Rabindranath Tagore’s 1905 composition – translated as The Soil of Bengal, The Water of Bengal – will be sung in government and government-aided schools.
| Photo Credit: File
West Bengal has made it mandatory for all schools run and aided by the State government to sing the State song, Banglar Mati, Banglar Jol, during their morning assembly – a move that has elicited mixed reactions within the teaching community.
“…Take necessary action for regularly singing the State Song Banglar Mati, Banglar Jol in the Morning Assembly mandatorily,” the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education said in a notification issued on Thursday evening.
State Education Minister Bratya Basu also issued a statement on social media, saying that as per the directive of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, government and government-aided schools would sing Rabindranath Tagore’s 1905 composition – translated as The Soil of Bengal, The Water of Bengal – as the prayer song every morning.
“We firmly believe that, when sung along with the national anthem Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka Jaya Hey, the State Song will serve as a special catalyst for social and communal unity in the State,” Mr. Basu said.
As a result, on Friday morning, schools in the State began their day with three renditions: Vande Mataram (on the occasion of its 150th anniversary on November 7), Banglar Mati, Banglar Jol, and the national anthem.
“All these years, our day would begin with two compositions – the famous song Dhono Dhanye Pushpe Bhora, written by Dwijendralal Ray, and the national anthem. Today we had to replace Dwijendralal Ray’s song with the State song and also include, only for today, Vande Mataram because of a directive we had received from the Centre,” said a teacher working in a school near Diamond Harbour.
“This sudden decision seems to be an assertion of the Bengali identity, especially ahead of the State elections next year. Identity politics does not always have a positive outcome, as we have seen in the past in Assam and Maharashtra. Let’s see what purpose this decision serves,” said the teacher, who did not want himself or his institution to be named.
Krishnakoli Ray, headmistress of Dhakuria Sree Ramakrishna Vidyapith for Girls in Kolkata, felt the order was “not only coercive but also in direct contradiction” to the ethos of a united India. “West Bengal is not a separate geographical entity, but has been and always will be a part of undivided India,” Ms. Ray said. There were others who welcomed the move, saying the rendition of the State song should be made compulsory even in private schools.
In December 2023, West Bengal declared a State Day and a State song, saying the need for them was “felt for a long time, taking into consideration its rich glory, culture and heritage”. It announced Poila Boisakh (first day of the Bengali month of Baisakh) as State Day, and Banglar Mati, Banglar Jol as the State Song, which then became compulsory at official events.
Published – November 07, 2025 06:01 pm IST
