By Parwinder Sandhu
New Delhi, Nov 7 (UNI) The timeless lines, “Sujalam, suphalam, malayaja shitalam, Shasyashyamalam, Mataram, Vande Mataram,” resonated through the corridors of South Block during a ceremony held on Friday to commemorate 150 years of the national song.
The Army Band from the Rajput Regimental Center, Fatehgarh, Uttar Pradesh, delivered a special performance, bringing the stirring melody to life with their powerful 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 and launched the portal “vandemataram150.in”, where citizens can upload their videos of singing the national song and earn a certificate.
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, Vande Mataram, was first used as a political slogan, on 7 August 1905.
Notably, the Army Band, which included 25 members, including 2 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 year-long celebrations, special programs will be hosted on All India Radio, Doordarshan, and FM radio channels.
The Press Information Bureau will organize panel discussions and dialogues on Vande Mataram in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. A cultural evening dedicated to the spirit of the patriotic song Vande Mataram will also be organized in all Indian Missions and Posts worldwide.
Additionally, tree plantation drives under the initiative “Vande Mataram: Salute to Mother Earth” will be held across the country. The government has also planned a series of 25 short films, each one minute long, highlighting different facets of Vande Mataram, the life of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, the song’s role in the freedom struggle, and India’s history. These films will be broadcast via social media.
