Page 54 - Mann Ki Baat - English
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The Voice of Maa Bharati
Celebrating 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’
A Song Born from the Soul of India
When Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (1838–1894) penned
‘Vande Mataram’ which translates to ‘Mother, I Bow to Thee’, he was
responding to an India weighed down by colonial servitude. Through
his immortal words, he sought to awaken the nation’s self-belief.
‘Vande Mataram’ became more than a poetry. It was a prayer. When
Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore sang it publicly for the first time, its
power became contagious. Across the decades of India’s struggle for
freedom, the chant ‘Vande Mataram’ became a rallying cry on the lips
of protestors and revolutionaries, and in the hearts of ordinary Indians
yearning for freedom.
From Struggle to Strength — The Eternal Song
Before Independence, ‘Vande Mataram’ was the song of resistance.
It inspired leaders and revolutionaries, from Mahatma Gandhi and
Subhas Chandra Bose to countless unsung heroes. The chant was
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