INDIA’S NATIONAL SYMBOLS T2 CLASS

National Flag of India The National flag of India has three horizontal stripes - saffron, white and green. In the center is a small ‘chakra’ or wheel with 24 spokes. The first Indian flag was made using ‘khadi’ cloth. Each color in the flag has special significance. The saffron color stands for courage, sacrifice and the spirit of renunciation; the white, for peace and truth; the green for faith and chivalry.

National Emblem The state emblem of India was adapted from the Sarnath Lion Capital from King Asoka. It was adopted on January 26th 1950, the day India was declared a republic. There are four lions standing back to back, and an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion underneath.

National Anthem: Jana Gana Mana is India's National Anthem. It was written by poet Rabindranath Tagore. The complete song consists of five stanzas. The first stanza (out of five stanzas) of the song forms the National Anthem.

Indian National Song: Vande Mataram is India’s National Song. Composed by Bankim Chandra, this song appears in the Bengali novel Anand Math. Vande Mataram was a source of inspiration to our countrymen in their struggle for freedom.

National Bird The peacock is the national bird of India. A peacock is a symbol of grace, joy, beauty and love. In Hinduism, the peacock is represented as the God of thunder, rains and war.

National Flower The national flower of India is the Lotus. The flower represents long life, honor, and good fortune. Untouched by the impurity of growing in mud, the flower is meant to symbolize the purity of heart and mind. Hindus relate it to their Almighty, Vishnu, Brahma, Lakshmi and Saraswati who are often depicted sitting upon this flower.

National Fruit The Mango is the national fruit of India. It has been cultivated for thousands of years and there are over 100 different colors, shapes, and sizes.

India’s National Tree The Banyan tree is the National tree of India. It has the widest reaching roots out of all known trees. The tree can live for a very long time period..

National Animal The National animal of India is the magnificent creature called the Bengal Tiger. It is found throughout the India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. The Tiger was chosen as the National animal of India due to its grace, strength, agility and enormous power.