All six stanzas of Vande Mataram will be sung or played before Jana Gana Mana when both feature at government events, a Union home ministry order says, while also nudging schools to begin their day with Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s song. Standing during the playing of Vande Mataram will be mandatory at official events — an honour so far reserved for the national anthem, composed by Rabindranath Tagore. “When the national song and the national anthem are sung or played, the national song will be sung or played first,” the ministry order says. “Whenever the official version of the national song is sung or played, the audience shall stand to attention. “Vande Mataram” can be translated both as “I praise thee, Mother” and “I bow to thee, Mother” — with the second formulation problematic for Muslims who are not supposed to bow before anyone but God.

Source: The Telegraph February 12, 2026 06:26 UTC