There are some things which are symbolic of India. These national symbols are an instant mark of Indian pride and identity. Let us take a look at them.
- National Flag
- The national flag is a horizontal rectangular tricolour with equally sized deep saffron at the top, white in the middle and green at the bottom. In the center is a navy blue wheel with twenty-four spokes, known as the Ashoka Chakra.
- The flag is based on the Swaraj flag designed by Pingali Venkayya.
- The present form of the national flag was adopted in the meeting of Constituent Assembly on 22ndof July in 1947.
- The topmost part of the national flag is designed using saffron colour.
-Saffron colour indicates courage and selflessness of the nation.
-It is a religiously significant colour for religions like Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.
-Saffron colour indicates renunciation and absolution of the ego of the people belonging to different religions and unification to become one.
-Saffron colour reminds political leaders to devote themselves towards the nation and perform their duties dedicatedly only for the good of the nation, without seeking any personal benefits.
- There is a white stripe in the middle of the flag.
-It is representative of honesty, purity and peace.
-In Indian philosophy, white also represents cleanliness and knowledge.
-It signifies light and the path of truth to guide India’s national conduct.
-Politically, the white stripe functions as a reminder to India’s leadership that the ultimate national objective is to maintain a state of peace.
- There is a green stripe on the bottom half of the flag.
-It represents faith, fertility and prosperity.
-In Indian philosophy, it is considered to be a festive and stabilizing colour that represents life and happiness.
-It demonstrates the value placed on the earth as the ground upon which all life is dependent.
-In this way, the green stripe serves as a reminder to political leaders to protect Indian soil both from external enemies and from internal human destruction.
- Navy blue colour, of the Ashok Chakra in the centre of the white stripe of the national flag, indicates the most truth of the universe. It represents the colour of the sky and ocean.
- According to the Hindu religion, all the 24 spokes of the national Flag represents the Life means The Dharma which is as follows: Love, Courage, Patience, Peacefulness, Magnanimity, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Selflessness, Self-Control, Self Sacrifice, Truthfulness, Righteousness, Justice, Mercy, Gracefulness, Humility, Empathy, Sympathy, Spiritual Knowledge, Moral Values, Spiritual Wisdom, The Fear of God and Faith (Belief or Hope).
- National Emblem
- The emblem of India is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka at
- It was adopted on 26 January 1950, the day that India became a republic.
- In the emblem adopted by Madhav Sawhney in 1950, only three lions are visible, the fourth being hidden from view. The wheel appears in relief in the centre of the abacus, with a bull on the right and a galloping horse on the left, and outlines of Dharma Chakras on the extreme right and left.
- Forming an integral part of the emblem is the motto inscribed below the abacus in Devanagari script: Satyameva Jayateसत्यमेव जयते (English: Truth Alone Triumphs). This is a quote from Mundaka Upanishad, the concluding part of the sacred Hindu
- National Calendar
- Saka Calendar is the national calendar of India.
- The calendar was introduced from Nepal Sambat by the Calendar Reform Committee in 1957, as part of the Indian Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac, which also contained other astronomical data, as well as timings and formulae for preparing Hindu religious calendars, in an attempt to harmonise this practice.
- Usage started officially at Chaitra 1, 1879, Saka Era, or March 22, 1957.
- National Anthem
- Jana Gana Mana is the national anthem of India.
- It was composed by Rabindranath Tagore in 1911.
- The underlying message of Jana Gana Mana is pluralism.
- It was adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly as the National Anthem of India on 24 January 1950.
- It was first sung on 27 December 1911 at the Kolkata Session of the Indian National Congress.
- A formal rendition of the national anthem takes fifty-two seconds. A shortened version consisting of the first and last lines (and taking about 20 seconds to play) is also staged occasionally.
- National Song
- Vande Mataram is the national song of India.
- Vande Mataram—literally, “I praise thee, Mother”—is a poem from Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s 1882 novel Anandamath. It was written in Bengali and
- It is a hymn to the Mother Land. It played a vital role in the Indian independence movement, first sung in a political context by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress.
- In 1950 (after India’s independence), the song’s first two verses were given the official status of the “national song” of theRepublic of India.
- National Pledge
- “India is my country. All Indians are my brothers and sisters. I love my country, and I am proud of its rich and varied heritage. I shall always strive to be worthy of it. I shall give my parents, teachers and all elders respect and treat everyone with courtesy. To my country and all my people, I pledge my devotion. In their well being and prosperity alone lies my happiness.”
- It was composed by Pydimarri Venkata Subba Rao.
- National Flower
- Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)is the national flower of India.
- The symmetrically arranged petals and broad floating impart a sense of serenity and beauty.
- National Fruit
- Mango (Mangifera indica) is the national fruit of India.
- Mangoes are native to India.
- National River
- River Ganga is the national river of India.
- Ganga is revered by Hindus as the most sacred river on Earth.
- Ganga is the longest river of India with a heavily populated river basin.
- National Tree
- Banyan (Ficus bengalensis)is the national tree of India.
- The tree symbolizes eternal life.
- The country’s unity is symbolized by the tree’s huge structure and its deep roots.
- The tree gives shelter to many different animals and birds. It symbolizes India which is home to a diverse population.
- National Aquatic Animal
- Gangetic dolphin (Planista gangetica) is the national aquatic animal of India.
- It is said to represent the purity of the holy Ganga river as it can only survive in pure and freshwater.
- National Animal
- Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is the national animal of India.
- The Royal Bengal Tiger is indigenous to the Indian subcontinent.
- It symbolizes strength, agility and power.
- National Bird
- Indian peacock (Pavo cristatus) is the national bird of India.
- The Indian peacock is indigenous to the Indian subcontinent.
- A peacock is a symbol of grace and beauty.
- The peacock represents the unity of vivid colours.
- National Currency
- Indian Rupee (ISO code: INR) is the official currency of the Republic of India. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the Reserve Bank of India.
- The Indian rupee symbol (₹) (adopted in 2010) is a combination of the Devanagari letter “र” (ra) and the Latin capital letter “R” without its vertical bar (similar to the R rotunda). The parallel lines at the top (with white space between them) are said to make an allusion to the tricolour Indian flag and also depict an equality sign that symbolises the nation’s desire to reduce economic disparity. It was designed by Udaya Kumar Dharmalingam, at the Industrial Design Centre at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.
- National Sport
- Hockey is the national sport of India. This article is posted in association with clatapult.com.
First published on December 28, 2020.