Vande Mataram (Hail to the motherland) was witten in 1876 by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee as an alternate to God Save the Queen, which the British rulers forced people in India to sing under their rule.
Vande Mataram went on to became the national cry for freedom – as a rallying slogan on its own, song of patriotism in its entirety.
It was used as the unofficial Indian national anthem until the simpler, more secular Jana Gana Mana (written in 1911 by Rabindranath Tagore) was chosen as the official National Anthem in 1950.
Vande Mataram continues to be a rallying cry in India, having gained a new boost of life and popularity, thanks to its rendition by A. R. Rahman and music video (above, via arrahmanfans) directed by Bharatbala.
Enjoy!
