Vande Mataram (album) "It was the hit of the conference." Amid great hype, the album was released on 12 August 1997, three days before the 50th anniversary of Indian independence. The Indian release had only 7 songs while the international release had two additional songs "Masoom" and "Musafir". Later "Masoom" was released in India in the album "Gurus of Peace" and "Musafir" in the album "MTV Total Mix". The album was met with overwhelming responses. Rahman became the first Indian artist of popular music to go international when "Vande Mataram" was released simultaneously in 28 countries across the world. Rahman himself performed live
Vande Mataram Every image made divine In our temples is but thine. [Verse 3] Thou art Durga, Lady and Queen, With her hands that strike and her swords of sheen, Thou art Lakshmi lotus-throned, And the Muse a hundred-toned, Pure and perfect without peer, Mother lend thine ear, Rich with thy hurrying streams, Bright with thy orchard gleems, Dark of hue O candid-fair [Verse 4] In thy soul, with bejeweled hair And thy glorious smile divine, Loveliest of all earthly lands, Showering wealth from well-stored hands! Mother, mother mine! Mother sweet, I praise thee, Mother great and free! [Verse 5] </poem> Apart