The glory of ‘Vande Mataram’

On 4^th July 2023, India’s National men’s football team carved its name on the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) trophy with a brilliant performance. India achieved this historic victory by defeating Kuwait in the final.

Within a few moments of winning this match, the audience in the stadium chanted AR Rehman’s version of the patriotic song ‘Vande Mataram’. The video of this exciting moment is currently circulating on social media. The match was played at the Sri Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. The match was watched live by 26,000 spectators. Seeing them all passionately sing ‘Vande Mataram’ together in unison and rhythm would fill any Indian’s heart with pride. This was a very closely contested final. Initially, India was lagging behind, but later they equalised. In the end, India defeated Kuwait 5-4 in the penalty shootout and won the trophy.

It is special that this was India’s ninth title in this competition. After watching this video, cricket lovers remembered the Cricket World Cup final of 2011. At that time, thousands of cricket fans had turned on their mobile phone torches and sung ‘Vande Mataram’ in the stadium at night.

When a team wins an important match, the crowd of their country cheers wildly. It is special that the football fans who had gathered at the Sri Kanteerava Stadium felt like singing ‘Vande Mataram’ to express their joy.

Even today, it is noteworthy that most Indians in the country want to express their patriotism, pride and joy of victory by singing the ‘Vande Mataram’. These 2 words unite patriots, inspire them and create vigour to do something for the country. After Independence, in the name of secularism, the Congress rulers tried hard to erase the 2 words, ‘Vande Mataram’, which continue to have an indelible place in the minds of Indians; however, the rulers did not succeed. Even today, the youth in India are fascinated by these 2 words. Therefore, young footballers singing ‘Vande Mataram’ in the stadium is a slap to those who want to erase the existence of ‘Vande Mataram’ !

The glory of the song ‘Vande Mataram’

The performance of the Indian football team was astounding. In sport, we have seen youth doing many perverted things such as flinging water bottles and papers, throwing food stuff on the field or entering the field and dancing and singing, making obscene gestures and so on; but the picture was entirely different at Bengaluru’s Sri Kanteerava stadium during this competition. The young football fans expressed their love for the country by singing ‘Vande Mataram’ without resorting to obscene behaviour. This is pure patriotism.

The song ‘Vande Mataram’ gives us the strength to be patriotic and committed to the soil, the Nation and the land in which we have been born.

On 4^th February 2021, more than one and a half lakh people uploaded a video of the people of Uttar Pradesh singing ‘Vande Mataram’ along with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, to commemorate the martyrs of Chaurichaura Shatabdi Mahotsav as a salute. This shows the public sentiment for ‘Vande Mataram’.

‘Vande Mataram’ is necessary to awaken Patriotism

Some bigoted Muslims refuse to sing ‘Vande Mataram’ by arguing that it is only meant for Hindus since it praises the Hindu Deities, and it has nothing to do with Islam. Progressives and secularists also oppose this song.

Every Indian has repeatedly experienced the power of ‘Vande Mataram’. For this very reason, ‘Vande Mataram’ should be recited at all competitions, events, festivals and conventions, so that virtues such as patriotism, pride and gratitude for the country are inculcated in every youth and the awareness that they must do something for the Nation and Dharma is infused in every Indian.

In 1905, Hiralal Jain made India’s first political film which ended with the song ‘Vande Mataram’. For the past few years, the National Anthem is being played in theatres before the start of every film. Everyone in the audience stands up to sing this song. This is the good part. Even if it is for a short time, it generates a feeling of patriotism and the desire to do something for the Nation.

India’s freedom struggle started from the 1857 struggle for freedom. This freedom struggle may not have been successful all right, but the torch of freedom it ignited continued to manifest itself in various forms without interruption.

Bengal, Maharashtra and Punjab became centres of the freedom struggle, which was till then limited to certain individuals or small groups. The 1870s generated a backdrop for a different movement altogether. It was before the Indian National Congress had been founded, meaning, the period before 1885.

Due to the crooked intrigues and tyrannical rule of the British, the spirit of freedom started awakening among the Indians. In this environment, the song ‘Vande Mataram’ was born and became a very popular slogan during the freedom movement that followed.

The slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ reverberated during every march. If we look at the current situation, we will notice that it is like it was before Independence. Hence, the National Anthem and ‘Vande Mataram’ must be sung everywhere for establishing the ‘Hindu Rashtra’ and awaken patriotism among the Indians by repulsing the anti-National acts of the traitors to the Nation.