National .doc

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National Emblem

The National Emblem of India is a replica of the Lion of Sarnath, near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

The Lion Capital was erected in the third century BC by Emperor Ashoka to mark the spot whereBuddha first proclaimed his gospel of peace and emancipation to the four quarters of the

universe.The National emblem is thus symbolic of contemporary India's reaffirmation of its

ancient commitment to world peace and goodwill.The four lions (one hidden from view) - symbolising power, courage and confidence - rest on a

circular abacus. The abacus is girded by four smaller animals - guardians of the four directions:

the lion of the north, the elephant of the east, the horse of the south and the bull of the west.Theabacus rests on a lotus in full bloom, exemplifying the fountainhead of life and creative

inspiration. The motto 'Satyameva Jayate' inscribed below the emblem in Devanagari script

means 'truth alone triumphs'.

National Flag

The National Flag is a horizontal tricolour of deep saffron (kesaria) at the top, white in the

middle and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. The ratio of width of the flag to its

length is two to three. In the centre of the white band is a navy-blue wheel which representsthe chakra. Its design is that of the wheel which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion

Capital of Ashoka. Its diameter approximates to the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes.The design of the National Flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on 22 July

1947.

Apart from non-statutory instructions issued by the Government from time to time, display of theNational Flag is governed by the provisions of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper

Use) Act, 1950 (No. 12 of 1950) and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971

(No. 69 of 1971). The Flag Code of India, 2002 is an attempt to bring together all such laws,

conventions, practices and instructions for the guidance and benefit of all concerned.The Flag Code of India, 2002, took effect from 26 January 2002 and superseded the 'Flag Code-

Indias' as it existed. As per the provisions of the Flag Code of India, 2002, there are no restrictionon the display of the National Flag by members of general public, private organisations,educational institutions, etc., except to the extent provided in the Emblems and Names

(Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950 and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act,

1971 and any other law enacted on the subject.

National Bird of India

The Peacock, Pavo cristatus (Linnaeus), is the national bird of India. Emblematic of qualities

such as beauty, grace, pride and mysticism, it is a multihued, swan-sized bird, with a fan-shaped

crest of feathers, a white patch under the eye and a long, slender neck. Much in contrast to thenatural phenomenon, the male specie of the bird is much more strikingly stunning than its female

counterpart. The male bird, peacock, flaunts a gleaming blue breast and neck and a spectacular

bronze-green train of around 200 elongatedfeathers. It is capable of extending its tail

erect like fan as ostentatious display.

The elaborate courtship dance of the male, fanning out the tail and preening its feathers is a

beautiful sight. On the other hand, the female bird, peahen, slightly smaller than its male

counterpart. Brownish in color, the female bird also lacks the train visible in the male specie.

Peacock is predominantly found in the Indian sub-continent, ranging from the south to east of the


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Indus river. Jammu and Kashmir, east Assam, south Mizoram and the whole of the Indian

peninsula also is home to this impeccable bird. The bird lives in jungle lands near water and is

thus, chiefly found in the wilds in India (sometimes, domesticated in villages as well).

Peacock is illustrated in pictures accompanying Indian Gods and Goddesses. The sacred bird of

the India, the bird was once bred for food, but now hunting of peacocks is banned in India. It isprotected not only by a religious sentiment, but also by parliamentary statute. Peacocks have

been given full protection under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Apart from India, it

is also involved to the cultures prevalent in Far East, Ancient Persia, Greek and Christian. Whilethe figure of peacock features in various Islamic religious buildings, the bird is symbolic to

'Resurrection of Christ' in Christianity.

Coming back to Hinduism, peacock is portrayed as the image of the God of thunder, rains andwar, Indra. People believe that, when a peacock extends its tail erect like fan for an enchanting

and mesmerizing demonstration, it indicates that rainfall is on the cards. Though this might

sound strange, but the fact is somewhat true. On seeing the dark clouds, peacock outspreads its

tail and starts dancing in rhythmic fashion. Its dance movement has been incorporated in most ofthe Indian folklore, including Bharatha Natyam. In southern part of India, peacock is considered

as a 'vahana' or vehilce of lord Muruga.

Features Of Peacock

The male specie, peacock, is characterized with a 2.12 m (7.3 ft) length, in full breedingplumage, and weighs about 5 kg (11 lbs). The female bird - peahen, on the other hand, is about

86 cm (34 in) long and weighs about 3.4 kg (7.4 lbs). Adoring the glistening blue-green plumage,

the Indian peacock has an extension of feathers on its back. Each feather is exemplified with an

eye at its end. The Indian peahen is a mixture of dull green, grey and iridescent blue, with thegreenish-grey color outweighing. The bird is mostly found in the dry semi-desert grasslands,

scrub and deciduous forests and feeds on mainly seeds, but some also eat insects, fruits and

reptiles.

National Animal of India

Tiger is scientifically known as Panthera tigris. It is a member of the Felidae family and the

largest of the four big cats of the Panthera genus. On an average, a tiger is about 13 feet inlength and 150 kilograms in weight. The pattern of dark vertical stripes that overlay near-white

to reddish-orange fur is the distinct recognition of a tiger. By nature, the tiger is a keen predator

and carnivore. The Panthera tigris is a native of the eastern and southern Asia. Known as Lord of

Jungles due to its grace, agility, power and endurance, Tiger is also the national animal of India.

Choice of Tiger as National Animal

Tiger was chosen as the National animal ofIndia due to its grace, strength, agility and

enormous power. As the tiger is also considered as the king of Jungle, it was an obvious choice

for the National Animal category. Since time immemorial, the tiger has been considered as aRoyal Animal. Often, The Tiger as the National Animal of India symbolizes the power, strength,

elegance, alertness, intelligence and endurance of the nation.

Declining Population of Tiger


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There is a steep fall in the population of tigers in the world. Due to illegal smuggling of Tiger

Skin and other body parts, there are very few tigers left in the world today. According to the

World Census of Tigers, there are only 5000 -7000 tigers in the world today. Out of which,Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Myanmar claim to have a population of 3000 to 4500 and

India alone claims to have a population of 2500 to 3750. In India, out of the eight known races of

the Panthera Tigris species, the Royal Bengal Tiger, is found throughout the country except inthe north-western region.

Project Tiger in India

Due to the extreme threat of extinction of the tiger species from the country, the Indian

Government launched Project Tiger in 1973. Project tiger was focused to preserve the remaining

tiger population in the country and increase the breeding of the species so that new population

could be added to the existing one. Under this Project, 23 tiger reserves were establishedthroughout the country, covering an area of 33,406 sq. km for providing safe and comfortable

shelter to the tigers in the natural environment. By 1993, there was much improvement in the

tiger population in the country. However despite the increase in population, the population of

tigers in the country is still not satisfactory compared to the effort and money put in the project.This is due to the illegal poaching of the tigers and negligence of authorities towards the

alarming situation of the tiger population in the country.

National Flower of India

Lotus, botanically known as the Nelumbo Nucifera is the national flower of India. The Lotusplant is basically an aquatic plant with wide floating leaves and bright aromatic flowers which

grow only in shallow waters. The Lotus plant has floating leaves and flowers. It has long aerated

stems. The lotus flowers are extremely beautiful with an overlapping proportional motif of

petals. It is considered to be a sacred flower and occupies unique position in the art andmythology of ancient India. This flower has been an auspicious symbol of Indian culture since

time immemorial.

Choice of Lotus As National Flower

The Lotus Flower symbolizes divinity,

fertility, wealth, knowledge and enlightenment. It is also regarded as a symbol of triumph as itcan survive to regerminate for thousands of years. Lotus represents long life, honor, and good

fortune. Untouched by the impurity despite growing in mud, the flower is also meant to

symbolize the purity of heart and mind. It holds additional significance for Hindus, as it is

regarded as the symbol of many Gods and Goddesses and is often used in religious practices. Itwas because of these noble meanings and cultural significance that made the founding fathers of

modern India enshrine the lotus in the Constitution as the National Flower.


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