The anthem of the National Service Scheme, 'Manassu Nannavatte, Mathamethenkilum Aavatte' (Let the mind be pure, whatever be the religion), is one of the songs shortlisted for Kerala Geetham, the official anthem of the State. The Department of Culture recently announced that the song was favoured due to its secular nature.
Varughese Mathew, Principal of St. Xaviers' College of Arts and Science in Kozhikode who had nominated the song, has received a letter from the department informing that it has been shortlisted.
It was in 2018 that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called for a song with secular values to be chosen as the State’s official anthem. The Department of Culture and Kerala Sahitya Academy received hundreds of entries, of which less than 10 have been shortlisted.
Prayer song
Mr. Mathew had made the nomination when he was Principal of LISSAH College, Kaithappoyil, Kozhikode, in 2018. He had earlier pushed the song as a uniform prayer song at schools in the State. “This anthem played a key role in inculcating the true spirit of NSS among thousands of youngsters in the State,” said Mr. Mathew.
However, the author of the song has not been ascertained and there are at least five claimants. The tune was set by Mavelikkara Gopinath.
The song emphasises the ideals of the service movement and is sung during all NSS gatherings. It gained popularity, along with the movement, that became active on the campuses in the State in the 1990s.
