Har Ghar Tiranga Abhiyan 2023 (हर घर तिरंगा अभियान) – All about the National Flag of India!

As part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Har Ghar Tiranga Abhiyan is a campaign to encourage people to bring home the Tiranga and hoist it to mark the 76th anniversary of India’s independence. Flags have always had a more formal and institutional relationship than a personal one. Our collective return of the Tiranga flag in its 75th year of independence is symbolic not only of our personal connection to it but of our commitment to nation-building as well. This initiative aims to promote patriotism and awareness about the Indian National Flag in the minds of the people.

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About the National Flag of India

All Indians take pride in the Indian National Flag. As part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Hon’ble Home Minister has approved the Har Ghar Tiranga Abhiyan By hoisting the national flag at home, it aims to inspire Indians all over the world.

There has always been a more formal and institutional relationship between us and the flag than a personal one. In celebrating 75 years of independence, taking the flag home together as a nation symbolizes both our commitment to nation-building as well as our personal connection to the Tiranga. Through this initiative, we hope to raise awareness of our national flag and invoke a sense of patriotism in the hearts of our people.

Who Designed the National Flag of India?

Tricolour flags, which symbolize pride for every Indian, and motivate freedom fighters towards independence, hold a special place in the hearts of all Indians. Saffron (Kesari), white, and green stripes make up the Indian flag in its current form. In the center of the white band is a blue-coloured Dharma Chakra with 24 spikes. The Saffron signifies courage, sacrifice, and the spirit of renunciation; white signifies purity and truth, and green stands for faith and fertility. 

Chakras signify the country’s continual progress. With its blue hue, it symbolizes a sky as vast as the universe and sea as deep as the sea. India’s founding fathers envisioned limitless growth for the nation. Before taking its present shape, the Indian flag underwent many changes. 

The first Indian flag was made in 1904, during the pre-independence era. Swami Vivekananda’s Irish disciple Sister Nivedita made it. The flag had two colours, red and yellow, where red symbolized the freedom struggle and yellow symbolized victory. It was inscribed with the words Bande Mataram in Bengali script. There was also a white lotus in the middle of the flag and a figure of Vajra, the weapon of the Hindu deity Indra. A lotus symbolizes purity, and a Vajra symbolizes strength. 

In 1906, a tricolour flag was designed with three equal stripes: blue at the top, yellow in the middle, and red at the bottom. This flag had eight slightly different-shaped stars in its blue strip. Two symbols appeared on the red strip: one was a sun, and the other was a star and crescent. Vande Mataram was written in Devanagari script on the yellow strip. A similar tri-colour was created in the same year but with orange, yellow, and green colours. Due to its eight half-opened red coloured flags with a comparatively larger size of flowers, it was dubbed the “Calcutta Flag” or the “Lotus Flag”. 

In 1921, Pingali Venkaya, a young man from a small village near Machilipatnam, in present-day Andhra Pradesh, designed a flag that had white, red, and green colours with a Charkha or a spinning wheel in the centre. Due to its representation of religious colours, this flag was rejected. The ‘Swaraj’ flag, which resembles the current national flag, was first created in 1931. In this tricolour flag, we see the same colours as our current national flag: saffron, white, and green. There was only one difference in the Constituent Assembly’s version: instead of a Dharma Chakra, there was a Charkha.

24 Spokes in Dharmachakra

A flag represents a nation’s identity. Today, people associate Page 1 more with their national flags than with the flags of any other organizations, groups, armed forces, or offices. There is no restriction on the use of a national flag within a community or office. A nation’s flag represents the pride of its citizens, and the tricolour flag with the Chakra in its center is India’s national flag. We are reminded of our country’s long struggle for freedom by our national flag. A symbol of unity and patriotism during the country’s independence movement, it has become a symbol of unity and unity in independent India. 

The top of our flag is saffron (Kesari), the middle is white, and the bottom is green. The white band is centered by a navy-blue wheel with 24 spokes (Dharma Chakra). Saffron, or the Kesari colour, symbolizes strength and courage, while white is a symbol of peace and purity. Green represents fertility and growth at the bottom. There are 24 spokes in the navy blue-coloured Dharma Chakra at the center of the white band. Symbolizing persistence and progress, it depicts motion. The Wheel of Law is based on the Lion Capital of the great Mauryan Emperor Ashoka, discovered near Varanasi at Sarnath. Besides symbolizing our national pride, our national flag also serves as a powerful motivator, inspiring us to work towards strength and courage, peace and truthfulness, fertility and growth, and a stronger nation. 

The National Flag of India should be rectangular according to the Flag Code. It has a width-to-length ratio of two to three. Hand-spun and hand-woven khadi bunting should be used for the Indian National Flag. Garag, a small village in the north Karnataka district of Dharwad, was originally the site of the handwoven khadi used for the National Flag. 

On 22 July 1947, the Constitutional Assembly adopted the Indian National Flag in its present form. From 15 August 1947 to 26 January 1950, it served as the National Flag of the Dominion of India, and then as the National Flag of the Republic of India. Based on a flag designed by freedom fighter Pingali Venkayya, who was a devoted follower of Mahatma Gandhi, the Indian National Flag was adopted in 1947. In today’s ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ program, when we hoist a Tiranga at every home, we should ensure that it is not damaged in any way and that no other flag is hoisted above, beside, or above our national flag.

Salient Features of the Flag Code of India 2003

In this article on Har Ghar Tiranga Abhiyan lets now know about the salient features of the flag code of India.

1. Indians’ hopes and aspirations are embodied in the Indian National Flag. The National Flag symbolizes our national pride and is revered and cherished universally. The people of India hold a unique and special place in their hearts and minds.
2. Hoisting, using, and displaying the Indian National Flag is governed by the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, and the Flag Code of India, 2002. The following are some of the salient features of the Flag Code of India, 2002:-

• By order dated 30th December 2021, the Flag Code of India, 2002 was amended, allowing national flags made of polyester or machine-made flags. The National Flag shall now be made from cotton/polyester/wool/silk khadi bunting that is hand spun and hand woven or machine made.
• The National Flag may be hoisted/displayed by any citizen, public organization, or educational institution on all days and occasions, whether ceremonial or otherwise.
• In order to amend the Flag Code of India, 2002, Order dated 19th July 2022 replaced clause (xi) of paragraph 2.2 of Part-II of the Flag Code of India with the following clause:- (xi) “Where the Flag is displayed in open or displayed on the home of a member of the public, it may be flown day and night.”
• A rectangular shape shall be used for the National Flag. There is no restriction on the size of the Flag, but the length to the height (width) ratio must be 3:1.
• The National Flag should always occupy the position of honour and be prominently displayed.
• There shall be no display of a flag that is damaged or dishevelled.
• Flags should not be flown from the same masthead simultaneously with any other flags.
• There is an exception to Section IX of Part III of the Flag Code, where the Flag can be flown by Presidential, Vice-Presidential, Prime-Ministerial, or Governor vehicles only.
• In addition to the National Flag, no other flag or bunting should be placed above or next to it.

Tiranga Trivia – Did You Know Facts!

In this article on Har Ghar Tiranga Abhiyan lets now know about the interesting facts about Tiranga – India’s National Flag.

• फ्लैग कोड 2002 को 30 दिसंबर 2021 में संशोधित कर राष्ट्रीय ध्वज को पॉलिएस्टर या मशीन से ध्वज बनाने की अनुमति दी गयी। अब राष्ट्रीय ध्वज को हाथ से या मशीन से सूती, पॉलिएस्टर, ऊन, रेशम या खादी के कपड़े द्वारा बनाया जा सकता है।
• निजी, सार्वजनिक तथा सरकारी संस्थानों द्वारा राष्ट्रीय ध्वज के प्रदर्शन से संबंधित सभी कानून, परंपरा और निर्देश फ्लैग कोड के तहत आते हैं। यह फ्लैग कोड 26 जनवरी 2002 को लागू हुआ था।
• फ्लैग कोड 2002 को 30 दिसंबर 2021 में संशोधित कर राष्ट्रीय ध्वज को पॉलिएस्टर या मशीन से ध्वज बनाने की अनुमति दी गयी। अब राष्ट्रीय ध्वज को हाथ से या मशीन से सूती, पॉलिएस्टर, ऊन, रेशम या खादी के कपड़े द्वारा बनाया जा सकता है।
• निजी, सार्वजनिक तथा सरकारी संस्थानों द्वारा राष्ट्रीय ध्वज के प्रदर्शन से संबंधित सभी कानून, परंपरा और निर्देश फ्लैग कोड के तहत आते हैं। यह फ्लैग कोड 26 जनवरी 2002 को लागू हुआ था।
• The National Flag must never be put on the ground. Our Flag is our pride & should always fly high! 
• The Prime Minister hoists the National Flag on Independence Day, whereas the President unfurls it on Republic Day.
• Tiranga shall be maintained at all times. Using it as a part of a costume, uniform, napkins, etc is in violation of The Prevention of Insults to National Honor Act, 1971. 
• The National Flag must never be placed upside down. Our Flag is our pride & should always fly high!
• The 1st Stamp of Independent India was issued on 21 Nov 1947 and depicted the Indian Flag with the patriots’ slogan, ‘Jai Hind’. It was valued at three & one-half annas.
• Hockey legend. Balbir Singh Sr’s world record for most goals scored by an individual in the men’s hockey final of the Olympics still remains unbeaten. It is said, he always used to keep #Tiranga by his side for inspiration & motivation.

Reference – harghartiranga.com

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