This section introduces you to the National Identity Elements of
India. These symbols are intrinsic to the Indian identity and heritage.
Indians of all demographics backgrounds across the world are proud of
these National Symbols as they infuse a sense of pride and patriotism in
every Indian's heart.
National Flag
The National Flag is a horizontal tricolor of deep saffron
(kesaria) 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 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.
National Anthem
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.
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. 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).
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).
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. 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.
National Animal
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.
National Flower
Lotus (Nelumbo Nucifera Gaertn) is the National Flower of
India. It is a sacred flower and occupies a unique position in the art
and mythology of ancient India and has been an auspicious symbol of
Indian culture since time immemorial.
India is rich in flora. Currently available data place India in the
tenth position in the world and fourth in Asia in plant diversity. From
about 70 per cent geographical area surveyed so far, 47,000 species of
plants have been described by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI).
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