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| Bande Mataram | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bande Mataram |
| Language | Bengali language |
| Composer | Hemanta Mukherjee (popular rendition); original poem by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee |
| Lyricist | Bankim Chandra Chatterjee |
| First pub | 1876 |
| Genre | National anthem |
| Associated acts | Indian independence movement |
Bande Mataram is a patriotic song originally written as a poem in Bengali language by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and first published in 1876 in the novel Anandamath. The phrase became a rallying cry during the Indian independence movement, adopted by networks including the Indian National Congress, Anushilan Samiti, and Hindu Mahasabha. Its invocation intersected with debates among figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Subhas Chandra Bose, and Rabindranath Tagore over symbolism and national identity.
The poem was composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee while he served in the British India civil service; it first appeared in his novel Anandamath (serialized 1880–1882). The original Sanskritised refrain drew on classical motifs from texts like the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and hymns to Bharat Mata that circulated in nineteenth‑century Bengal. The musical settings that popularized the poem included arrangements by Hemanta Mukherjee and performances by Kanan Devi and later recordings by Manna Dey; early sheet music and melodramas linked the poem to stage adaptations starring actors such as Dilip Kumar Roy. The linguistic register shows influence from Sanskritized Bengali and idioms current in Calcutta intelligentsia circles associated with the Bengali Renaissance and institutions like Presidency College, Kolkata.
During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the refrain was adopted as a slogan by revolutionary groups such as the Anushilan Samiti and the Jugantar. It was sung at gatherings of the Indian National Congress and invoked by leaders including Bal Gangadhar Tilak at public meetings, by Lala Lajpat Rai in protest delegations, and by Bipin Chandra Pal in polemical pamphlets. Revolutionary publications like Bande Mataram (newspaper) (edited by Sri Aurobindo) disseminated translations and commentary; activists from regions such as Bengal Presidency, Bombay Presidency, and United Provinces used the song in marches and prison songs alongside figures like Bhagat Singh and Chandra Shekhar Azad. During the Non-Cooperation Movement and the Quit India Movement, performers including Ram Kumar Chatterjee and choirs organized by All India Students Federation rendered the song at mass meetings, situating it alongside hymns and anthems associated with leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.
The song triggered controversies over sedition laws and colonial censorship. The British Raj administration, invoking statutes such as the Indian Penal Code sections concerning sedition, proscribed publications and public performances linked to revolutionary agitation; this led to arrests of editors from periodicals including Jugantar and Bande Mataram (newspaper). Debates within nationalist politics saw figures like Mahatma Gandhi question militaristic interpretations advanced by secret societies, while Subhas Chandra Bose and Netaji cadres embraced more assertive symbolism. Post‑independence, the song’s partial verses were discussed in constitutional debates at the Constituent Assembly of India where representatives such as Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad weighed communal implications. Legal cases and municipal ordinances in cities like Calcutta and Madras recorded litigation over public displays; newspapers such as The Statesman and Amrita Bazar Patrika chronicled contested ban orders.
The poem inspired a wide range of cultural productions: theatrical adaptations staged at venues like the Bengal Theatre and Victoria Memorial events, film scores in early Bengali cinema and Hindi cinema by composers such as S.D. Burman, and choral arrangements performed by organizations including the Rabindra Sangeet Society. Artists such as Abanindranath Tagore and Nandalal Bose produced visual depictions of Bharat Mata linked to the song’s imagery; poets including Rabindranath Tagore responded in verse and essay, while historians such as R.C. Majumdar analyzed its role in nationalist culture. The refrain was translated into multiple languages by scholars like William R. Jones and printed in periodicals such as Modern Review, influencing diaspora networks in London, Paris, and New York where émigré associations like the India League and the Ghadar Party organized recitals and fundraisers.
After independence, public prominence of the song declined as the newly formed Republic of India adopted the Jana Gana Mana as the national anthem; nevertheless, the poem experienced waves of revival. Revival moments included commemoration events organized by groups like the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, academic conferences at institutions such as University of Calcutta and Jadavpur University, and reinterpretations in contemporary popular music by artists including Anupam Roy and ensembles performing at Republic Day festivities. Debates persist in parliamentary discussions and cultural forums—referenced in speeches by parliamentarians from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha—about its place in public rituals. Archives held by institutions such as the National Library of India, Asiatic Society, Kolkata, and the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library preserve manuscripts, early prints, and recordings, ensuring ongoing scholarly reassessment.
Category:Indian patriotic songs Category:Works by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee