The debate over Vande Mataram has resurfaced after comments by Sharmila Tagore and Kangana Ranaut. But why is there a distinction between the first two stanzas and the full composition?
Vande Mataram is once again at the centre of a public debate.
Veteran actor Sharmila Tagore recently said that the first two stanzas of the National Song could be sung by people across religious communities, while some of the later portions could be difficult for those who believe in one God.
Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut disagreed with her interpretation, arguing that the references in the song should also be understood as poetic and symbolic.
But the disagreement is part of a much older debate.
The question is not about two separate songs. Vande Mataram is a single composition by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. What has historically differed is which portion of the composition is used at public and national gatherings.
Here is the history behind the first two stanzas, the full six-stanza composition and the controversy surrounding them.
Vande Mataram: First two stanzas vs full song
First two stanzas: Primarily celebrate the motherland through imagery of its natural beauty, fertility and abundance.
Full six-stanza composition: Includes this imagery as well as more explicit references to divine power and Hindu deities in its later portions.
The distinction is important because the first two stanzas became the portion traditionally used at national gatherings, while the later portions became the focus of religious objections.
What is the difference between the first two stanzas and the full Vande Mataram?
The original Vande Mataram has six stanzas.
The first two primarily describe the motherland through imagery of nature, including its land, water, crops, breeze, moonlight and vegetation.
The later portions introduce more explicit religious imagery and references to Hindu deities. This became a source of objection among some Muslim leaders and scholars, who interpreted the imagery of the motherland as a goddess as conflicting with Islamic monotheism.
So when people refer to the "first two stanzas" and the "full song", they are referring to different portions of the same composition, not two different songs.
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What do the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram mean?
The opening portion celebrates the motherland using largely natural imagery.
It refers to the land as beautiful, fertile and abundant, and evokes its rivers, crops, cool breeze, moonlit nights and greenery.
This portion became particularly associated with public renditions of Vande Mataram.
Its imagery was also central to the distinction later made between the first two stanzas and the rest of the composition.
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What do the remaining four stanzas say?
The later portions of the composition introduce imagery of strength, resistance and divine power.
The fifth stanza, in particular, invokes Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. These references have been a central reason for objections to the complete composition among some Muslim scholars and leaders.
The historical context also matters.
Vande Mataram was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1875 and was later included in his novel Anandamath, published in 1882. The song became closely associated with India's freedom struggle, particularly during the Swadeshi movement.
Because of this context and the imagery in the later portions, the full composition has been interpreted differently by different groups.
Why did Congress decide to sing only the first two stanzas?
The distinction dates back to the freedom movement.
The controversy over the later portions was already present at the time. The Muslim League had raised objections to the song's imagery, particularly its representation of the motherland in divine terms.
In October 1937, the Congress Working Committee decided that when Vande Mataram was sung at national gatherings, only the first two stanzas should be used.
The resolution noted that the remaining stanzas contained references and a religious element that might not be compatible with the beliefs of other religious groups in India.
The decision followed a wider discussion within the Congress about the song.
Leaders including Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose had sought Rabindranath Tagore's views on the issue.
Tagore wrote that he particularly appreciated the first portion of the poem for its depiction of the motherland. He also acknowledged that the complete poem, when read in its context, could be interpreted in ways that might hurt Muslim sensibilities.
Mahatma Gandhi similarly cautioned against allowing the song to become a source of conflict at mixed gatherings. In 1939, he wrote that he would not risk a quarrel over Vande Mataram at a gathering involving different communities.
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Was Vande Mataram made India's National Anthem?
No. Jana Gana Mana is India's National Anthem, while Vande Mataram is recognised as the National Song.
There was a debate around the two compositions when India became independent.
On 24 January 1950, Constituent Assembly President Rajendra Prasad stated that Vande Mataram, because of its historic role in the freedom struggle, would be honoured equally with Jana Gana Mana and have equal status.
This is why it is important not to describe the 1950 development as simply declaring the first two stanzas to be a separate National Song.
The historical convention concerning the first two stanzas and the recognition of Vande Mataram in 1950 are related, but they are not the same thing.
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What changed for Vande Mataram in 2026?
The debate has gained fresh significance this year.
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued orders relating to the National Song in February 2026, setting out the official version and protocols for its use at specified government functions. The official document reproduces the complete six-stanza composition.
Government material explaining the protocol states that the official version is to be used at specified ceremonial occasions and that, when both the National Song and National Anthem are part of an event, the National Song is to be played or sung first.
This has brought renewed attention to the difference between the full six-stanza composition and the first-two-stanza version that had been used at national gatherings following the 1937 Congress decision.
What does the 2026 law say about Vande Mataram?
There is also a new legal dimension to the debate.
Parliament passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 during the Monsoon Session.
The amendment extends the existing legal protection concerning intentional prevention of the singing of the National Anthem to the National Song. It also covers causing a disturbance to an assembly engaged in singing the National Song.
The offence can attract imprisonment of up to three years, a fine, or both.
Importantly, this should not be interpreted as a blanket provision making it a criminal offence for an individual not to sing all six stanzas whenever Vande Mataram is performed.
The law concerns intentional prevention or disruption of the singing. The question of which version is used at specified official functions is dealt with separately through government protocols.
Why is Vande Mataram controversial?
At the heart of the debate are two different interpretations of the song's religious imagery.
Some view the references to Shakti and Hindu deities as poetic or symbolic expressions of the motherland and national strength.
Others, particularly those who follow a strictly monotheistic religious tradition, have objected to the later imagery because they understand it as invoking or equating the motherland with Hindu deities.
The disagreement therefore involves both the historical context of the song and the question of how its imagery should be interpreted in a religiously diverse country.
What did Sharmila Tagore say?
The latest debate gained attention after Sharmila Tagore discussed the song's religious references.
She said that many religious people believe in one God and could find references to multiple deities difficult to recite.
Tagore said the first two stanzas could be used for everyone, given India's religious diversity.
Her comments brought the historical question over the first two stanzas back into the spotlight.
What did Kangana Ranaut say?
Kangana Ranaut responded to Tagore on Instagram Stories.
She said she was "shocked" by Tagore's interpretation and argued that poetry should not necessarily be read as a literal religious text.
Kangana said references to Shakti and Hindu deities could function as metaphors in the context of a freedom anthem.
She also told Tagore to "come out of Hindu-Muslim mindset", while ending her message by saying she loved the veteran actor.
Kangana's argument, therefore, centres on how the religious imagery should be interpreted, while Tagore's concern centres on whether that imagery could make the complete composition difficult for people from some religious backgrounds.
So, is the controversy about two Vande Matarams?
Not exactly.
There is one original six-stanza composition.
The controversy is about which portion has traditionally been used in certain public settings, how the later stanzas should be interpreted, and what the current official protocols provide for specified government functions.
The first-two-stanza convention has historical roots going back to the Congress Working Committee's 1937 decision.
The 2026 MHA orders have set out the complete composition as the official version for specified occasions, while the 2026 amendment separately strengthens legal protection against intentionally preventing or disrupting the singing of the National Song.
That is why an argument over how Vande Mataram should be sung has once again brought questions about India's freedom struggle, religious diversity, poetry and national symbols into the public debate.
TL;DR | News At a Glance
Vande Mataram is one composition with six stanzas.
The first two stanzas focus largely on the motherland, nature and abundance.
The later stanzas introduce more explicit religious imagery, including references to Hindu deities.
The Congress Working Committee decided in 1937 that only the first two stanzas should be sung at national gatherings.
On 24 January 1950, Rajendra Prasad said Vande Mataram would be honoured equally with Jana Gana Mana and have equal status.
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued National Song orders in February 2026, reproducing the complete six-stanza composition and setting out protocols for specified official functions.
A 2026 legal amendment separately addresses intentional prevention or disruption of the singing of the National Song.
Kangana Ranaut and Sharmila Tagore have offered different views on the religious imagery in the song.
