Celebrate 150 years of our National Song, as it makes its debut at the Red Fort during Independence Day celebrations, by learning how to sing along in sync. This Independence Day, the celebrations are getting a special musical upgrade. For the first time ever, Vande Mataram will be sung during the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort. The recognition given to the iconic composition by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, which played a historic role in the Indian freedom struggle, has not just ignited patriotic fervour across the nation but also propelled the rush to learn the National Song (3 minutes and 10 seconds).For the first time ever, Vande Mataram will be sung during the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort. (Photo: Raj K Raj / HT)Recently, President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, by giving Vande Mataram the same statutory protection as the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana (52 seconds). This implies that intentionally stopping the singing of the National Song or deliberately disturbing an assembly engaged in singing it can invite legal action.Now, to ensure that every citizen can sing along without tripping over the high notes or Sanskrit lyrics, the Ministry of Culture has launched an interactive 5-step masterclass on the official Har Ghar Tiranga website (www.harghartiranga.com). It’s here that you need to click on the option ‘Sing Vande Mataram’. It’s designed to take you from a curious listener to a confident vocalist as the feature segregates all six stanzas of the National Song into a fun, guided tutorial with the lyrics clearly mentioned alongside.Whether you’re brushing up for a colony event or just singing along from your living room, here is how you can master the Vande Mataram in five quick steps:Step 1: Listen to Vande MataramStart your musical journey by streaming the official rendition in your preferred language (Hindi or English). Get familiar with the melody, rhythm, and all six stanzas of the composition.Step 2: Narration & PronunciationPronunciation is key when it comes to classical poetry. Listen to a detailed narrated version that focuses on correct diction while following along with the on-screen transliteration.Step 3: Line-by-Line RehearsalBreak it down! Practice each line individually with a guided voice track. You can repeat each phrase as many times as you need until you get it just right.Step 4: Choir & Solo PracticeWhen it comes the time to build up your confidence, first must listen to how the choir performs the full arrangement. Then, take the mic to test your vocal delivery as a soloist.Step 5: Karaoke SingingThe ultimate test: Belt it out over the background instrumental track as the lyrics highlight on screen in real time, just like a standard karaoke night, but with maximum patriotic energy.Vande Mataram holds a lot of cultural significance for our nation, and it is important that the Gen Z gets to know about it. Also, learning it is not difficult.