Guest Post by Veda
National Flag
- The Tricolor Flag is horizontal with three strips of colors.
- Orange / saffron (Kesaria) at the top, white in the middle and green at the bottom in equal proportions.
- There is a navy blue Dharma Chakra (Wheel of Justice) at the centre of the white strip.
- The Dharma Chakra is adopted from Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka.
- The diameter of the Dharma Chakra approximates to the width of the white band.
- The Dharma Chakra has 24 spokes.
- The present flag was designed by a Telugu man named Pingali Venkayya.
- The design of the present National Flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on July 22, 1947.
- The ratio of the width to its length is 2:3.
National Anthem
- The Hindi version of Jana Gana Mana is the National Anthem of India.
- It was composed by Rabindranath Tagore in Bengali language.
- The full song consists of five stanzas and it takes 52 seconds to play the full song.
- The Hindi version of the song was adopted by the Constituent Assembly in on January 24, 1950.
- The song was first sung on December 27th, 1911 at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress.
National Song
- Vande Mataram written in Sanskrit is the National song of India.
- The song is composed by Bakim Chandra Chatterjee.
- It is a part of his famous novel named Anand Math.
National Emblem
- The National Emblem of India is adopted from the Lion Capital of Asoka in Sarnath
- The Emblem was adopted by Govt of India on January 26th, 1950.
- The emblem consists of four Asiatic lions that stand back to back on a circular abacus.
- The abacus has the sculptures of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion that are separated by wheels over a bell-shaped lotus.
- The Sanskrit words ‘Satyameva Jayate’ are inscribed at the bottom which means ‘Truth Alone Triumphs’.
- These words are taken from Mundaka Upanishad.
National Bird
- The Indian peafowl commonly known as the peacock is the National Bird of India.
- The peacock which symbolizes beauty with grace is declared as the National Bird in 1963.
- The scientific name of peacock is Pavo cristatus.
National Animal
- The majestic black and yellow striped Bengal Tiger is made the National Animal of India.
- Prior to 1973, Lion was the National Animal of India.
- As the tigers were reducing in number, the Government of India launched ‘Project Tiger’ in 1973 to preserve tigers and declared tiger as the National Animal of India.
- The scientific name of tiger is Panthera tigris.
National Flower
- The beautiful pink lotus is the National Flower of India.
- The flower is considered highly sacred for Hindus as Goddess Lakshmi (the Hindu goddess of wealth) is believed to be seated on this flower.
- The scientific name of lotus is Nelumbo nucifera.
National Tree
- Indian fig tree commonly known as banyan tree is the National Tree of India.
- The tree is characterized with its longevity and is considered as an immortal tree.
- The tree has high medical value and is considered highly sacred for Hindus.
- The scientific name of banyan tree is Ficus bengalensis.
National River
- Holy Ganges i.e. River Ganga is the National River of India.
- It is the longest river in India.
- River Ganga originates from Gangotri glacier in the Himalayas.
- At this place it is known as River Bhagirathi.
- River Ganga flows down to Northern plains to form the river basin.
- It forms one of the most fertile lands of the world.
- River Ganga is highly sacred for Hindus.
National Fruit
- Mango is the National Fruit of India.
- It is the King of Fruits and is the rich source of Vitamins A, B, C and D.
- Mango is a sub-tropical seasonal juicy fruit which is available during summer season in India.
- The fruit is high in vitamins and minerals.
- The scientific name of Mango is Mangifera indica.
National Game
- Hockey is the National Game of India.
- The Indian Hockey team got six consecutive gold medals in the International Olympic Games during the periods from 1928 to 1956.
National Calendar
- The calendar that is based on Saka Era with the Hindu month of Chaitra as the first month of the year is adopted as the National Calendar of India.
- Gregorian calendar is followed officially.
National Aquatic Animal
- River Dolphin is the National Aquatic Animal of India.
- These dolphins live in freshwaters.
- Its scientific name is Platanista gangetica.