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Eternal India
encyclopedia
NATIONAL SYMBOLS
Rashtra Mudra
NATIONAL EMBLEM
India's state emblem is a partial reproduction of the capital of the Mauryan King Ashoka's pillar at Sarnath near Varanasi
discovered in 1905. It consists of an inverted lotus on which rests a plinth with the carvings of four racing animals, an elephant,
a horse, a humped bull, and a lion, all separated by four
chakras,
each of 24 spokes; above this are the figures of the four
lions seated back to back.
Sarnath is the place where the Buddha preached his first sermon after enlightenment - an event reckoned as the turning
of the wheel of law or
dharma.
Adopted from the Lion Capital of Sarnath's Ashokan Pillar.
1.
Top
: Three Lions (Awe, Majesty and Power) back to back in relief; (fourth Lion hidden from view)
2.
Base
:
‘
Dharma-Chakra
’
,
the ‘Wheel of Law’, with 24 spokes in the centre with Bull (Hard work), on the right and Horse
(Energy and Speed) on the left.
3.
Below
: On the base is inscribed the motto-
‘Satyameva Jayate’
(Truth Alone Triumphs) taken from
Mundaka Upanishad.
Rashtra Geeth
NATIONAL ANTHEM
On January 24, 1950 the Constituent Assembly adopted
Jana Gana Mana,
composed by Rabindranath Tagore, as the National
Anthem. Its President Dr. Rajendra Prasad, issued this statement: "The composition consisting of the words and music known as the
Jana
Gana Mana
shall be used for official purposes as the National Anthem of India... and the song
Vande Mataram
which has played a historic
part in the struggle for Indian freedom, shall be honoured equally with the
Jana Gana Mana
and shall have equal status with it."
Vande Mataram
which occurs in Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's novel Ananda Math (1882) became the song of the freedom
movement. The first political occasion on which it was song was the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress. It was set to music
by Rabindranath Tagore
The only difficulty in adopting
Vande Mataram
as the National Anthem seems to have been that it did not lend itself to harmonisation.
Experts were of the view that its melody was somewhat shapeless and too diffuse to stand harmonisation.
Jana Gana Mana
was first sung at a political occasion on December 27, 1911 on the second day of the Congress session. On the first
day
Vande Mataram
had been sung as usual.
Bharata Vidhata
was the title under which the song was first published in the January 1912
number of
Tattvabodhini Patrika
of which Rabindranath Tagore was the editor. The poet himself translated it into English under the title
"The Morning Song of India",
In 1947, the Indian delegation to the United Nations was asked for their National Anthem to be played on a particular occasion. They
referred the matter to the Government which as a provisional measure, decided in favour of
Jana Gana Mana.
It was played by the UN
orchestra and was an instant success. Jawaharlal Nehru observed: "It was greatly appreciated and representatives of many nations asked
for a musical score of this new tune which struck them as distinctive and dignified."