Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Celebrating 150 years of India’s national song Vande Mataram, noted historian Zafar Ansari from Indore will soon present a set of rare historic ‘Vande Mataram’ buttons to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
These unique buttons, featuring the charkha (spinning wheel) emblem, were once proudly worn by Indian revolutionaries on their jackets as a mark of patriotism during the freedom struggle.
The Zafar Ansari Museum of Indore houses an exceptional collection of objects linked to Vande Mataram, including more than 20 rare 78 RPM gramophone records of the song rendered in Bengali, Marathi, and Hindi by various artistes.
Among them is a 110-year-old recording, one of the oldest surviving versions of the song.
Ansari’s collection also preserves multi-coloured silver and metal buttons engraved with “Vande Mataram” and a charkha, symbolizing the spirit of the Swadeshi movement. These will be sent to PM Narendra Modi and President Murmu.
Interestingly, the museum also preserves a rare replica of the Berlin Committee Flag (Madam Cama Flag) first unveiled on August 22, 1907 at Stuttgart, Germany by Madam Bhikaji Cama, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and Shyamji Krishna
Varma. The tricolour flag has eight lotuses on a green stripe, the words “Vande Mataram” in the centre, and a red stripe with a shining sun and crescent moon, later secretly reproduced in India in 1937.
Marking 150 years since Bankimchandra Chatterji wrote Vande Mataram on Akshaya Navami, November 7,1875, the initiative by historian Zafar Ansari seeks to honour the song’s enduring legacy, as it is a timeless ode to India’s unity, strength and devotion to the motherland.
Buttons to PM and Prez of India
Historian Zafar Ansari said, “As my contribution to the celebration of 150 years of national song Vande Mataram, I will send the buttons to President Droupadi Murmu and PM Narendra Modi.”
