Flag Adoption Day 2022: Date, History, Origin, Significance and Facts about The Indian Tricolour

The day we acquired independence from the dictatorial British colonial rule, was the first step we took towards self-reliance and economic independence. 15 August has been celebrated for the last 76 years, as our day of Independence from the shackles of oppression and national unrest. It was the first Prime Minister of Independent India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who hoisted our national flag above the Lahori gate of Red Fort in New Delhi, for the first time on 16 August 1947, which is one day after independence.

Tiranga or Tricolour is pivotal to the existence of Indian governance and lends a unique identity to the culture of Indian nationals. When the flag is hoisted, it signifies a free nation that is free from colonial dominance. When it is unfurled on Republic Day, it shows that it is already a free nation. Scroll down the article to know more.

Flag Adoption Day 2022: History

The Indian tricoloured flag was designed in the year 1916 by Pingali Venkayya of Macchilipatnam, who was an Indian freedom fighter, educator and agriculturalist. He was also a staunch follower of Mahatma Gandhi.

The proposal for the Indian National Flag was put forward in 1921 by Mahatma Gandhi. It was implemented by Sri Pingali Venkayya who designed a traditional spinning wheel in the centre, that was juxtaposed between a red stripe symbolizing Hindus and a green stripe representing Muslims. This design was finally considered for hoisting by Indian National Congress on 22 July 1947. This design was further modified by including a white strip for the rest of the communities, replacing red with saffron and inserting a background for the spinning wheel.

To avoid cultural conflicts due to colour, the three bands of colours were perceived in a different light. They were supposed to signify courage and sacrifice, peace and truth, and faith and chivalry in that order. A modified version of the Swaraj flag was introduced much later and this included the same saffron, white and green but the charkha was eclipsed and replaced by Ashoka chakra that represented the eternal wheel of law.

Flag Adoption Day 2022: Significance

• The flag consists of 3 significant colours which has meanings attached to them. Saffron (Kesari): The Saffron colour at the top indicates the strength and courage of Indians. White colour: It represents the pure and honest intentions and peaceful nature of Indians. Green colour: The green colour at the bottom represents prosperity, growth and fertility of the land.
• Ashoka Chakra: The Ashoka Chakra, at the centre of the flag, is the wheel of the law of dharma. It signifies life while proclaiming that there is life in movement and death in stagnation. All the 24 spokes of the Dharma chakra are representatives of the 24 rishis of the Himalayas of which Vishvamitra is first and Yajnavalkya the last. The Ashoka Chakra, otherwise known as the Samay chakra has 24 spokes representing 24 hours of the day and constant movement of time.
• While Bhagwa or the Saffron colour denotes renunciation of indifference to the power of the position, the white in the centre is the light of truth. Green depicts our equation with all living beings, Ashoka chakra is the voice of dharma , truth or satya which should be the inspiration for those who work for the nation. The wheel is also symbolic of motion and denotes motion and life. India requires dynamism of peace and positive changes in order to be called a developed country. The flag must never be upturned as it offends its very purpose and meaning. It is the president who hoists the flag on Republic Day and it is the prime minister who unfurls it on Independence day.

Flag Adoption Day 2022: Interesting Facts

• For the first time, the Indian national flag with three horizontal stripes of green, yellow and red.was hoisted on August 7, 1906, at Parsi Bagan Square in Calcutta.
• The National Flag of India was required to be made from Khadi cotton or silk, a material popularized by Mahatma Gandhi.
• Cloth for the making of the flag has to be procured only from KKGSS (Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukta Sangha), the only licensed manufacturers and suppliers of the Indian National Flag.
• Citizens of India were not permitted to unfurl the flag except on the two days, Independence Day and Republic Day. As an amendment in 2002, the Supreme Court of India made changes to the flag code and allowed all the citizens to hoist it at any time.
• The flag should be hoisted only during the day and there should not be any other representation of a symbol above it.
• When there is a foreign dignitary travelling in a car government car, the flag should be on the right side of the car while the flag of the foreign country should be at the left side.
• The first Indian flag was hoisted on August 7, 1996, at Parsi Bagan square in Kolkata with religious symbols and eight roses and Vande Mataram written in the middle of it.
• Bhikaji Rustom Cama for the second time hoisted the Indian National flag with certain modifications in Germany.
• In 1917, Bal Gangadhar Tilak used a flag that had Union Jack on the top left and Crescent on the top right corner and seven stars.
• In 1921, a new flag containing colours with spiritual connotations was introduced. This had the Ashoka chakra in the center of the flag.
• To eliminate the spiritual controversies, a new flag design was proposed and adopted in 1931. It had three colours, of saffron, white and green with a chakra in the middle.