Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Friday praised the unifying spirit of ‘Vande Mataram’, paying glowing tribute to its writer on the song’s 150th anniversary, an official said. "Vande Mataram is a timeless anthem that binds every Indian to the spirit of our motherland," said Gupta, while addressing the gathering during the 150th anniversary celebration of ‘Vande Mataram’ held at the Delhi Legislative Assembly.
The event featured the unveiling of a commemorative plaque engraved with the complete text of Vande Mataram and the illumination of the Assembly building in the tricolour, reflecting India’s unity and national pride.
The event was also attended by Deputy Speaker Mohan Singh Bisht, MLAs Sanjay Goyal, Karnail Singh, Anil Goyal and Chandan Kumar Choudhary. Gupta said that the Commemorative Plaque will remind visitors of this immortal song and its profound contribution to India’s freedom and national consciousness.
Recalling its origins, Gupta shared how Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, a distinguished civil servant and visionary writer, composed this eternal hymn on Ashwin Navami, November 7, 1875, inspired by the pain and humiliation he endured under the colonial rule.
Gupta narrated how the song later found a place in Anandamath (1882), where the saints of the monastery embodied the religion of patriotism. The portrayal of three idols of Bharat Mata one divine, one in distress, and one destined to rise again symbolises India’s timeless journey from subjugation to resurgence, he added.
Gupta highlighted that Vande Mataram became the anthem of India’s freedom movement, first sung publicly by Rabindranath Tagore at the Congress session of 1896 and later echoing across the nation during the partition of Bengal in 1905.
He said that the song inspired countless revolutionaries, from Bhagat Singh’s courtroom cry of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” to Madam Bhikaji Cama’s unfurling of the tricolour in Berlin, inscribed with the words Vande Mataram.
He emphasised that this anthem transcends politics, religion, and region, “it belongs to 140 crore Indians, symbolising our collective spirit, unity, and pride.” Reflecting on the significance of the day, Gupta announced that the Delhi Legislative Assembly has been illuminated in the tricolour, representing the celebration of India’s unity and strength.
Urging every citizen to participate in the year-long 150 Years of Vande Mataram Commemoration, he said that people should share this moment as a pledge of unity and devotion to the nation.