National Symbols of INDIA
India, the country with one of the oldest civilization and having the largest democracy in the world is known for its unique identity and heritage. India is an amalgamation of 29 states and 7 union territories, cradle of various religions and culture. The National Symbols of India play an important role in making the identity of our country, bringing the diverse culture together and binding them in a single string.
National Flag:
National Flag is a symbol of a free country. India’s National Flag was adopted in its present form during the meeting of Constituent Assembly held on the 22 July 1947. The National Flag is a horizontal tricolour of deep saffron (Kesaria) at the top. The white colour is in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. The ratio of the height of the flag to its width is 2 to 3. In the centre of the white band is a navy-blue wheel which represents the chakra.
Saffron colour- Strength and courage
White colour- Peace and truth with Dharma Chakra
Green colour- Fertility, growth and auspiciousness of the land
The wheel in the national flag was taken from Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka.
National Bird:
The Indian peacock, Pavo cristatus, the national bird of India, is a colourful, swan-sized bird, with a fan-shaped crest of feathers, a white patch under the eye and a long, slender neck.
National Flower:
Lotus (Scientific name- Nelumbo Nucifera Gaertn) is the National Flower of India. It is a sacred flower occupies a unique position in the art and mythology of ancient India. It is mainly found in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka but has been introduced all over the world. India is rich in flora and fauna. Currently available data place India in the tenth position in the world and fourth in Asia in plant diversity.
National Tree:
Banyan Tree(Ficus bengalensis) is the national tree of India. The branches of Banyan Tree root themselves like new trees over a large area. The roots then give rise to more trunks and branches. Because of this characteristic and its longevity, the tree is considered immortal and is an integral part of the myths and legends of India. These trees are one of the largest trees in the world and grow up to 20-25 m with branches spreading up to 100 m. Even in present time, the banyan tree is the focal point of village life and the village council meets under the shade of this tree.
National Anthem :
“Jana Gana Mana” is the National Anthem of India. The “National Anthem of India” is played or sung on various occasions. The playing time of National Anthem is approximately 52 seconds. Whenever the Anthem is sung or played, the audience shall stand to attention. It was originally composed in Bengali by India’s first Nobel laureate Shri Rabindranath Tagore. Rabindra Nath Tagore has written the National Anthem of Bangladesh as well. The first version of the ‘Jana Gana Mana’ was sung in a convention of the Indian National Congress in 1911 at Calcutta. The parent song, ‘Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata’ is a Brahmo hymn which has five verses and only the first verse has been adopted as National Anthem. The song was first published in the Tatwabodhini Patrika under the title Bharat Bhagya Bidhata. Tatwabodhini Patrika was the official publication of the Brahmo Samaj.
State Emblem:
The State Emblem of India is the national emblem of the Republic of India and is used by the union government, many state governments, and other government agencies. The emblem is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka, an ancient sculpture dating back to 280 BCE during the Maurya Empire. The statue is a three dimensional emblem showing four lions. It became the emblem of the Dominion of India in December 1947,[1] and later the emblem of the Republic of India. The State Emblem of India is an official seal of the Government of India. It is used as the national emblem of India and appears on official documents, currency and passports.
The emblem was adopted by the Government of India on January 26, 1950, the same day that India became a republic. It is based on the Lion Capital of Ashoka, a sculpture that was originally erected at the Sarnath, a place where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma, now in Uttar Pradesh, India. The emblem features four Asiatic lions standing back to back, symbolizing power, courage, confidence and faith. The lions are mounted on a circular abacus and the abacus is mounted on a lotus. The wheel of the law, Dharmachakra, is in the center of the abacus. The wheel has 24 spokes, which symbolize the progress and evolution of human civilization.
The motto “Satyameva Jayate” (“truth alone triumphs”) is inscribed below the abacus in Devanagari script, which is written from left to right. The use of the emblem is governed by the State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Act, 2005 and the State Emblem of India (Regulation of Use) Rules, 2007.
The State Emblem of India is used by the Government of India and its agencies, as well as by all state governments and union territory administrations in India. It is also used by private citizens in India on letterheads, business cards and other personal uses, but with certain restrictions. The emblem is protected under the Indian Emblem Act and its use without proper authority is punishable under the law.
National Calendar:
The Indian national calendar sometimes called the Shalivahana Shaka calendar. National Calendar was adopted from 22 March 1957 along with the Gregorian calendar. King Shalivahana of the Shatavahana dynasty is known as the founder of SAKA era. The Saka Calendar is based on the lunisolar reckoning of time. The calendar consists of 365 days and 12 months like the normal Gregorian calendar.
National Animal:
The national animal of India is the Royal Bengal Tiger. The Middle English tigre and Old English tigras derive from Old French tigre, from Latin tigris. This was a borrowing of Classical Greek τίγρις ‘tigris’, a foreign borrowing of unknown origin meaning ‘tiger’ and the river Tigris. The origin may have been the Persian word tigra (‘pointed or sharp’) and the Avestan word tigrhi (‘arrow’), perhaps referring to the speed of the tiger’s leap, although these words are not known to have any meanings associated with tigers.
The generic name Panthera is derived from the Latin word panthera and the Ancient Greek word πάνθηρ (‘panther’).
National Song
The song Vande Mataram, composed in Sanskrit by Bankimchandra Chatterji, was a source of inspiration to the people in their struggle for freedom. The poem features in Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s patriotic novel ‘Anandamath’ which was published as a series in the Bengali periodical ‘Banga Darshan’ between 1880 and 1882.
The root of the Sanskrit word Vande is Vand, which appears in Rigveda and other Vedic texts.[26][note 1] According to Monier Monier-Williams, depending on the context, vand means “to praise, celebrate, laud, extol, to show honour, do homage, salute respectfully”, or “deferentially, venerate, worship, adore”, or “to offer anything respectfully to”.[26][27] The word Mātaram has Indo-European roots in mātár- (Sanskrit), méter (Greek), mâter (Latin) which mean “mother”.
National Currency
The Indian rupee(sign: ₹; code: INR) is the official currency of the Republic of India. The new sign is a combination of the Devanagari letter ⟨र⟩ (“ra”) and the Latin capital letter ⟨R⟩ without its vertical bar. The parallel lines at the top (with white space between them) makes an allusion to the tricolour Indian flag and also depict an equality sign that symbolizes the nation’s desire to reduce economic disparity.
The final selected symbol was designed by D. Udaya Kumar, a Bachelor of Architecture and (at the time) a visual design student at the Industrial Design Centre, IIT Bombay. The thoughts and philosophy behind the design are explained in this presentation.
