New Delhi, Feb. 11 -- The union Ministry of Home Affairs has issued its first formal guidelines on the rendition of the national song Vande Mataram, stating that it must be performed in its entirety during official events where it is included.
The advisory, issued on January 28, also specifies that when both Vande Mataram and the national anthem Jana Gana Mana are scheduled to be presented together, the national song should be rendered first.
According to the directions, all six stanzas of Vande Mataram, composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, are to be sung in full before the anthem on such occasions. The ministry said the protocol aims to bring uniformity to how the national song is observed at government functions.
The ministry note...