R-Day parade showcases rare artwork to mark 150 years of 'Vande Mataram'

Prints depicting the opening stanzas of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's iconic song formed a key visual element of the 77th Republic Day parade, marking its 150th year

Prints of old paintings by artist Tejendra Kumar Mitra, illustrating the opening stanzas of 'Vande Mataram', adorned the enclosure backdrops along the Kartavya Path at the 77th Republic Day Parade here.

Written in 1875 by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, 'Vande Mataram' had turned into a rallying cry during the freedom movement. It was adopted as India's national song by the Constituent Assembly in 1950.

The sesquicentenary of 'Vande Mataram' is the dominant theme of the ceremonial parade this year.

Invitation cards to the ceremonial parade here carry the logo of the song's sesquicentenary, along with a silhouetted image of Chatterjee and 'Vande Mataram' as a watermark. Also, performances by the military and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) bands, held from January 19 to 26 in many cities, were on the theme 'Vande Mataram'.

 

India is showcasing its development journey, cultural heritage and military might at the 77th Republic Day Parade, which began this morning. President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, are the chief guests at the parade.

The country turned republic on January 26, 1950, when the Constitution, adopted on November 26, 1949, came into effect.

Thirty tableaux -- 17 from various states and Union Territories, and 13 from ministries and services -- will roll down the Kartavya Path as part of the parade.

The broad theme of these tableaux are 'Swatantrata ka Mantra: Vande Mataram' and 'Samriddhi ka Mantra: Aatmanirbhar Bharat', showcasing a unique mix of 150 years of 'Vande Mataram' and the nation's rapid progress on the back of the growing self-reliance across sectors, dipped in its rich and vibrant cultural diversity, officials said.

'Vande Mataram' was initially composed independently and later included in Chatterjee's novel 'Anandamath'. It was first sung by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 Congress Session in Calcutta (now Kolkata).

The chant 'Vande Mataram' as a political slogan was first used on August 7, 1905, according to a note '150 Years of Vande Mataram: A Melody That Became a Movement', shared by the government on November 6 last year.

'Vande Mataram' was first published in the literary journal 'Bangadarshan' on November 7, 1875. Later, Chatterjee incorporated the hymn in his novel 'Anandamath', which was published in 1882. It was set to music by Tagore, it said.

It has become an integral part of the nation's civilisational, political and cultural consciousness. Commemorating this milestone presents an occasion to reaffirm the timeless message of unity, sacrifice, and devotion that 'Vande Mataram' embodies for all Indians, the note said.