NATIONAL SYMBOLS OF INDIA
1.
National Flag:
The National Flag is a horizontal tricolour
of India saffron (kesaria) at the top, white in the middle and
India 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 which represents the
chakra.
The top saffron colour indicates the strength and courage
of the country. The white middle band indicates peace and truth with Dharma Chakra. The green shows the fertility, growth, and
auspiciousness of the land.
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 design of the National Flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of
India on 22 July 1947.
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2.
National Anthem- Jana-gana-mana:
The National Anthem of
India 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 Kolkata Session of the Indian National Congress.
The complete song
consists of five stanzas. The first stanza contains the full version of
the National Anthem.
Playing time of the full version of
the national anthem is approximately 52 seconds. A short version consisting
of the first and last lines of the stanza (playing time approximately 20 seconds) is also played on
certain occasions.
3.
National Song- Vande Mataram:
The song Vande Mataram, composed in Sanskrit by Bankimchandra Chatterji,
was a source of inspiration to the people in their struggle for freedom.
It has an equal status with Jana-gana-mana. On January 24, 1950, the
President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad came up with a statement in the Constituent
Assembly, "the song Vande Mataram, which has played a historic part in the
struggle for Indian freedom, shall be honoured equally with Jana Gana Mana and
shall have equal status with it."
The first political occasion when it was sung was the 1896
session of the Indian National Congress. The song was a part of Bankimchandra's
most famous novel Anand Math (1882).
4.
State Emblem:
The state emblem
is an adaptation from the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. 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 out of a single block of polished
sandstone, the Capital is crowned by the Wheel of
the Law (Dharma Chakra).
5. National Bird- The Indian Peacock:
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.
The male of the
species is more colourful than the female, with a glistening blue breast and
neck and a spectacular bronze-green tail of around 200 elongated feathers.
The female is brownish, slightly smaller
than the male and lacks the tail. The elaborate courtship dance of the male,
fanning out the tail and preening its feathers is a gorgeous sight.
6. National Animal- The (magnificent Tiger) Royal Bengal Tiger:
The magnificent tiger, Panthera tigris
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.
7.
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 22 March 1957 along with
the Gregorian calendar for the following official purposes:
1.
Gazette of India.
2.
News broadcast by All India Radio.
3.
Calendars issued by the Government of India.
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.
Calendar structure:
|
S NO
|
Name (Sanskrit)
|
Length
|
Start date (Gregorian)
|
Tropical zodiac
|
Tropical zodiac (Sanskrit)
|
|
1
|
Chaitra
|
30/31
|
21/22 March
|
Aries
|
Meṣa
|
|
2
|
Vaiśākha
|
31
|
21 April
|
Taurus
|
Vṛśabha
|
|
3
|
Jyēṣṭha
|
31
|
22 May
|
Gemini
|
Mithuna
|
|
4
|
Āshādha
|
31
|
22 June
|
Cancer
|
Karkaṭa/Karka
|
|
5
|
Śrāvana
|
31
|
23 July
|
Leo
|
Siṃha
|
|
6
|
Bhādra
|
31
|
23 August
|
Virgo
|
Kanyā
|
|
7
|
Āśvin
|
30
|
23 September
|
Libra
|
Tulā
|
|
8
|
Kārtika
|
30
|
23 October
|
Scorpio
|
Vṛiścika
|
|
9
|
Mārgaśīrṣa
|
30
|
22 November
|
Sagittarius
|
Dhanur
|
|
10
|
Pauṣa
|
30
|
22 December
|
Capricorn
|
Makara
|
|
11
|
Māgha
|
30
|
21 January
|
Aquarius
|
Kumbha
|
|
12
|
Phālguna
|
30
|
20 February
|
Pisces
|
Mīna
|
8.
National Currency
(Indian Rupee)
The Indian rupee (ISO
code: INR and symbol ₹) 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 is derived from the Devanagari consonant "₹"
(ra) and the Latin letter
"R" was adopted in 2010. It
was designed by Udaya Kumar Dharmalingam. The
INR depicts an equality sign that symbolizes the nation's desire to reduce
economic disparity.
The design of the INR
was selected from among five shortlisted symbols. According to Udaya Kumar, the
design is based on the Indian tricolour.
9.
National Fruit
(Mango):
Mango (Mangifera
indica), affectionately
called King of Fruits is the National fruit of India. Its sweet fragrance and
delectable flavours have won the hearts of many around the world since time
immemorial.
As the national fruit
of India, it represents prosperity, abundance and richness in favour of the
country’s image
10.
National Aquatic
Animal (Dolphin)
The National
Aquatic Animal of India is the Gangetic River Dolphin. It is also known
as “susu”. The Gangetic River Dolphin is one of the National Symbols of
India.
They are found in
the Ganga, Brahmaputra, Meghna, and Karnaphuli- Sangu River systems in
Nepal, India, and Bangladesh. According to the Ministry of Environment and
Forests, the Ganges River Dolphin has been named India's official aquatic
animal.
The Ganges,
Brahmaputra, Meghna, and Karnaphuli river systems in Nepal, India, and
Bangladesh are home to dolphins. Their overall population is thought to be
around 2,000, and Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972). lists them as
"highly endangered."
11.
National Flower
(Lotus)
The national flower of India is Lotus (Nelumbo
nucifera). It is an aquatic herb that is often termed as ‘Padma’ in Sanskrit and
enjoys a sacred status in the Indian culture. The Lotus symbolizes
spirituality, fruitfulness, wealth, knowledge, and illumination, along with
purity of heart and mind.
Lotus can survive in both fresh shallow waters and muddy swamps and can
re-germinate for thousands of years, signifying survival and purity of heart,
mind, and spirit under any circumstances.
12. National Tree of
India- Banyan tree (Ficus bengalensis)
The national tree of a country is one of the symbols of pride that is
integral to the nation’s identity. Indian fig tree, also known as Banyan tree (Ficus
bengalensis) is the National tree of India, whose branches root themselves like new trees over a large area.
The tree is revered as sacred in Hindu philosophy. The roots then give
rise to more trunks and branches. Because of this characteristic and its
longevity, this tree is considered immortal and is an integral part of the
myths and legends of India. The tree is often symbol of the fabled 'Kalpa Vriksha' or
the 'Tree of Wish Fullfillment' as it is associated with longevity and has important medicinal
properties.
For centuries the banyan tree has been a central point for the village
communities of India. Even today, the banyan tree is the focal point of village
life and the village council meets under the shade of this tree. Being native
to that country adds to the privileged status of the tree to be considered as a
national symbol.
13.
National River
(Ganga)
The Ganga, often known as the Ganges, is India’s longest
river, running 2,510 kilometres across mountains, valleys, and plains. The Bhagirathi River originates
in the Himalayan snowfields of the Gangotri Glacier. Other rivers join it
subsequently, including the Alaknanda, Yamuna, Son, Gumti, Kosi, and Ghagra.
The Ganga River basin is one of the world’s most fertile and highly
populated places, covering 1,000,000 square kilometres. The river has two dams,
one in Haridwar and the other in Farakka. The Ganges River Dolphin is a
critically endangered species that only lives in this river.
Hindus regard the Ganga as the world’s most sacred river. Cities like Varanasi,
Haridwar, and Allahabad have important religious rites along the river’s banks. The Ganga widens
into the Ganges Delta in Bangladesh’s
Sunderbans swamp before emptying into the Bay of Bengal at the end of its trip.
14. National reptile -King Cobra (Ophiophagus
hanna)
Snake eater
(Ophiophagus hannah) or King Cobra is the National Reptile of India. King Cobra
is found in the forests of India and also in Southeast Asia. King Cobra is
known as the longest venomous snake of the world. King Cobra may live up to 25
years and is capable of growing up to 19 ft.
In Hinduism King
cobra is considered as divine and known as Nagas and Lord Shiva is often
depicted with a cobra coiled around his neck.
15. National heritage animal - Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus)
Indian elephant is the national heritage
animal of India since 22 October 2010. India's Environment Ministry has
declared the elephant a National Heritage Animal in order to increase
protective measures for the country's nearly 29,000 elephants. "Declaring
it the National Heritage Animal will give it due place as emblem of ecological
sensitivity. It will also mark recognition for its centrality in our plural
cultures, traditions and oral lore," the task force wrote in its
report.
16. National Vegetable of India- Indian
pumpkin or kaddu
The national vegetable of India is the
Indian pumpkin, commonly known as ‘kaddu’. It grows all over India, doesn’t
need excellent soil qualities, and spreads readily as a climber or creeper.
It is regarded as a poor person’s
vegetable since it grows easily and yields wonderful vegetables. It has a sweet
flavour with dals, spices, and veggies and mixes quickly. All of tropical
India’s areas grow it.
17. Oath of allegiance- National Pledge
It was written in Telugu by Pydimarri
Venkata Subba Rao in 1962. Central Advisory Board on Education directed
that the pledge to be sung in Schools and that this practice to be introduced
by 26 January 1965.
It is commonly recited by Indians in
unison at public events, especially in schools, and during the Independence Day
and Republic Day celebrations.
