150 Years of Vande Mataram: From India’s Swadeshi Movement to British’s ₹5 Fine

It was on this day, 150 years ago, that India’s national song Vande Mataram was first published in the literary journal Bangadarshan. Literally meaning “Mother, I bow to thee,” the song was composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and published in 1875. Chatterjee incorporated the hymn in his immortal novel ‘Anandamath,’ in 1882. It was the renowned poet Rabindranath Tagore who gave music to India’s heartbeat.’ He also sang the song at the 1896 Congress Session in Calcutta. When did India start to use this as the country’s national song?

Vande Mataram, as a political slogan, was first used on 7 August 1905, but it wasn’t until 1950 that it was adopted as India’s national song.

7 Key Facts about Vande Mataram