Indian National Motto

"Satyameva Jayate" (satyam-eva jayate सत्यमेव जयते) is the National Motto of India. It is inscribed in Devanagari script at the base of the National Emblem, which is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Asoka at Sarnath, near Varanasi in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The origin of the Motto is a well-known Mantra 3.1.6 from the Mundaka Upanishad.

The full Mantra is as follows,

satyameva jayate naanritam
satyena pantha vitato devayanah
yenaa kramantyarishayo hyaaptakaamaa
yatra tat satyasya paramam nidhaanam [citation needed]

In Devanaagri :

सत्यमेव जयते नानृतम् सत्येन पन्था विततो देवयानः । येनाक्रमत् मनुष्यो ह्यात्मकामो यत्र तत् सत्यस्य परं निधानं ॥

Meaning is given as follows,

Truth alone triumphs; not falsehood.
Through truth the divine path is spread out by which
the sages whose desires have been completely fulfilled,
reach where that supreme treasure of Truth resides.

Indian National Game

Hockey is the Indian National Game. There was a golden period for Indian hockey and that was from 1928-1956. At that period, India ruled the game and the Indian hockey team won six successive Olympic gold medals. The team also won the 1975 World Cup besides two more medals (silver and a bronze). The Indian Hockey Federation gained global affiliation in 1927 and joined the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

The history of Indian Hockey Federation starts as India entered the Olympics to begin its golden saga. The tour was a huge success with India winning 18 out of the 21 matches and the legendary Dhyan Chand was the cynosure of all the eyes scoring over 100 goals of the 192 Indian accounted for. The match began in Amsterdam in 1928 and India went on a winning spree in Los Angeles in 1932 and Berlin in 1936 and thus bagged a hat-trick of gold medals at the Olympics.After the Indian Independence, the Indian team achieved another hat-trick of gold medals at the 1948 London Olympics, 1952 Helsinki Games and the Melbourne Olympics.During the Golden Era, India played 24 Olympic matches, won all 24, scored 178 goals (at an average of 7.43 goals per match) and conceded only 7 goals. The two other gold medals for India came in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

How It Is Played ?












Hockey game is played on the natural grass, gravel, sand based and water based artificial turfs. It is played with the very small hard ball. This type of game was included in the modern Olympic games in 1908. It is the game of 11 players between two teams which is completely against with each other and using their 'hooked' sticks to hit, pass, push and dribble a small, hard, usually white, ball, with one aim in mind-to score the more points by getting their ball into a opponent's goal.It is played between the two halves of 35 minutes each with a half time of 10 minutes and if you try to score a goal, then you keep the ball away from the other team.

Hockey is a highly popular outdoor sport of India. Hockey has gained the status of the national sport of India owing to its immense popularity in India. Though there are different types of hockey, field hockey is extremely popular in India. India stands unbeaten when it comes to field hockey. India has churned many outstanding hockey players. It has bagged many trophies and awards in the international hockey matches.

Indian National Song

Vande Mataram is the National Song of India. It has an equal status with the National anthem, Jana-gana-mana. The song, "Vande Mataram" was the national cry for freedom from British oppression during the freedom movement.

Large rallies, fermenting initially in West Bengal, in the major metropolis of Calcutta, would work themselves up into a patriotic fever by shouting the slogan "Vande Mataram," or "Hail to the Mother(land)!".

The British, fearful of the potential danger of an incited Indian populace, at one point banned the utterance of the motto in public forums and jailed many freedom fighters for disobeying the proscription. To this day, "Vande Mataram" is seen as a national mantra describing the love of patriots for the country of India.



















The song, Vande Mataram was composed in Sanskrit by Bankimchandra Chatterji, who was born at Bengal in 1894. This song was a source of inspiration to the people in their struggle for freedom.The first political occasion when it was sung was the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress. The song first appeared in his book ''Anandamatha'', which was published in the middle of 1882. The book fears of a ban by the British Raj, though the song itself was actually written six years prior in 1876. Vande Mataram served as a voice against British rule during the freedom struggle.

Lyrics of the Indian National Song

Vande maataraM
sujalaaM suphalaaM malayaja shiitalaaM
SasyashyaamalaaM maataram ||

Shubhrajyotsnaa pulakitayaaminiiM
pullakusumita drumadala shobhiniiM
suhaasiniiM sumadhura bhaashhiNiiM
sukhadaaM varadaaM maataraM ||

Koti koti kantha kalakalaninaada karaale
koti koti bhujai.rdhR^itakharakaravaale
abalaa keno maa eto bale
bahubaladhaariNiiM namaami taariNiiM
ripudalavaariNiiM maataraM ||

Tumi vidyaa tumi dharma
tumi hR^idi tumi marma
tvaM hi praaNaaH shariire

Baahute tumi maa shakti
hR^idaye tumi maa bhakti
tomaara i pratimaa gaDi
mandire mandire ||

TvaM hi durgaa dashapraharaNadhaariNii
kamalaa kamaladala vihaariNii
vaaNii vidyaadaayinii namaami tvaaM

Namaami kamalaaM amalaaM atulaaM
SujalaaM suphalaaM maataraM ||

ShyaamalaaM saralaaM susmitaaM bhuushhitaaM
DharaNiiM bharaNiiM maataraM |"

English Translation
The English translation of the song was rendered by Sri Aurobindo, which is considered official. This is as follows,

Mother, I bow to thee!
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
bright with orchard gleams,
Cool with thy winds of delight,
Dark fields waving Mother of might,
Mother free.

Glory of moonlight dreams,
Over thy branches and lordly streams,
Clad in thy blossoming trees,
Mother, giver of ease
Laughing low and sweet!
Mother I kiss thy feet,
Speaker sweet and low!
Mother, to thee I bow.

Who hath said thou art weak in thy lands
When the sword flesh out in the seventy million hands
And seventy million voices roar
Thy dreadful name from shore to shore?
With many strengths who art mighty and stored,
To thee I call Mother and Lord!
Though who savest, arise and save!
To her I cry who ever her foeman drove
Back from plain and Sea
And shook herself free.

Thou art wisdom, thou art law,
Thou art heart, our soul, our breath
Though art love divine, the awe
In our hearts that conquers death.
Thine the strength that nervs the arm,
Thine the beauty, thine the charm.
Every image made divine
In our temples is but thine.

Thou art Durga, Lady and Queen,
With her hands that strike and her
swords of sheen,
Thou art Lakshmi lotus-throned,
And the Muse a hundred-toned,
Pure and perfect without peer,
Mother lend thine ear,
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
Bright with thy orchard gleems,
Dark of hue O candid-fair

In thy soul, with jewelled hair
And thy glorious smile divine,
Lovilest of all earthly lands,
Showering wealth from well-stored hands!
Mother, mother mine!
Mother sweet, I bow to thee,
Mother great and free!

Indian National Calendar

The National Calendar is based on the Saka Era with Chaitra as its first month and a normal year of 365 days. It was adopted from 22 March 1957 along with the Gregorian calendar. The Saka calendar, often referred as the Hindu calendar is originally named as Saka Samvat. It is also used for the calculation days of religious significance in the Hindu Religion in the country. The national calendar is the official civil calendar in use in India. We can find a Saka calendar alongside a Gregorian Calender in an Indian Home.

The national calendar is used along with the Gregorian calendar for the following purposes:
(i) Gazette of India,
(ii) News broadcast by All India Radio,
(iii) Calendars issued by the Government of India and
(iv) Government communications addressed to the members of the public.

Dates of the Indian national calendar have a permanent correspondence with the Gregorian calendar dates, 1 Chaitra falling on 22 March normally and on 21 March in leap year.

Formation of Saka Calendar
In the Indian civil calendar, the initial period is the Saka Era. The Calendar is said to have begun with King Salivahana's accession to the throne. It is used as a reference for most astronomical works in Sanskrit literature written after 500 AD. The calculation of ‘thitis’ i.e. dates in this Calendar are done in accordance with the actual positions of Sun and Moon in the universe. In the Saka calendar, the year 2009 AD is 1932.

Adoption of Saka Calendar as National Calendar
The Saka Calendar was adopted as the National Calendar in 1957, by the Calendar Reform Committee. This committee made lot of efforts to coincide the astronomical data and harmonize the usage of this calendar after rectification of some local errors. It came into usage from March 22, 1957 according to the Gregorian calendar which was actually Saka Era, Chaitra 1, 1879 according to the Saka Samvat.

Before the adoption of Saka Calendar as the National Calendar, 30 different kinds of Calendar used in India at that time. Saka calendar was used to synchronize the usage of all those calendars.

The above figure shows the calendar which was used in Ancient indian Astronomy. It indicates the 27-fold and 12-fold division of the ecliptic. The first Rasi is Vrsa, with the corresponding month of Vaisakha.

This is the figure of a historical Hindu Calendar which was used in Ancient times.

Indian National Fruit

Mango is the National Fruit of India. The scientific name of mango is Mangifera Indica, which is one of the most important and widely cultivated fruits of the tropical world. The fruit is grown almost in all parts of India, except the hilly areas, but is mainly available in the summer season only. There are more than 100 varieties of mangoes in India, in a range of colors, sizes, and shapes.

The common names used in context of the fruit are, Mangot, Manga, and Mangou. The exact origin of the term 'mango' is not known. It is believed to have come from the Portuguese term, 'manga', which is probably from Malayalam 'manga'.















Mangoes are liked for their sweet juice and bright colors all around the world. The mango is eaten ripe and is also used for pickles. The fruit is rich in vitamin A, C, and D.

Importance In The Indian Culture
It is described as the "Food of the Gods", in the sacred Vedas. Even in our mythology and history there are stories of mangoes, the famous Indian poet Kalidasa sang its praise. Alexander the great, along with Hieun Tsang savored the taste of mangoes. The great Mughal king, Akbar is said to have planted over 100,000 mango trees in Darbhanga (modern Bihar).

Varieties
A large number of mango varieties can be found in India. The most popular ones include 'Alphonso' (also called 'Hapoos'), 'Amrapali', 'Bangalora', 'Banganapalli' (also known as 'Benishaan'), 'Bombay', 'Bombay Green', 'Chausa', 'Chinna Rasalu', 'Dashaheri' ('Daseri'), 'Fazli', 'Fernandian', 'Gulabkhas', 'Himayath' (a.k.a. 'Imam Pasand'), 'Himsagar', 'Jehangir', 'Kesar', 'Kishen Bhog', 'Lalbaug', 'Langda' ('Langra'), 'Mallika', 'Mankurad', 'Mulgoa', 'Neelam', 'Pairi', 'Pedda Rasalu', 'Rajapuri', 'Safeda', 'Suvarnarekha', 'Totapuri', 'Vanraj' and 'Zardalu'.

Description
Mangoes are available in different sizes, ranging from 10 to 25 cm in length and 7 to 12 cm in width. In terms of weight, a single mango can be as heavy as 2.5 kg. The fruit come in a wide variety of colors, such as green, yellow, red, and even various combinations of all these colors.

Mango has a flat, oblong seed in the center, which is covered by the sweet pulp. Covering the pulp is a thin layer of skin, which is peeled off before eating the fruit. When ripe, the unpeeled fruit gives off a distinct, resinous sweet smell.

Cultivation
Frost-free climate is best for the growth of Mangoes. If temperatures drop below 40° F, even for a short period, the flowers and small fruits already grown on the tree can get killed.
In other words, warm and dry weather is required for the cultivation of the fruit. This is it available in the summer season only. Mango can grow well in large containers and a greenhouse as well.

Mango trees are shady in nature. They grow very fast and can reach a height of as much as 65 ft. The life of mango trees is generally very long and some specimens are known to be over 300 years old and still fruiting.

Indian National Tree

Banyan Tree is the National Tree of India. The scientific name is Ficus Bengalensis. It has a very huge structure, long and deep roots and branches. It has the widest reaching roots of all known trees, easily covering a vast area.

The tree is considered sacred by the Hindus of India. With high medicinal value, banyan is often used as a herb to treat and cure many diseases. The roots then give rise to more trunks and branches. Thus the banyan tree regenerates and lives for an incredible length of time. Because of this characteristic and its longevity it is thought of as the immortal tree. This tree is considered as an integral part of the myths and legends of India. Even today, the banyan tree is the focal point of village life and the village council meets under the shade of this tree. The very size of the banyan tree makes it a habitat for a large number of creatures.

Importance In The Indian Culture

The tradition of worshipping 'sacred' trees is prevalent among the people following Hinduism, since ages. Rig Veda and Atharna Veda stipulate that trees should be worshipped, for their inevitable role in human life.

Banyan is considered one among the sacred trees. In the Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva is sometimes depicted sitting in silence, under the banyan tree, with the saints sitting at His feet.

With its seemingly unending expansion, the banyan tree symbolizes eternal life. In Hindu culture, the tree is often called 'kalpavriksha', a Sanskrit word, which means 'a divine tree that fulfills wishes'. Married Hindu women worship the banyan tree to lead a long and happy married life.

Features

Banyan tree is characterized by a tangle of branches, roots and trunks. The tree is deeply rooted, which may spread across several acres.

It is huge in size, thereby giving protection from hot sun. The tree bears fruits that look like figs.

The fruits, which appear red in color when matured, are not edible.

The dark green leaves of the tree are large and leathery. This is the reason why, the leaves are used as animal fodder.

The flowers produced by the tree often attract wasps, for pollination.

An old banyan tree can reach more than 656 feet in diameter and can be as tall as 98 feet.

The rubber, produced from the sticky milk of banyan tree, is used for gardening.

Indian National Flower

Lotus is the National Flower of India. It is scientifically known as Nelumbo Nucifera. The Lotus plant is basically an aquatic plant with wide floating leaves and bright aromatic flowers which grow only in shallow waters. It has long aerated stems. The lotus flowers are extremely beautiful with an overlapping proportional motif of petals.

Lotus flower is considered to be a sacred flower. It occupies unique position in the art and mythology 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 it can survive to re-germinate 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. It was 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.

The plant is having various uniqueness attached to it. Though the large leaves of the plant are floating on the surface of the water, even a drop of water is not accommodated on top of the leaves. May be they are teaching the human beings, to lead a life of non-attachment and avoid the worldly pleasures.

Indian National Bird

The National Bird of India is Peacock. The scientific name is Pavo cristatus (Linnaeus), which is a colourful, swan-sized bird, with a fan-shaped crest of feathers, a white patch under the eye and a long, slender neck. It is a large and magestic bird with along and a beautiful tail. It is the symbolic of qualities like beauty, grace, pride and mysticism.

The main body of the cock is mottled brown in color. Especially, the metallic green color found on the lower neck is very attractive. Though peacocks are beautiful looking birds their calls are loud and coarse.They move in-groups and they are normally spotted in the forests, villages and nearby fields. They are shy in nature. It feeds on lizards, snakes, grains and insects. The hen lays a maximum of five eggs, which are in pale cream color.

The male of the species is more colourful than the female, with a glistening blue breast and neck and a spectacular bronze-green tail of around 200 elongated feathers. The female is brownish, slightly smaller than the male and lacks the tail. The elaborate courtship dance of the male, fanning out the tail and preening its feathers is a gorgeous sight.

In India people believe that whenever the cock spread its tails in an ornamental fashion, it indicates that rain is imminent. In a way it is partly true. At the sight of dark clouds the bird outspreads its tail and starts dancing in rhythmic fashion. Most of the folklore including Bharatha Natyam has got special dancing poses for the peacock dance.

Features Of Peacock

The male specie, peacock, is characterized with a 2.12 m (7.3 ft) length, in full breeding plumage, 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 the greenish-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.

Indian National Animal

TIGER is the National Animal of India. It is scientifically known as Panthera Tigris. 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 in length 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.

Choice of Tiger as National Animal
Tiger was chosen as the National animal of India 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 a Royal Animal.

The Tiger as the National Animal of India symbolizes the power, strength, elegance, alertness, intelligence and endurance of the nation. The tiger is the symbol of India's wealth of wildlife.The rare combination of grace, strength, agility and enormous power has earned the tiger great respect and high esteem.The government of India launched the Project Tiger in 1973 to protect the royal animal.

Indian National Anthem

The Indian National Anthem, composed originally in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore, was adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly as the National Anthem of India on 24 January 1950.

It was first sung on 27 December 1911 at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress. The complete song consists of five stanzas. The lyrics were rendered into English by Tagore himself. A formal rendition of the national anthem takes fifty-two seconds. A shortened version consisting of the first and last lines (and taking about 20 seconds to play) is also staged occasionally. Tagore wrote down the English translation of the song and along with Cousins' wife, Margaret, set down the notation which is followed till this day.

Lyrics of Indian National Anthem

" Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka Jaya He
Bharat Bhagya Vidhata
Punjab Sindh Gujarat Maratha
Dravida Utkala Banga
Vindhya Himachal Yamuna Ganga
Ucchala Jaladhi Taranga
Tubh Shubha Name Jage
Tubh Shubha Ashisha Mange
Gahe Tubh Jaya Gata
Jan Gan Mangaldayak Jay He
Bharat Bhagya Vidhata
Jaye He ! Jaye He ! Jaye He !
Jaye,Jaye,Jaye,Jaye He !

The following is Tagore's English rendering of the anthem:

Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people,
Dispenser of India's destiny.
Thy name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sind,
Gujarat and Maratha,
Of the Dravida and Orissa and Bengal;
It echoes in the hills of the Vindhyas and Himalayas,
mingles in the music of Jamuna and Ganges and is
chanted by the waves of the Indian Sea.
They pray for thy blessings and sing thy praise.
The saving of all people waits in thy hand,
Thou dispenser of India's destiny.
Victory, victory, victory to thee.

Sheet music for Jana Gana Mana:

Indian National Emblem

The national emblem of India is a replica of the Lion at Sarnath, near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The Lion Capital was erected in the third century BC by Emperor Ashoka to mark the spot where the Buddha first proclaimed his gospel of peace and emancipation.

There are four Lions (one hidden from view). They symbolises power, courage and confidence, rest on a circular abacus. The abacus is girded by four smaller animals, that are considered 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. The abacus 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'.

The memorial was designed by Sir Edward Maufe with sculpture by Vernon Hill. The engraved glass and painted ceilings were designed by John Hutton and the poem engraved on the gallery window was written by Paul H Scott.



















This is the famous original sandstone sculpted Lion Capital of Ashoka preserved at Sarnath Museum which was originally erected about 250 BCE a top on Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath.

The emblem forms a part of the official letterhead of the Government of India, and appears on all Indian currency as well. It also sometimes functions as the National Emblem of India in many places and appears prominently on the diplomatic and national Passport of the Republic of India. The wheel "Ashoka Chakra" from its base has been placed onto the center of the Natioanl Flag of India.

Indian National Flag

The National Flag of India is in tricolour ( TIRANGA).The three colours are deep saffron (Kesari) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal propotions.The ratio of the width to the length of the flag is two is to three.

At the centre of the white band, there is a wheel in navy blue to indicate the Dharma Chakra, the wheel of law in the Sarnath Lion Capital. This center symbol or the 'CHAKRA', is a Buddhist symbol dating back to 200th century BC.The diameter of the Chakra approximates the width of the white band. It has 24 spokes which intends to show that there is life in movement and death in stagnation.

The saffron stands for courage, sacrifice and the spirit of renunciation; the white, for purity and truth; the green for faith and fertility. The design of the National Flag of India was adopted by India's constituent assembly on 22nd july, 1947. It's use and display are regulated by a code.

The flag symbolizes freedom. The late Prime Minister Pandit Nehru called it a flag not only of freedom for ourselves, but a symbol of freedom for all people. The official flag specifications require that the flag be made only of Khadi.