Essay, Paragraph or Speech on “National Symbols of India” Complete Essay, Speech for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.
National Symbols of India
National Flag: National flag is horizontal tri-colour of deep saffron (Kesari) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. Ratio of the width of the flag to its length is two to three. In the centre of the white bed Is a navy blue wheel which represents the charkha. Its design s that of the wheel which appears on the abacus of the Samath Lion Capital of Ashoka. Its diameter approximates to the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes. Design of the national flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on 22 July, 1947. Its use and display are regulated by a code. State Emblem: 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 Non 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).
In the state emblem adopted by the Government of India on 26 January, 1950, only three lions are visible, the fourth being hidden from view. The wheel appears M relief in the centre of the abacus with a bull on right and a horse on left and the outlines of other wheels on extreme right and left.
“Satyameva Jayate” from Mundakaupanishad meaning “Truth Alone Triumphs.” is inscribed below the abacus in the Devanagari script.
National Anthem: The song “Jana-gana-mana”, composed by Rabindranath Tagore. was adopted by the Constituent Assembly as the National Anthem of India on 24th January, 1950. It was first sung on 27th December, 1911 at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress. The Complete song consists of five stanzas. First Stanza consists of full version of the national anthem.
It reads:
Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka, jaya he
Bharata-bhagya-vidhata
Punjab-Sindhu-Gujrat-Maratha-
Dravida-Utkala-Banga
Vindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga
Uchchala-Jaladhi-Taranga
Tava Shubha name jage.
Tava Shubha asisa mange,
Gahe lava jaya-gatha,
Jana-gana-mangala-dayaka jaya he
Bharata-bhagya-vidhata
Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he,
Jaya jaya jaya jaya he!
Playing time of the full version of the National Anthem is approximately 52 seconds. A short version consisting of first and last lines of the stanza (playing time approximately 20 seconds) is also played on certain occasions.
The following is Tagore’s English rendering of this stanza:
Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people,
dispenser of India’s destiny.
Thy name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sind, Gujarat and Maratha.
Of the Dravida and Orissa and Bengali:
It echoes in the hills of the Vindhiyas and the Himalayas, mingles in the music of the Yamuna and the Ganges and is chanted by the waves of the Indian Sea. They pray, for thy blessings and sing thy praise. The saving of all people waits in thy hand, thou dispenser of India’s destiny, Victory, Victory, Victory to thee.
National Song: The song “Vande Mataram”, composed by Bankimchandra Chaterji, was a source of inspiration to the people in their struggle for freedom. It has an equal status with Jana-gana-mana. The first political occasion when it was sung was the 1886 session of the Indian National Congress.
The following is the text of its first stanza:
Vande Mataram!
Sujalam, suphalam, malayaja Shitalam,
Sasyashyamalam, Mataram!
Shubhrajyotsna pulakitayaminim,
phullakusumita drumadala shobhinim,
Sumadhura suhasinim bhashinim,
Sukhadam varadam, Mataram!
English trans:ation of the stanza rendered by Sri Aurobindo in prose is:
I bow to thee, Mother,
richly-watered, richly-fruited.
cool with the winds of the south,
dark with the crops of the harvests,
thee Mother!
Her nights rejoicing in the glory of the moonlight.
Her lands clothed beautifully with her trees in flowering bloom,
Sweet of laughter, sweet of speech
thee Mother, giver of boons, giver of bliss.
National Calendar: National Calendar based on the Saka Era with Chaitra as its first month and normal year of 365 days was adopted from 22nd March, 1957 along with Gregorian calendar for the following official purposes:
- Gazette of India.
- News broadcasts by All India Radio
- Calendars issued by the Government of India and
- Government communications addressed to the members of public.
Dates of the national calendar have a permanent correspondence-with dates of Gregorian calendar: 1 Chaitra falling on 22nd March normally and on 21st March in leap year.
National Animal: The magnificent tiger Panthera tiger is (linnaeus), the national animal of India, is a rich-coloured well-striped animal with a short coat. The combination of grace, strength, agility and enormous power has earned the tiger great respect and high esteem. Out of eight races of the species known, the Indian race known as the Royal Bengal Tiger is found throughout the country except the north-western region, and also in the neighbouring countries such as Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. The tiger occupies a variety of habitats from dry open jungles humid evergreen forests to mangrove swamps.
To check the dwindling population of tigers in India, which came down to just 1,827 in 1972, a massive conservation programme was initiated in April 1973, known as the “Project Tiger. This project aims to maintain a viable population c’ tigers in India for scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural ar. ecological values. Since then the tiger population has shown a gradual increase and the census of 2010 jointly conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India and the National Toe-Conservation Authority shows the tiger population to be varying between 1,165 and 1,657. So far, 19 tiger reserves have bee-established in the country under this project, covering eve’ 29,716 sq km forest area.
National Bird: The Indian peacock Pavo Cristatus is a colourful, swan-sized bird with a fan-shaped crest of feathers on its head, a white patch under the eye and a long-slender neck. The male of the species is more colourful than the female with glistening blue breast and neck and a spectacular bronze-green train of around 200 elongated feathers. The female is brownish, slightly smaller than the male and it lacks the train. The elaborate courtship dance of the male by fanning out the tail and quivering the feathers is a gorgeous sight.
The peacock is widely found in the Indian sub-confiner: from the south and east of the Indus river. Jammu and Kashmir east of Assam, south to Mizoram and the whole of the Indian peninsula. The peacock enjoys full protection from the peep as it is never molested on religious and sentimental grounds It is fully protected under the Indian, Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.