The debate over ‘Vande Mataram’ has resurfaced amid discussions about its place as India’s National Song and the difference between it and the National Anthem, ‘Jana Gana Mana’. The song, written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in the 1870s and featured in his novel Anandamath, the poem became a major rallying cry during India’s freedom movement. The first two stanzas praise the physical beauty and landscape of the motherland. The later four stanzas explicitly invoke Hindu goddesses like Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. The current debate centres largely on whether all of its verses should be treated alike, particularly because some later verses contain references to Hindu deities. While some argue that the song represents India’s spirit and the freedom struggle, others believe those references may be difficult for people from certain religious backgrounds to embrace.Veteran actor Sharmila Tagore recently shared her perspective on the matter, saying that people who believe in a single God may find some portions of the song difficult to accept. She explained that her concern was about bringing people of different faiths together. “My point of view is that there are many religious people who believe in one single God, not many Gods. In ‘Vande Mataram’, there is a stanza which says that many Gods are mentioned in ‘Vande Mataram’”.Tagore added that the first two stanzas could be accepted more widely, while some of the later references could pose a problem for people following monotheistic faiths. “It is difficult for those who believe in one religion to say, ‘Vande Kali, Vande Durga’. Therefore, if we take all the religious people in India together, the first two stanzas are very good”, she added.Sharmila’s comments soon drew a response from Kangana Ranaut. Sharing a video of the veteran actress’ interview on her Instagram Stories, Kangana said she appreciated Sharmila for expressing her reservations but questioned her interpretation of the song as an artist.“I appreciate that Sharmila ji has spoken about her reservation on Vande Mataram, but I am shocked as an artist how can her views on art/poetry can be so limiting and contrived, in any poetry or song words are metaphors, a poet or artist uses all kinds of imaginations draws unbelievable parallels to bring about the desirable effect, Vande Matram is the spirit of freedom struggle Bankim Chandra ji is compelling the nation to awaken the Shakti within, how can you reduce such a great piece of art to mere religious practice.”Kangana went on to argue that references to Shakti in poetry should be understood as expressions of strength rather than only as religious references. She invoked Swami Vivekananda’s famous words to make her point and urged people to look beyond religious divisions.She added, “Vivekananda famously said I need youth who are made of iron, bones of steel and veins in which runs thunderbolt, he was not giving weather forecast, he was simply demanding Shakti to rise, please come out of Hindu Muslim mindset even if we believe in one God doctors also call power Shakti, let’s embrace each other like our own, I absolutely love you and don’t mind a crushing hug like you always give me.”While ‘Jana Gana Mana’ is India’s National Anthem, ‘Vande Mataram’ holds the status of the National Song and has a significant place in the country’s history of independence.
