National Symbols

 

India has several official national symbols including a historical document, a flag, an emblem, an anthem, a song, a calendar as well as a memorial tower. All the national symbols were picked up at various times.

National Flag

• The National Flag shall be a tricolour panel made up of three rectangular panels with equal width.
• The colour of the top panel shall be India saffron (kesari) and that of the bottom panel India green. The middle panel shall be white, bearing at its centre the design of Ashoka Chakra in navy blue colour with 24 equally spaced spokes.
• The ratio of the length to the height (width) of the Flag shall be 3:2.
• The design of the National Flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on July 22, 1947.

 

Display of the National Flag is governed by the provisions of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950 and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.

The Flag Code of India, 2002 is an attempt to bring together all such laws, conventions, practices and instructions for the guidance of all concerned.

As per the provisions of the Flag Code of India, 2002, there is no restriction on the display of the National Flag by members of general public, private organizations, educational institutions, etc., except to the extent provided in the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950 and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 and any other law enacted on the subject.

 

National Emblem

• The State Emblem of India, as the national emblem of India, is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath.
• The Lion Capital has four lions mounted back to back, on a circular abacus.
• The frieze of the abacus is adorned with sculptures in high relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion separated by intervening Dharma Chakras.
• The abacus rests on a bell-shaped lotus.
• State Emblem of India was adopted on January 26, 1950.
• The bell-shaped lotus was omitted.
• The motto “Satyameva Jayate”-Truth alone Triumphs —written in Devanagari script below the profile of the Lion Capital is part of the State Emblem of India.
• In the State Emblem lies the official seal of the Government of India.
• Its use is regulated by the State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Act, 2005 and The State Emblem of India (Regulation of Use) Rules, 2007.

 

National Anthem

• The song Jana-Gana-mana, composed originally in Bangla by Rabindranath Tagore, was adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly as the National Anthem of India on January 24, 1950.
• It was first sung on December 27, 1911, at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress.
• The complete song consists of five stanzas.
• The playing time of the full version of the National Anthem is approximately 52 seconds.

 

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 first political occasion when it was sung was the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress.
• It has an equal status with Jana-gana-mana.

 

National Calendar

• The National Calendar based on the Saka Era, with Chaitra as its first month and a normal year of 365 days was adopted from March 22, 1957.
• It was adopted along with the Gregorian calendar for the following official purposes:

(i) Gazette of India

(ii) news broadcast by All India Radio

(iii) calendars issued by the Government of India

(iv) 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 March 22 normally and on March 21 in a leap year.

 

 

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