NATIONAL SYMBOLS

NATIONAL SYMBOLS

 

National Flag

·         The National Flag is a horizontal tri-colour of deep saffron (Kesari) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion.

·         The ratio of width of the flag to its length is two to three.

·         In the centre of the white band is a navy blue wheel called the Chakra

·         Its design is that of the wheel which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. Its diameter approximates to the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes.

·         The Constituent Assembly of India adopted the design of the flag on July 22, 1947. The Indian Flag Code regulates its use and display.

·         A tri-colour flag was first accepted by the Indian National Congress in 1931. The only difference between that flag and the one accepted later as the National Flag is that the wheel replaced the earlier Charkha.

·         Arrangements for the manufacture and supply have been made with the Ordinance Factory, Shahjahanpur. Cotton Khadi, hand-spun wool and silk may be used for the Flag.

·         Damaged flags are not to be displayed. Flags should not be used as a portion of a costume or uniform. The flag is draped over the bier of coffin at a state or military funeral but the flag is not to be lowered into the grave or burnt on the pyre.

State Emblem

·         The State Emblem is an adaptation from the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka (3^rd century B.C.), which was erected to mark the hallowed spot where the Buddha first preached the eight-fold path to his disciples.

·         In the original, there are four lions, standing back to back, mounted on an abacus with a frieze carrying sculptures in high relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion separated by intervening wheels over a bell-shaped lotus. Carved is crowned by the wheel of the law (Dharma Chakra)

·         In the State Emblem, adopted by the Government of India on 26 January 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 right and a horse on left and the outlines of other wheels on extreme right and left. The bell shape lotus has been omitted.

·         The words Satyameva Jayate from Mundaka Upanishad, meaning 'Truth Alone Triumphs', are inscribed below the abacus in Devanagari script.

National Anthem

·         The song Jana-gana-mana, composed originally in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore, 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 Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress.

·         Originally, the title Bharat Vidhata, was published in Tagore's Tatva Bodhini Patrika in 1912and later translated by the poet into English with the title, Morning Song of India.

·         The complete song consists of Five Stanzas but first stanza contains the full version of the National Anthem.

·         The playing time of the full version is approximately 52 seconds.

·         Short Version consisting of first and last lines of the stanza (playing time approximately 20 seconds) is also played on certain occasions.

National Song

·         The song Vande Mataram composed in Sanskrit by Bankimchandra Chatterjee, was as source of inspiration to the people in their struggle for freedom. It has an equal status with Jana-gana-mana.

·         The first political occasion when it was sung was the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress.

·         The song is taken from the novel Ananda Math published in 1882. It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on January 24, 1950.

·         Sri Aurobindo has given an English translation of the song.

National Calendar

·         The national calendar based on the Shaka Era with Chaitra as its first month and a normal year of 365 days was adopted from 22 March, 1957 along with the Gregorian calendar for the following official purposed: (1) Gazette of India (2) news broadcast by AIR (All India Radio), (3) Calendars issued by the Government of India and (4) Government communications addressed to the public.

·         Dates of the national calendar have a permanent correspondence with dates of the Gregorian calendar: 1 Chaitra falling on 22 March normally and on 21 March in leap year.

National Animal

·         The magnificent tiger, Panthera Tigris (Linnaeus), is a striped animal. It has a thick yellow coat of fur with dark stripes.

·         The combination of grace, strength, agility and enormous power has earned the tiger its pride of place as the national animal of India.

 

National Bird                                         Peacock (Pavo Cristatus)

National Tree                                        Banyan Tree (Ficus Benghalensis)

National Sport                                     Presently there is No National Sport

National Fruit                                         Mango (Mangifera Indica)

National Flower                                                Lotus (Nelumbo Nucifera Gaertn)

National Aquatic Animal                     Dolphin

National Heritage Animal                   Elephant