CHAPTER-2

NATIONAL SYMBOLS
NATIONAL FLAG
• Horizontal
– Tri-colour
– Width: Length = 2:3

• Ashok Chakra
– Abacus of Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka
– 24 spokes

• Design of National Flag

– Adopted by Constituent Assembly
– 22nd July, 1947

• Based on Swaraj Flag

– Designed by Pingali Venkayya
• Flag
– To be made of Khadi

• Manufacturing standard and procedure

– Laid down by Bureau of Indian Standard

• Only
– Khadi and Village Industries Commission
– Can manufacture flags

• Article 51A (a)

– To abide by the Constitution
– Respect ideals and institutions, National Flag and National Anthem
• Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950
• Prevention of Insults to National Honor Act, 1971
• Flag Code of India, 2002

• Flag at half mast

– During mourning
– Decided by the President
STATE EMBLEM
• Adaptation from Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka
– Carved out of a single sandstone

• Adopted on 26th January, 1950

– Only 3 lions visible
– Chakra on the abacus
– Bull – Right
– Horse – left

• Satyamev Jayate
– From Mukunda Upanishad
– In Devanagri Script
• Bell shaped Lotus
– Has been omitted

• Use of Emblem
– Regulated by State of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Act, 2005

• No individual or private organization

– Cannot use it for official correspondence
NATIONAL ANTHEM
• Originally composed
– Bengali
– Rabindranath Tagore

• Hindi Version
– Adopted as National Anthem
– 24th January, 1950

• First sung
– 27th December, 1911
– Calcutta Session, INC

• Original song
– 5 stanzas
– Only 1st adopted as National Anthem
• National Song
– Vande Matram
– Composed in Sanskrit (Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay)
– First sung
• 1896 session of INC

• National Calendar
– Based on Saka Era
– Starts from Chaitra
– 22nd March

• National Flower
– Lotus
– Nelumbo Nucifera
• National Fruit
– Mango
– Mangifera Indica

• National River
– Ganga

• National Tree
– Banyan
– Ficus Bangalensis

• National Animal
– Royal Bengal Tiger
– Panthera Tigris
• National Aquatic Animal
– Gangetic Dolphin
– Platanista Gangetica

• National Bird
– Peacock
– Pavo Cristatus