The Union Home Ministry has issued comprehensive guidelines requiring all six stanzas of Vande Mataram to be sung at official events, honoring Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s complete original composition. This 3-minute-10-second version celebrates the song’s 150th anniversary while standardizing its protocol nationwide.
Key Occasion Guidelines
The full rendition must precede the national anthem at civil ceremonies, state functions, and Tricolour hoisting events. It will play upon the President’s arrival and departure at formal gatherings, before and after her addresses on Akashvani and Doordarshan, and during governors’ speeches.
Audiences must stand attentively, except in cinemas where it integrates with films to avoid disruptions. Schools and cultural programs with flag hoisting are also encouraged to adopt this practice.
Historical Significance
Originally from the 1882 novel Anandamath, only the first two stanzas were previously official to balance national sentiments. The expanded mandate revives the full poem’s spiritual essence, personifying India as a nurturing motherland. This step strengthens cultural pride and formal respect for India’s national song.
