Prof. M.L Raina
lndia was adopted in its present form during the meeting of Constituent Assembly held on 22 July 1947, a few days before India’s independence from the British Every free nation of the world has its own flag. It is a symbol of a free country. The national flag of on 15 August, 1947.1t served as the national flag of the Dominion of lndia between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950 and that of the republic of lndia thereafter. In lndia the term “tricolour” refers to the Indian national flag. It is really amazing to see the various changes that our national Flag went through since its first inception. It was discovered or recognised during our national struggle for freedom. The evolution of the Indian national Flag sailed through many vicissitudes to arrive at what it is today. In one way it reflects the political developments in the nation. Some of the historical milestones in evolution of our national Flag involve the following: It is said that the first national flag was designed in 1883 by Shirish Chandra Bose. This flag had a crimson emblem of the sun at the background of white.
The first national flag to be hoisted in lndia is said to have been raised on August 7, 1905, in the Parsee Baan Square in Calcutta by Chairman of Anusilan Samity Barrister Parmatha Nath Mitra. The flag was composed of three stripes of red, yellow and green. The flag was also secretly hoisted by the freedom fighters in front of Governor’s House in Calcutta. The red stripe of the flag had eight flowers. ” Vande Mataram” was written in Sanskrit over the yellow stripe and green stripe carried the symbols of sun and crescent moon.
The next flag was proposed a flag with red, yellow and green. It too had eight flowers representing eight regions of lndia and ” Vande Mataram written on it. In 1906. Revolutionary organization Jugantar Samity proposed a red flag. It carried the image of a sword, a trident, moon and chakra. This flag was designed by younger brother of Swami Vivekananda Bhupendra Nath Dutta and revolutionary Barindra Kumar Ghosh who was the brother of Rishi Aurobindo.
The first flag of lndia to be hoisted in foreign land was hoisted by Madame Bhikaji Cama and her band of exiled revolutionaries in Paris. On 22 August 1907, Cama attended the International Socialist Conference in Stuttgart, Germany, where she described the devastating effects of a famine that had struck the lndian subcontinent. In her appeal for human rights, equality and for autonomy from Great Britain, she unfurled what she called the ” Flag of lndian Independence”. This flag was very similar to the first flag hoisted in Calcutta, except the top stripe had only one lotus but seven stars denoting the Saptrishi. This flag was exhibited at a socialist conference in Berlin.
In 1909, Sister Nibedita proposed a red national flag with the symbol of thunder on it. According to scriptures thunder was created from the bones of Dadhichi Muni who sacrificed himself for the purpose. For sister Nibedita, thunder was the symbol of renunciation. The flag also had the image of a flower on it.
1916 when our political struggle had taken a definite turn, Dr. Annie Besant and Lokmanya Tilak hoisted a fresh lndian flag during the Home rule movement. This flag had five red and four green horizontal stripes arranged alternatively, with seven stars in the saptrishi configuration marked on them. In the top left-hand corner was the Union Jack. This flag was referred as Panchkoni pataka as it had five corners.
During the session of All lndia Congress Committee which met at Bezwada in 1922 (now Vijaywada) an Andhra youth prepared a flag and took it to Gandhiji. It was made up of two colours-red and green- representing the two major communities- the Hindus and the Muslims. Gandhiji suggested the addition of a strip to represent the remaining communities of lndia and spinning wheel to symbolise progress of the nation.
The year 1930 was a landmark in the history of the flag. A resolution was passed adopting a tricolour flag as our national flag. This flag, the forbear of the present one, was saffron, white and green with the spinning wheel at the centre.
On July 22 1947, the Constituent Assembly adopted it as free lndia National Flag. After the advent of Independence, the colours and their significance remained the same. Only the Dharma Charkha ‘of Emperor Ashoka was adopted in place of the spinning wheel as the emblem on the flag. Thus, the tricolour flag of the Congress Party eventually became the tricolour flag of Independent India. Now, the national flag of lndia is a horizontal tricolour of deep saffron (kesari) 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 is to three. In the centre of the white band is a navy blue wheel which represents the chakra. Its design is that of the wheel which appears on the abacus of Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. Its diameter approximates to the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes.
The top Saffron band in our national flag indicates the strength and courage of the country. The white middle band indicates peace and truth with Dharma Chakra. The last band is green in colour shows the fertility, growth and auspiciousness of the land.
This emblem of Dharma Chakra or “wheel of the law” in Sarnath Lion Capital created by the 3rd century BC Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. The Chakra intends to show that there is life in movement and death in stagnation. On 26th January 2002, the Indian flag code was modified and after several years of independence, the citizens of lndia were allowed to hoist the Indian flag over their homes, offices and factories on any day and not just national days as was the case earlier. Now Indians can proudly display their national flag anywhere and anytime, as long as the provisions of the Flag Code are strictly followed to avoid any disrespect to the tricolour. For the sake of convenience, Flag code of lndia 2002, has been divided into three parts. Part I of the code contains general description of the National Flag. Part II of the code is devoted to the display of national Flag by members of public, private organizations, educational institutions, etc. Part III of the Code relates to display of the National Flag by Central and State Governments and their organisations and their agencies. There are some rules and regulations upon how to fly the flag, based on the 26 January 2002 legislation. According to the code, the National Flag may be hoisted in educational institutions (schools, colleges, sports camps, scout camps etc.) to inspire respect for the Flag. An oath of allegiance has been included in the Flag hoisting in the schools. A member of public, a private organization or an educational institution may hoist/display the National Flag on all days and occasions, ceremonial or otherwise consistent with the dignity and honour of national Flag. Section 2 of the new code accepts the right of all private citizens to fly the flag on their premises. The flag cannot be used for communal gains, drapery, or clothes.
As far as possible it should be flown from sunrise to sunset, irrespective of the weather. The flag cannot be intentionally allowed to touch the ground or floor or trail in water. It cannot be draped over the hood, top and sides or back of vehicles, trains, boats or aircraft. No other flag or bunting can be place higher than the flag. Also, no object, including flowers or garlands or emblems can be placed on or above the flag. The tricolour cannot be used as a festoon, rosette or bunting. The Indian Flag represents the hopes and aspirations of the people of India. It is the symbol of our national pride. Over the last five decades, several people including members of armed forces have ungrudgingly laid down their lives to keep the tricolour flying in its full glory.
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