Vande Mataram

"Bankim Chandra composed the song in an inspired moment, Rabindranath sang it by setting a tune to it and it was left to the genius of Aurobindo to interpret the deeper meaning of the song out of which India received the philosophy of new Nationalism."

VandeMataram is the heartfelt song which every Indian needs to sing. It is as melodious as a new born baby learns to say “amma”. Why human is far away from other human, still in this modernalized world. When there is no problem for GOD, why are we creating differences?
RAMZAN has RAM in it and DIWALI (Deepavali) has ALI in it. It just means GOD is everywhere, He is universal. He is in everything; he is around us, he is in child’s smile, in the bird’s chirping, in the rustling river. In every deed we can find him. You need those devoted eyes to see him.

Vande Mataram was adopted as the national song at the Varanasi session of the All India Congress Committee on September 7, 1905. A section of Muslims consider the song unIslamic. But why? Is singing a song for mother country unIslamic or is it called Hinduism. No it’s the Love for your country where you live. Schools are the temples where student learns, it’s not a place where the differences between the communities are preached. Schools should not averse to anything, be it Jana Gana Mana, Vande Mataram or Sare Jahan Se Acha. Schools objective is to teach students to love and respect their nation. The students are to be taught to value their nation, believe in peace, non-violence and equality. It’s a view taken by other minority schools as well.

Here Muslims sing Vande Mataram daily
At Gayatri Vidyalaya in Shah-e-Alam, reciting the national song is commonplace for Muslim as well as Hindu students. Ninety-five per cent of the students at this school— are Muslims.
We are not Hindus and Muslims. As soon as the student enters the school, there is only a teacher-student relationship,’’ says managing trustee of Gayatri Vidyalaya. We celebrate Janmashtmi, Rakshabandhan and Eid together,’’ says the trustee adding, ‘’the decisions are being taken to gain political mileage and nothing else.’’ issue has been blown out of proportion by political parties to get mileage and that reciting the national song on its 100th anniversary is not the only parameter by which patriotism can be judged.

Vande Mataram song: Vande Mataram, Sujalam, suphalam, malayajasshitatalam, Sasyashyamalaam, mataram, Shubhrajyotsana pulakitayaminim, Phullakusumita drumadala shobhinim, Suhasininm sumadhura bhasininm, Sukhadam, vardam, Mataram!

I bow to thee, Mother richly-watered, richly-fruited
Cool with the winds of the south dark with the crops of the harvests the Mother.

Her nights rejoicing in the glory of the moonlight
her lands clothed beautifully with her trees in flowering bloom
sweet of laughter, sweet of speech
the Mother, giver of boons, giver of bliss.

Terrible with the clamorous shout of seventy-million throats and the sharpness of swords raised in twice seventy-million hands
Who sayeth to thee, Mother, that thou art weak?
Holder of multitudinous strength,
I bow to her who saves
to her who drives from her the armies of her foemen the Mother.

Image: A R Rahman's Album released during India's 50th year epitomizes the secular fabric of the song and the nation.

Courtesy: RJ Shivkumar