Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort in New Delhi on August 15, an event marked by a historic first: the rendering of ‘Vande Mataram’ at the fort complex, followed by the recitation of the national anthem.
An Army band played the tune of the national song as guests present at the occasion sang along. Shortly after, the Prime Minister hoisted the national flag, which received a ‘Rashtriya Salute’. Flower petals were then showered at the venue by two Mi-17 helicopters of the Indian Air Force — one trooping the national flag and the other carrying a flag depicting ‘Vande Mataram’.
The ceremony also commemorated 150 years of the enduring legacy of the national song, with floral decoration on the ramparts depicting the national flag at the centre flanked by ‘Vande Mataram’ in Hindi.
Written in 1875 by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, ‘Vande Mataram’ became a rallying cry during the freedom movement and was adopted as India’s national song by the Constituent Assembly in 1950. The government launched a year-long celebration in November last year to mark its 150 years.
Originally composed independently, the song was later included in Chatterjee’s novel ‘Anandamath’. It was first sung by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 Congress Session in Calcutta (now Kolkata). According to a government note, the chant ‘Vande Mataram’ as a political slogan was first used on August 7, 1905. The song was first published in the literary journal ‘Bangadarshan’ on November 7, 1875, and later set to music by Tagore.
