- Mohit Rawal Ujjain

Vande Matram!, it means Mother, I owe to thee. How much do we know about Vande Matram, our National Song? In this article you will get so many facts, its historical prominence and its meaning too.

Vande Matram, it is a Sanskrit poem, written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee,an Indian novelist, poet and journalist, in 1870. In this poem he is personifying India as a mother goddess and inspiring activists during the Indian Independence Movement. This song has become more popular after the publication of Bengali novel Anandmath.

This song always remains on the top of the chart, even then when the charts were not formed, sometimes due to controversies, sometimes due to Independence day, and if there is no reason then on the name of nationalism.

Almost all of us are acquainted with Vande Matram, the National Song, from the school days. It is in Sanskrit, the language of God. Usually we sing only two verses because only two verses are adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India, on 24 January, 1950, but it has originally six stanzas and the another interesting thing is that our Constitution doesn't have any mention of National song. It is adopted as a National song because of acumen of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India.

In July 2017, the Madras High Court ruled that the Vande Mataram shall be sung or played at least once a week in all schools, universities and other educational institutions of Tamil Nadu. The Court also ruled that the song should be played or sung in government offices and industrial facilities at least once a month.

So what does this song mean!? How much do we understand this!? Here is its meaning, The first stanza (sujalāṃ suphalāṃ................. mātaram) praises the motherland, she is the one with the purest water; healthy fruits and crops; having cold and refreshing breeze with the aroma of sandelwood same as the Malaygiri hills; having the soil which is productive, prosperous, and light Brown in color. I bow to thee mother.

The Second stanza (śubhra jyotsnā ................ mātaram) again describing her features. It means, Her moonlit nights give gratifaction - pleasure and satisfaction - the land is engrossing and full of greeny and beautiful flowers. The different languages chanted here are melodious and delightful. The one who gives boon of pleasure and happiness. I bow to thee mother.

A nation's culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people. Somebody has quoted, "A person without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots." So we all should be connected with our culture and try to decipher it.

Jai Hind!, Jai Bharat!!

- Mohit Rawal