Bankim Chandra and Vande Mataram
The Brave Writer and the Secret
Song
A long time ago, in
1873, Hindoostan was ruled by the British. The British officers liked to play
cricket. One evening, a group of them were playing a match on a big field in a
town called Berhampore. The leader of the soldiers was a proud man named Colonel
Duffin.
While they played, a
very important Indian man named Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay was passing by in
a special carriage called a palanquin. His ride took a path that went right
across the cricket field.
Colonel Duffin became very angry.
He stopped the carriage, pulled the respected Bankim Babu out, and was very
rude to him in front of everyone. It was a very mean and embarrassing thing to
do.
Bankim Babu Fights for Fairness
Bankim Babu was a kind and quiet
man, but he knew that what the Colonel did was wrong. He decided not to stay
silent. The very next day, he went to the British court and told the judge, Mr.
Winter, that the Colonel had hurt him.
Everyone in the town was talking
about it. It was a big deal for an Indian official to stand up to a powerful
British officer. People said it was like a battle between David and Goliath.
When the trial started, the British
officers tried to lie and say nothing happened. But Bankim Babu had brave
friends who came to the court and told the truth.
The Colonel Must Say Sorry
The day of the next court hearing,
January 12, 1874, was very exciting. Thousands of people crowded into the
courtroom to watch.
Before the final decision was made,
the judge tried to make a secret deal. He asked Bankim Babu to drop the case.
Bankim Babu said he would, but only if Colonel Duffin said sorry in front of
everyone.
And that is exactly
what happened! In the open courtroom, Colonel Duffin had to fold his hands and
bow his head to say he was sorry to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. The Indian
people in the crowd were so happy; they cheered and laughed because justice had
won.
A Secret Plan and a New Home
The British officers
were angry that their friend, the Colonel, was embarrassed. They made a secret
plan to hurt Bankim Babu. But a good friend, Raja Jogindra Narayan Roy, found
out and told Bankim Babu to leave town to be safe.
So, Bankim Babu moved to a quiet,
safe place called Lalgola. He never went back to Berhampore.
The Song that United a Nation
While living in the peace and quiet
of Lalgola, Bankim Babu found comfort. He loved the beautiful temples there. He
wanted to write something that would bring all the Indian people together to
fight for their freedom. He wanted a special phrase that everyone could say.
One calm night, January 31, 1874,
Bankim Babu sat down and wrote two words: “Vande Mataram.”
It is a simple phrase in a language
called Bengali, but it has a powerful meaning: “I bow to thee, Mother.” It
meant bowing to the Motherland—their home. These words made people feel proud
and brave.
Later, he put this poem into a
story he wrote called Anandmath. The British tried to ban the book
because they were scared of how much people loved it. But it was too late. The
song was already in the hearts of the Indian people.
How “Vande Mataram” Became an
Anthem
“Vande Mataram” became the voice of
a whole nation asking to be free.
In 1896, a famous poet named
Rabindranath Tagore sang “Vande Mataram” at a big meeting. His singing was so
beautiful that it made everyone feel proud. Soon, everyone started singing it
at the beginning of their meetings.
The song echoed in marches and
protests everywhere. It became the unofficial national song for freedom.
The Legacy of the Son
Today, 150 years later, people all
over India still sing “Vande Mataram” to show love for their country and to
remember that they are united as one people.
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