India Flag Pictures
India's tricolor evolves from 'Freedom Struggle'
The flag of the Republic of India (also known as Bharat or India) represents the unity of a country that today has more than 1 billion people from many ethnic and religious backgrounds, who speak many different languages.
Deeply rooted in the century-long modern struggle for independence, the horizontal tricolor of saffron, white and green features, in the center of the white band, a 24-spoked wheel, or chakra, which represents the "wheel of the law" and symbolizes the idea that "there is life in movement and death in stagnation."
The current flag evolved from the flag first hoisted by the Indian National Congress in 1930. That flag featured red, white and green bands, which were initially said to represent the country's two major communities - Hindu (red) and Muslim (green)- and all other communities (white). A spinning wheel symbolizing the progress of the nation initially graced the center at Gandhi's suggestion. Gandhi recognized early the significance of having a national flag of India, as the following quote illustrates.
A flag is a necessity for all nations. Millions have died for it. It is no doubt a kind of idolatry which would be a sin to destroy. For, a flag represents an Ideal. The unfurling of the Union Jack evokes in the English breast sentiments whose strength it is difficult to measure. The Stars and Stripes mean a world to the Americans. The Star and the Crescent will call forth the best bravery in Islam.
It will be necessary for us Indians, Muslims, Christians, Jews, Parsis, and all others to whom India is their home, to recognize a common flag to live and to die for.
- Mahatma Gandhi
According to the Indian Press Information Bureau, when the current flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on July, 22 1947, "It was decided that the Flag of the Indian National Congress should be adopted as the National Flag of India with suitable modifications, to make it acceptable to all parties and communities."
The red band was changed to saffron and the spinning wheel was replaced by a navy-blue Ashoka Chakra. According to the Flag Code of India, 2002, Assembly member Dr. S. Radhakrishnan explained the physical as well as symbolic changes:
Bhagwa or the saffron color denotes renunciation of disinterestedness. Our leaders must be indifferent to material gains and dedicate themselves to their work. The white in the center is light, the path of truth to guide our conduct. The green shows our relation to soil, our relation to the plant life here on which all other life depends. The Ashoka Wheel in the center of the white is the wheel of the law of dharma. Truth or satya, dharma or virtue ought to be the controlling principles of those who work under this flag. Again, the wheel denotes motion. There is death in stagnation. There is life in movement. India should no more resist change, it must move and go forward. The wheel represents the dynamism of a peaceful change.
India celebrates the following national flag-flying holidays:
Republic Day - January 26: Three significant events surround the date January 26. January 26, 1930, is the day the Indian National Congress proclaimed as Independence Day to rally hope that official independence would be achieved and the first day the Indian "Tricolor" was hoisted by Jawaharlal Nehru. On Jan. 26, 1950, the Indian republic and its constitution came into force.
Independence Day - August 15 (1947): India was declared independent from the British Empire.
Gandhi Jayanti - October 2: Birthday of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Oct. 2, 1869-Jan. 30, 1948), who is celebrated as the Father of the Nation.
Buy India flags at united-states-flag.com
For more information on India, its flag and history, see:
Flags of India at Flags of the World
Flag Code of India 2002 article at India's Press Information Bureau
National Symbols at National Portal of India
India at CIA's World Factbook
India's flag at Vexilla Mundi
Indian flag at Flags of all Countries
For centuries, flags have been used to symbolize everything from nations to basic beliefs. Whether flying high over a castle, a war ship or a local place for worship, flags are used as a simple visual way of communicating. Today, flags are still used every day in many of the same ways they've been used in the past. However, as technology has taken off new venues have appeared for flags. At FlagPictures.org, we've got royalty free cell phone wallpaper, desktop wallpaper, screensavers, buddyicons, avatars and more in our vast image library of flags. Whether your downloading vector graphics such as clip art flags, or picture flags we've got a huge selection for you to download and do with as you please. Our vector downloads allow you to print free flag pictures at any resolution. Whether you print t-shirts or on paper our high resolution SVG and JPEG options will give you a crisp clear printable flag pictures every time.
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