RSS Feeds100 years of Vande Mataram
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07 Sep
2006 |
Bankim Chandra Chatterjee wrote the immortal lines of Vande Mataram in his epic Anand Muth 100 years ago. That was a different era I guess. Our freedom fighters walked to the gallows singing Vande Mataram, such was the aura and the pride of the song.
It’s sad to see how an awesome piece of patriotic work has been reduced to a petty religio-political tool by both Hindu and Muslim fanatics. On one hand, I shouldn’t be forced into singing a song, on the other, what’s the fuss even if you sing it, just to respect the feelings it carries? Don’t they sing it in the parliament?
The opposition to the song I guess began with the Muslim League’s objection to it around 1937. It was Jinnah’s way of sowing the seeds of separatism, and by playing the same tunes today’s Muslims are doing the same thing. Why is this community hell-bent upon proving they are misfits in whatever “different” culture they exist? Why there is always this clash of ideologies?
Despite my personal feelings for the song and my aversion to any kind of opposition to it (I talk about it as a beautiful poetic composition), I think as an independent decision making individual of this country I should be free to not to sing the song, and if I don’t sing this song, it shouldn’t mean I’m a traitor or I’m an anti-national.
Saumyadip on his blog has various versions of this song and he also traces a brief history of it.
Email this link | Posted by Amrit | Tags: Culture, Politics, Society
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The problem isn’t with what Jinnah did. The problem is what to do with those who thrive on our insecurities. Anyways this is what I wrote http://indohstani.blogspot.com/
Its good to see your blog again after disapperaing act. I am glad that you insisted on rectifying the error.
Hope to read your new posts soon too.
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These stars are Written by Vasu.
Another disappearing act?
@Anirudh
Hi Anirudh. This was a circumstantial disappearance. I wasn’t keeping well for a long time, and now I’m trying to take care of the backlog. I’ll start writing regular posts soon.
amrit, you are making over genealizations and your readers, obviously pro you and pro anything hindu…have no objections, which is the obvious reason why only they seem to come or atleast respond to your blog, excluding me. i can give you countless examples where muslims lived or are living without any political, social, or economic problems with the majority culture or political system. U.S. being of these countires. It has 6 million muslims, some of the very wealthiest people in the states are muslims. Latin America, loads of muslims there, no problem there…and highly sucessful. China has mulisms, no problem there, at least the government doesnt let us see that there maybe one. Canada, another prime example. Fiji another one…and so on….so i cant help see a deeper sentiment towards the muslim community from your end that is rooted not facts but a certain emotional appeal that may not be your own creation. oh and even duing the times of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, which i truly believe was the only true democratic leader India has really ever had, included both muslims and hindus in his “office”. however it was the hindus who backstabbed him immediately after british arrival…whereas muslims stayed faithful till the end…a thorough study of india history shows that its alaways a hindu, an uppercaste hindu working behind all human, political, social, religious tragedies in hindoostan by creating an alliance with the ruling elite, whether it is the Moguls or brits. ofcourse im gonna get a response saying…look at teh muslims and what they have done, and hindus are peac loving and dont hate anyone, never converted ppl and are non-violent etc., my response would be that only muslim women are supposed to be covered, so unveil yourselves to your true identity and history or else it will only lead to a further disintegration of hindu society.