National Flag
The national flag of India is also known as the Tiranga, meaning "tricolour". It is made up of three equal horizontal bands of saffron, white, and green, with a navy blue wheel with 24 spokes in the center called the Ashoka Chakra. The saffron color represents courage and sacrifice, the white color represents truth and purity, and the green color represents peace and prosperity. The Ashoka Chakra represents the eternal wheel of law. The design of the national flag was adopted on July 22, 1947, just before India gained its independence from British rule on August 15, 1947.
National Anthem
The national anthem of India is "Jana Gana Mana", which was written by Rabindranath Tagore. It was adopted as the national anthem of India on January 24, 1950, by the Constituent Assembly of India. The anthem is sung in the Bengali language and consists of five stanzas, but only the first stanza is usually sung on official occasions. The English translation of the first stanza is:
Jono gono mono odhinayoko joyo he,
Bharoto bhaggo bidhata
Punjab Sindhu Gujrat Maratha,
Dravid Utkol Bongo
Bindho Himachol Jomuna Gonga,
Uchchholo jolodhitorongo
Tobo shubho naame jage,
Tobo shubho ashish mange
Gahe tobo joyo gatha
Jono gono mongolo dayoko joyo he,
Bharoto bhaggo bidhata
Joyo he joyo he joyo he Joyo joyo joyo joyo he.
Ohoroho tobo ahoban procharito,
Shuni tobo udaro bani
Hindu Buoddho Shikh Jeino Parshiko,
Musolman Chrishtani
Purob poshchim ashe,
Tobo shinghoshono pashe
Premhar hoy gãtha
Jono gono oikko bidhayoko joyo he,
Bharoto bhaggo bidhata
Joyo he joyo he joyo he Joyo joyo joyo joyo he.
Potono obhbhudhoyo bondhur pontha,
Jugo Jugo dhabito jatri
He chirosharothi, tobo rotho chokre,
Mukhuritho potho dinratri
Doruno biplob majhe,
Tobo shongkhodhoni baje
Shonkoto dukkho trata
Jono gono potho porichayoko joyo he,
Bharoto bhaggo bidhata
Joyo he joyo he joyo he Joyo joyo joyo joyo he.
Ghor timir ghono nibir nishithe,
Pirit murchhito deshe
Jogroto chilo tobo obicholo mongolo,
Notonoyo ne onimeshe
Duhshopne atongke,
Rokkha korile ongke
Snehomoyi tumi mata
Jono gono duhkho trayoko joyo he,
Bharoto bhaggo bidhata
Joyo he joyo he joyo he Joyo joyo joyo joyo he.
Ratri probhatilo udilo robichhobi,
Purbo udoyo giri bhale
Gahe bihongom punno shomiron,
Nobo jibono rosh dhale
Tobo korunoruno raage,
Nidrito bharot jage
Tobo chorone noto matha
Joyo joyo joyo he, Joyo rajeshwor
Bharoto bhaggo bidhata
Joyo he joyo he joyo he Joyo joyo joyo joyo he.
National Bird
The national bird of India is the Indian peafowl, also known as the peacock. The male peafowl has a vibrant blue and green plumage, with a long and elaborate train of feathers that can be spread out in a magnificent display during courtship or territorial defense. The female peafowl, or peahen, is less colorful with a mixture of green, brown, and grey feathers. The Indian peafowl is considered a symbol of grace, beauty, and royalty in Indian culture and is widely found across the country, especially in rural areas, parks, and wildlife reserves.
National Flower
The national flower of India is the lotus. The lotus is a sacred flower in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and it is considered a symbol of purity, enlightenment, and spiritual growth. The lotus has a unique ability to grow in muddy waters and rise above the surface, representing the idea of rising above materialistic desires and attaining spiritual enlightenment. The lotus is also a popular motif in Indian art, architecture, and literature, and it is widely used in religious ceremonies and festivals.
National Song
Vande Mataram!
Sujalam suphalam, malayaja shitalam,
Shasyashyamalam, Mataram!
Shubhrajyotsna pulakitayaminim,
Phullakusumita drumadala shobhinim,
Suhasinim, sumadhura bhashinim,
Sukhadam, varadam, Mataram!
Saptakotikantha kalakala ninada karale
Dvisaptakoti bhujair dhrita-khara karavale
Abala kena ma eta bale
Bahubala dharinim, namami tarinim,
Ripudalavarinim Mataram!
Tumi vidya, tumi dharma,
Tumi hridi, tumi marma,
Tvam hi pranah sharire!
Bahute tumi ma shakti,
Hridaye tumi ma bhakti,
Tomarayipratima gari mandire mandire!
Tvam hi Durga dashapraharana dharini,
Kamala, Kamaladalaviharini,
Vani, vidyadayini namami tvam,
Namami Kamalam, amalam, atulam,
Sujalam, suphalam, Mataram,
Vande Mataram!
Shyamalam, saralam, susmitam, bhushitam,
Dharanim, bharanim, Mataram!
State Emblem
The State Emblem of India is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka, which was originally erected around 250 BCE at the top of a pillar at Sarnath, near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The emblem features four Asiatic lions standing back to back, symbolizing courage, pride, and power, mounted on a circular abacus. The abacus has four inscriptions in Sanskrit script that read "Satyameva Jayate" (Truth alone triumphs), which is the national motto of India. The abacus rests on a lotus flower, which is a symbol of purity, enlightenment, and spiritual awakening. The State Emblem is used by the Government of India on official documents, currency, and other important items.
Currency Symbol
The currency symbol of India is the Indian rupee symbol, which is denoted by the sign "₹". The Indian rupee symbol was designed by Udaya Kumar Dharmalingam, an Indian graphic designer, in 2010. The symbol is a combination of the Devanagari letter "र" (ra) and the Latin letter "R", representing the phonetic sound "ra" in the Hindi language and the initial letter of the word "rupee" in English. The Indian rupee symbol is widely used on banknotes, coins, and in financial transactions in India.
National Animal
The national animal of India is the Royal Bengal Tiger. It is one of the largest species of tigers and is found primarily in India and Bangladesh. The Royal Bengal Tiger is known for its majestic appearance, with a reddish-orange coat and black stripes, and is considered a symbol of strength, power, and grace in Indian culture. The tiger is an endangered species, and India has implemented several conservation measures to protect the species, including establishing national parks and wildlife reserves, banning hunting and poaching, and promoting awareness campaigns about the importance of tiger conservation
National Calendar
The national calendar of India is known as the Saka calendar, also called the Indian national calendar. It was adopted as the official calendar of India on March 22, 1957. The Saka calendar is based on the Hindu calendar system and is named after the Saka era, which began with the accession of the Saka king, Shalivahana, to the throne in 78 CE. The Saka calendar is a lunisolar calendar, which means it is based on the cycles of the moon as well as the movement of the sun. It consists of 12 months, with each month being named after a particular star or constellation. The first month of the Saka calendar is Chaitra, which usually falls in March or April according to the Gregorian calendar.
National Tree
The national tree of India is the banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis). It is a large and expansive tree with a wide canopy that can provide shade for an entire village. The banyan tree is native to the Indian subcontinent and is revered in Indian culture as a symbol of wisdom, longevity, and immortality. It is also considered a sacred tree and is often associated with religious and spiritual practices. The banyan tree is unique in that it has aerial prop roots that grow from its branches and descend to the ground, eventually forming additional trunks and branches. This gives the tree a distinctive and intricate appearance and makes it a popular subject in Indian art and literature.