Tamil Thai Vazhthu must now be sung first, before any other song, at programmes run by government offices, educational institutions and public sector undertakings across Tamil Nadu. The rule comes from a government order signed by Chief Secretary M. Sai Kumar in August 2026, issued after the Assembly passed a unanimous resolution on 10 August, as DT Next reported. If you organise a school assembly, a college day or a function in a Chennai government office, this is the order to follow.
The song itself is old, but its legal status is recent. It was used as an invocation from 1970 and only became the official State Song in December 2021. This guide covers where the words come from, what each government order says, how the 2026 dispute over the order of songs arose, and what organisers in the city need to get right.
Where the song comes from
The lines are taken from Manonmaniam, a verse play written in 1891 by Professor P. Sundaram Pillai, who is better known as Manonmaniam Sundaranar. The play is a drama, and the invocation to the Tamil language is only a short passage in it. The tune used at official events is the version set by M.S. Viswanathan in Mohana raga, also called Mullaippani, in Thisra thalam, and recorded by T.M. Soundararajan and P. Susheela, according to a DT Next explainer on the song.
The song praises Tamil as a mother figure. It does not name a religion or a ruler, which is one reason it has been used at school and government events for more than five decades.
Three orders, 1970 to 2026
| Date | What it did |
|---|---|
| 23 November 1970 | Order that the song be sung at the start of functions held by government departments, local bodies and educational institutions |
| 17 December 2021 | G.O. Ms. No. 1037 declared it the State Song, fixed a 55-second rendition and asked everyone to stand |
| 10 August 2026 | Assembly resolution, moved by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, that it be sung first at state-run functions |
| August 2026 | Government order issued by the Chief Secretary putting the resolution into effect |
Some reports give the 2021 order date as 12 December; the 2021 G.O. number and the 17 December date are those cited by DT Next and by members during the Assembly debate. The 2021 order also said the song should be sung by trained singers rather than played from a recording, and that persons with disabilities are exempt from standing.
Why the Assembly acted in 2026
On 28 January 2026 the Union Home Ministry issued guidelines on the national song. They require the full six-stanza Vande Mataram, which runs 3 minutes 10 seconds, and say it comes first whenever the national song and the national anthem are performed together, as DT Next reported. The guidelines did not mention state songs.
In practice, the wording pushed state invocation songs such as Tamil Thai Vazhthu to third place at some events. On 27 May 2026 Chief Minister Vijay wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking for a clarification so that state songs could keep their place at the start of government functions, UNI reported. In his letter he said the state holds the national anthem and national song in the highest esteem.
A later Union advisory asked states to comply strictly with the January directive, according to Deccan Chronicle. The Assembly responded with the 10 August resolution. Members from the DMK, AIADMK, Congress, PMK, VCK, CPI, BJP and IUML spoke in support, and Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar declared it passed by voice vote, IANS reported.
What Chennai organisers should do
- Open with the State Song. At any function run by a government office, school, college, university or public sector undertaking, sing Tamil Thai Vazhthu before the programme begins.
- Use live singers. The 2021 order prefers trained singers to a recording. Many Chennai schools assign the school choir or music teacher.
- Keep it to the fixed length. The official rendition is about 55 seconds, so do not add verses from the play.
- Ask the audience to stand, while allowing persons with disabilities to remain seated.
- Close with the National Anthem as is the usual practice, and follow the Union guidelines where the national song is also scheduled.
Private functions in homes, temples or community halls are not covered by the order. Private schools are educational institutions, so their official events are.
The 2021 court observation
In December 2021 the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court heard a case about a seer who remained seated during the song at a 2018 event. Justice G.R. Swaminathan observed that the song is a prayer rather than an anthem, and questioned whether standing is the only way to show respect, while saying it deserves the highest reverence. The State Song order was issued days later. Organisers who face objections from a guest should note that the order, not the court remark, sets the rule at government functions.
Questions about Tamil in official use are handled by the Tamil Development Department, which also inspects how offices follow the state’s official language rules, as a district administration page describes.
Quick answers
Who wrote Tamil Thai Vazhthu?
Manonmaniam Sundaranar (P. Sundaram Pillai), in his 1891 verse play Manonmaniam.
How long is the official version?
The 2021 order fixes a rendition of about 55 seconds.
Is it compulsory in Chennai schools?
Yes, at school functions. The August 2026 order says it must be sung first at programmes held by educational institutions.
Must everyone stand?
The 2021 order asks everyone to stand, with an exemption for persons with disabilities.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Did you know Tamil Thai Vazhthu became Tamil Nadu’s State Song only in 2021? (DT Next)
- TN Assembly unanimously passes resolution giving Tamil Thai Vazhthu pride of place (IANS)
- TN issues GO making Tamil Thai Vazhthu mandatory at all government programmes (DT Next)
- TN Assembly to mandate Tamil Thai Vazhthu at state functions (Deccan Chronicle)
- Vijay seeks PM’s intervention on Home Ministry order on state invocation songs (UNI)
- All 6 stanzas of National Song must before National Anthem: MHA guidelines (DT Next)
- Tamil Development: Official Language and Department Activities (Thanjavur District, Government of Tamil Nadu)
