New Delhi . Amid the ongoing debate over some verses of Vande Mataram, actress and MP Kangana Ranaut has reacted strongly to the remarks of veteran actress Sharmila Tagore. Sharmila Tagore recently said that the first two verses of Vande Mataram are good, but the further verses may be difficult for those who believe in only one God. Kangana expressed her disagreement on this statement through social media.
Sharmila Tagore, in her remarks, had talked about Vande Mataram in the context of religious diversity. He said that people of different religions live in India and the first two verses are more suitable for taking everyone along. According to him, due to the mention of different forms of the Goddess in the further part of the song, it may not be comfortable for some people to sing her.
Sharing this statement of Sharmila, Kangana Ranaut said that she respects her right to register her objection, but as an artist, she is surprised by her perspective of looking at poetry and art. Kangana said in her opinion that the words and symbols used in poetry are not always limited to literal meaning.
Kangana linked Vande Mataram with the spirit of the freedom movement and said that the purpose of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's creation was to instill strength and confidence within the countrymen. According to him, emotions are expressed effectively through metaphors and imagination in a poem or song.
He further stated that looking at a work only from the literal meaning of its words can limit its broader literary and historical context. Kangana questioned Sharmila Tagore's comment on this basis and appealed to her to look at this creation from a Hindu-Muslim perspective.
Kangana also said in her response that she likes Sharmila Tagore and has personal respect for her. Despite this, he clarified the difference in the views of both regarding Vande Mataram. After Kangana's reaction, this issue has once again become a topic of public debate.
Vande Mataram was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. This song became an important symbol associated with nationalistic consciousness and sense of patriotism during the Indian independence movement. Over time this song came to be considered an important part of Indian national identity and the history of the freedom struggle.
The crux of the controversy is about those parts of the song in which the motherland has been compared to various forms of the goddess. For this reason, there has been debate from time to time between different religious communities and ideologies regarding its use and presentation.
While Sharmila Tagore emphasized religious diversity and the need to take all communities along, Kangana said the song's literary metaphors and the historical context of the freedom movement were more important. This difference between the views of the two remains the main reason for discussion at this time.
The controversy is not limited to the personal opinions of the two actresses, but also brings to the fore different viewpoints on the literary meaning, religious sensitivity and historical role of Vande Mataram. After the comments of both the artists, the debate on this topic continues on social media and public forums.