, every word, and every emotion in Bankim Babu’s composition carries deep meaning. He stated that although the song was composed during the colonial era, its words were never confined by the shadows of those centuries of bondage. It remained free from the memories of subjugation, and that is why Vande Mataram remains relevant in every era and every age. Shri Modi quoted the first line of the song—“Sujalam Sufalam Malayaja Sheetalam Sasyashyamalam Mataram”—and interpreted it as a tribute to our motherland adorned with nature’s divine blessings. 

Highlighting that this has been India’s identity for thousands of years, Shri Modi said its rivers, mountains, forests, trees, and fertile soil have always had the power to yield abundance. For centuries, the world listened to stories of India’s prosperity. Just a few centuries ago, India accounted for nearly one-fourth of the global GDP. However, he noted that when Bankim Babu composed Vande Mataram, India had drifted far from that golden era. Foreign invasions, plunder, and exploitative colonial policies had left the country suffering with poverty and hunger. Yet, Bankim Babu invoked the vision of a prosperous India, driven by his belief that no matter how great the challenges, India could revive its golden age. And thus, he gave the clarion call—Vande Mataram.

Prime Minister stated that during the colonial era, the British sought to justify their rule by portraying India as inferior and backward. He emphasized that the very first line of Vande Mataram powerfully dismantled this false propaganda. Therefore, Vande Mataram was not merely a song of freedom—it also presented to millions of Indians a vision of what a free India could be: the dream of a Sujalam Sufalam Bharat. 

Shri Modi remarked that this day offers an opportunity to understand the extraordinary journey and impact of Vande Mataram. When Bankim Babu published Vande Mataram in Bangadarshan in 1875, some believed it was just a song. But soon, Vande Mataram became the voice of India’s freedom struggle—a chant on the lips of every revolutionary, an expression of every Indian’s emotions. He noted that there is hardly any chapter of the freedom movement where Vande Mataram was not present in some form. In 1896, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore sang Vande Mataram at the Calcutta Session. In 1905, when Bengal was partitioned—a dangerous experiment by the British to divide the nation—Vande Mataram stood like a rock against those designs. The Prime Minister recalled that during the protests against the partition of Bengal, the streets echoed with one unified voice—Vande Mataram.

Recalling that even when bullets were fired at protestors during the Barisal session, the words on their lips remained—Vande Mataram, Shri Modi highlighted that freedom fighters like Veer Savarkar, working from abroad, greeted each other with Vande Mataram. Many revolutionaries, even while standing at the gallows, uttered Vande Mataram. The Prime Minister emphasized that countless such incidents, numerous dates in history, across a vast nation with diverse regions and languages, saw movements where one slogan, one resolve, one song resonated in every voice—Vande Mataram. He quoted Mahatma Gandhi’s 1927 remark that Vande Mataram presents before us a picture of an undivided India. He noted that Sri Aurobindo described Vande Mataram not just as a song, but as a mantra—one that awakens inner strength. The Prime Minister also mentioned that the flag designed by Bhikaji Cama bore the words Vande Mataram at its centre.

Underlining that while India’s national flag has evolved over time, from its earliest forms to the present-day tricolour, Shri Modi said, one thing has remained unchanged—whenever the flag is hoisted, the words that instinctively rise from every Indian’s heart are Bharat Mata ki Jai! and Vande Mataram!. He emphasized that as the nation celebrates 150 years of the national song Vande Mataram, it is also a tribute to the great heroes of the country. It is a tribute to the countless martyrs who embraced the gallows while invoking Vande Mataram, who endured the lash of whips while chanting Vande Mataram, who remained resolute on blocks of ice while reciting the mantra of Vande Mataram. 

The Prime Minister declared that today, all 140 crore Indians pay homage to every known, unknown, and unsung individual who sacrificed their lives for the nation while uttering Vande Mataram, whose names were never recorded in the pages of history.

Quoting the Vedic verse, affirming that this land is our mother, this nation is our mother, and we are her children, Shri Modi stated that since the Vedic era, the people of India have worshipped the nation in this maternal form. He emphasized that this very Vedic thought infused new consciousness into the freedom struggle through Vande Mataram.

 The Prime Minister remarked that for those who view the nation merely as a geopolitical entity, the idea of considering the nation as a mother may seem surprising. But India is different. In India, the mother is the giver of birth, the nurturer, and when her children are in danger, she is also the destroyer of evil. He cited the lines from Vande Mataram, highlighting that Maa Bharati possesses immense power, guides us through adversity, and vanquishes enemies. The Prime Minister stated that the idea of the nation as mother, and the mother as a divine embodiment of strength, led to a freedom movement that resolved to include both men and women equally. He added that this vision enabled India to once again dream of a nation where women power stands at the forefront of nation-building.

Stating that Vande Mataram, while being the anthem of freedom’s martyrs, also inspires us to protect that very freedom, Shri Modi quoted lines from Bankim Babu’s original composition highlighting that Maa Bharati is the embodiment of Saraswati, the giver of knowledge; Lakshmi, the giver of prosperity; and Durga, the wielder of weapons and strength. The Prime Minister emphasized that the vision was to build a nation that stands at the forefront of knowledge, science, and technology; a nation enriched by the power of learning and innovation; and a nation that is self-reliant in matters of national security.

Noting that in recent years, the world has witnessed the emergence of India in its true form, the Prime Minister highlighted India’s unprecedented progress in the fields of science and technology and its rise as the fifth-largest economy in the world. He remarked that when adversaries dared to attack India’s security and honour through terrorism, the world saw that while New India embodies the spirit of Kamala and Vimala in service to humanity, it also knows how to become Durga—the wielder of ten weapons—for the destruction of terror.