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Vande Mataram and the challenge to multicultural nationalism
During Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's oath-taking on May 10, Vande Mataram was played at the start and end, followed by the national anthem and Tamil Thai Vaazhthu. The article traces the Tamil anthem's history and recent legal and political developments, including a 2018 controversy and a 2021 court ruling, as well as subsequent declarations about Tamil Thai Vaazhthu as the State Song.
Why It Matters
The events illustrate how state rituals and songs influence debates over secularism, nationalism, and multicultural identity in Tamil Nadu.
Timeline
4 Events
Oath-taking ceremony for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay
May 10, 2026
At the oath-taking ceremony on May 10, the national song Vande Mataram was played at the beginning and end of the event, before the national anthem and Tamil Thai Vaazhthu. Tamil Thai Vaazhthu is a Tamil anthem written in 1871 and, since 1970, has been sung at all Tamil Nadu government events following an order by former Chief Minister Karunanidhi. It is described as a secular song that praises the language and culture of the land without invoking any religion.
DMK government declares Tamil Thai Vaazhthu the State Song; rise while sung
2021
Following the court ruling, the DMK government under M. K. Stalin declared Tamil Thai Vaazhthu the State Song and mandated that everyone, except persons with disabilities, should rise while it is sung. It has been performed before the national anthem at all State government events.
Madras High Court ruling: Tamil Anthem is a prayer song, no compulsion to stand
2021
Justice G.R. Swaminathan of the Madurai Bench held that the Tamil Anthem was only a prayer song and that there was no executive or statutory order requiring people to stand.
2018 controversy over Tamil anthem: Kanchi Pontiff refuses to stand
2018
The Kanchi Pontiff, Shri Vijayendra Saraswathi Swamigal, refused to stand during the Tamil anthem, prompting a legal case.