INDIA ( Detailed )

8/3/2019 INDIA ( Detailed )

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INDIA

India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world with a kaleidoscopic variety and rich cultural

heritage. It has achieved all-round socio-economic progress during the last 64 years of its

Independence. India has become self-sufficient in agricultural production and is now one of the top

industrialized countries in the world and one of the few nations to have gone into outer space to

conquer nature for the benefit of the people. It covers an area of 32,87,263 sq. km, extending from

the snow-covered Himalayan heights to the tropical rain forests of the south. As the 7th largest

country in the world, India stands apart from the rest of Asia, marked off as it is by mountains and

the sea, which give the country a distinct geographical entity. Bounded by the Great Himalayas in

the north, it stretches southwards and at the Tropic of Cancer, tapers off into the Indian Ocean

between the Bay of Bengal on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west.

Lying entirely in the northern hemisphere, the mainland extends between latitudes 8 4' and 37 6'

north, longitudes 68 7' and 97 25' east and measures about 3,214 km from north to south

between the extreme latitudes and about 2,933 km from east to west between the extreme

longitudes. It has a land frontier of about 15,200 km. The total length of the coastline of the

mainland, Lakshadweep Islands and Andaman & Nicobar Islands is 7,516.6 km.

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 represents the chakra.

The top saffron colour, indicates the strength and courage of the country. The white middle band

indicates peace and truth with Dharma Chakra. The green shows the fertility, growth and

auspiciousness of the land.

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.

It is really amazing to see the various changes that our National Flag went through since its first


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inception. It was discovered or recognised during our national struggle for freedom. The evolution

of the Indian National Flag sailed through many vicissitudes to

The Indian peacock, Pavo cristatus, the national bird of India, is a colourful, swan-sized bird, with

a fan-shaped crest of feathers, a white patch under the eye and a long, slender neck. 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.

Lotus(Nelumbo Nucipera Gaertn) is the National Flower of India. It is a sacred flower and

occupies a unique position in the art and mythology of ancient India and has been an auspicious

symbol of Indian culture since time immemorial.

India is rich in flora. Currently available data place India in the tenth position in the world andfourth in Asia in plant diversity. From about 70 per cent geographical area surveyed so far, 47,000

species of plants have been described by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI).

Indian fig tree, Ficus bengalensis, whose branches root themselves like new trees over a large

area. The roots then give rise to more trunks and branches. Because of this characteristic and its

longevity, this tree is considered immortal and is 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 National Anthem of India is played or sung on various occasions. Instructions have been

issued from time to time about the correct versions of the Anthem, the occasions on which these

are to be played or sung, and about the need for paying respect to the anthem by observance of

proper decorum on such occasions. The substance of these instructions has been embodied in

this information sheet for general information and guidance.

The National Anthem - Full & Short Versions

The composition consisting of the words and music of the first stanza of the late poet Rabindra

Nath Tagore's song known as "Jana Gana Mana" is the National Anthem of India. It reads as

follows:

Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka, jaya he

Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.

Punjab-Sindh-Gujarat-Maratha

Dravida-Utkala-Banga


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Vindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga

Uchchala-Jaladhi-taranga.

Tava shubha name jage,

Tava shubha asisa mage,

Gahe tava jaya gatha,

Jana-gana-mangala-dayaka jaya he

Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.

Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he,

Jaya jaya jaya, jaya he!

The Ganga or Ganges is the longest river of India flowing over 2,510 kms of mountains, valleys

and plains. It originates in the snowfields of the Gangotri Glacier in the Himalayas as the

Bhagirathi River. It is later joined by other rivers such as the Alaknanda, Yamuna, Son, Gumti,

Kosi and Ghagra. The Ganga river basin(External website that opens in a new window) is one of

the most fertile and densely populated areas of the world and covers an area of 1,000,000 sq.

kms. There are two dams on the river - one at Haridwar and the other at Farakka. The Ganges

River Dolphin is an endangered animal that specifically habitats this river.

The Ganga is revered by Hindus as the most sacred river on earth. Key religious ceremonies are

held on the banks of the river at cities such as Varanasi, Haridwar and Allahabad. The Ganga

widens out into the Ganges Delta in the Sunderbans swamp of Bangladesh, before it ends its

journey by emptying into the Bay of Bengal.

The magnificent tiger, Panthera tigris is a striped animal. It has a thick yellow coat of fur with dark

stripes. The combination of grace, strength, agility and enormous power has earned the tiger its

pride of place as the national animal of India. Out of eight races of the species known, the Indian

race, the Royal Bengal Tiger, is found throughout the country except in the north-western region

and also in the neighbouring countries, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. To check the dwindling

population of tigers in India, 'Project Tiger' was launched in April 1973. So far, 27 tiger reserves

have been established in the country under this project, covering an area of 37,761 sq km.

The song Vande Mataram, composed in Sanskrit by Bankimchandra Chatterji, was a source of

inspiration to the people in their struggle for freedom. It has an equal status withJana-gana-mana.

The first political occasion when it was sung was the 1896 session of the Indian National


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Congress. The following is the text of its first stanza:

Vande Mataram!

Sujalam, suphalam, malayaja shitalam,

Shasyashyamalam, Mataram!

Vande Mataram!

Shubhrajyotsna pulakitayaminim,

Phullakusumita drumadala shobhinim,

Suhasinim sumadhura bhashinim,

Sukhadam varadam, Mataram!

Vande Mataram, Vande Mataram!

A fleshy fruit, eaten ripe or used green for pickles etc., of the tree Mangifera indica, the mango is

one of the most important and widely cultivated fruits of the tropical world. Its juicy fruit is a rich

source of Vitamins A, C and D. In India there are over 100 varieties of mangoes, in different sizes,

shapes and colours. Mangoes have been cultivated in India from time immemorial. The poet

Kalidasa sang its praises. Alexander savoured its taste, as did the Chinese pilgrim Hieun Tsang.

Mughal emperor Akbar planted 100,000 mango trees in Darbhanga, Bihar at a place now known

as Lakhi Bagh.

India has conquered the podium when it comes to the game of Hockey. Our nation has an

excellent record with eight Olympic gold medals. Indian hockey's golden period was from 1928-56,

when the Indian hockey team won six successive Olympic gold medals. Team also won the 1975

World Cup besides two more medals (silver and a bronze). The Indian Hockey

Federation(External website that opens in a new window)gained global affiliation in 1927 and

joined the International Hockey Federation (FIH)(External website that opens in a new window).

Thus began the history of Indian Hockey Federation 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.

Post Indian Independence; the Indian team achieved another hat-trick of gold medals at the 1948

London Olympics, 1952 Helsinki Games and the Melbourne Olympics.


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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.

The symbol of Indian Rupee typifies India's international identity for money transactions and

economic strength. The Indian Rupee sign is an allegory of Indian ethos. The symbol is an

amalgam of Devanagari "Ra" and the Roman Capital "R" with two parallel horizontal stripes

running at the top representing the national flag and also the "equal to" sign. The Indian Rupee

sign was adopted by the Government of India on 15th July, 2010.

The symbol, conceptualised and designed by Udaya Kumar, a post graduate in Design from

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, has been chosen from thousands of concept entries

received by the Ministry of Finance through an open competition among resident Indian nationals.

The process of establishing and implementing this new identity is underway through various digitaltechnology and computer applications.

India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by

geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most

populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on

the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast, it shares land borders with Pakistan to the

west; Bhutan, the People's Republic of China and Nepal to the northeast; and Bangladesh and

Burma to the east. In the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives; in

addition, India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand and

Indonesia.

Home to the ancient Indus Valley Civilization and a region of historic trade routes and vast

empires, the Indian subcontinent was identified with its commercial and cultural wealth for much of

its long history. Four of the world's major religionsHinduism, Buddhism, Jainismand Sikhism

originated here, whereas Zoroastrianism, Christianity and Islam arrived in the 1st millennium CE

and also helped shape the region's diverse culture. Gradually annexed and administered by the

British East India Company from the early 18th century andadministered directly by the United

Kingdom from the mid-19th century, India became an independent nation in 1947 after a struggle

for independence which was marked by non-violent resistance and led by Mahatma Gandhi.

The Indian economy is the world's tenth-largest economy by nominal GDP and fourth largest

economy by purchasing power parity(PPP). Following market-based economic reforms in 1991,

India has become one of the fastest growing major economies, and is considered a newly

industrialized country; however, it continues to face the challenges of poverty, illiteracy, corruption

and inadequate public health. A nuclear weapons state and a regional power, it has the third-largest standing army in the world and ranks tenth in military expenditure among nations.

India is a federal constitutional republic governed under a parliamentary system consisting of 28


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states and 7 union territories. It is one of the 5 BRICS nations. India is a pluralistic, multilingual,

and multiethnic society. It is also home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats.

Nearly five thousand years back flourished India's first major civilisation along the Indus River

valley. The twin cities of Mohenjodaro and Harappa now in Pakistan were ruled by priests and

held the rudiments of Hinduism. These civilisations are known to possess a sophisticated lifestyle,

a highly developed sense of aesthetics, an astonishing knowledge of town planning and an

undecipherable script language. The Indus civilization at one point of time extended nearly a

million square kilometres across the Indus river valley. It existed at the same time as the ancient

civilizations of Egypt and Sumer but far outlasted them. Surviving for nearly a thousand years the

Indus valley civilisation fell to tectonic upheavals in about 1700 BC, which caused a series of

floods.

Bounded by the majestic Himalayan ranges in the north and edged by an endless stretch of

golden beaches, India is a vivid kaleidoscope of landscapes, magnificent historical sites and royalcities, misty mountain retreats, colorful people, rich cultures and festivities. Modern India is home

alike to the tribal with his anachronistic lifestyle and to the sophisticated urban jet-setter. It is a

land where temple elephants exist amicably with the microchip. Its ancient monuments are the

backdrop for the worlds largest democracy.


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Translation into English

The following translation, attributed to Tagore, is provided by the Government of India's national

portal:[3]

Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people,

Dispenser of India's destiny.

Thy name rouses the hearts ofPunjab,Sindh,

GujaratandMaratha,

Of theDravidaandOrissaandBengal;

It echoes in the hills of theVindhyasandHimalayas,

mingles in the music ofJamunaandGangesand is

chanted by the waves of theIndian Ocean.

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 forever.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jana_Gana_Mana#cite_note-anthem-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jana_Gana_Mana#cite_note-anthem-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jana_Gana_Mana#cite_note-anthem-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punjab_regionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punjab_regionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punjab_regionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sindhhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sindhhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sindhhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gujarathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gujarathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dravidahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dravidahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dravidahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orissahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orissahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orissahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vindhyashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vindhyashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vindhyashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalayashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalayashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalayashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamunahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamunahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamunahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Oceanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Oceanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Oceanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Oceanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamunahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalayashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vindhyashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orissahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dravidahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gujarathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sindhhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punjab_regionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jana_Gana_Mana#cite_note-anthem-3


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Vande Mataram

The National Song of India

Vande Mataram ! The National song of India

"Vande maataraMsujalaaM suphalaaM malayaja shiitalaaMSasyashyaamalaaM maataram ||

Shubhrajyotsnaa pulakitayaaminiiMpullakusumita drumadala shobhiniiMsuhaasiniiM sumadhura bhaashhiNiiM

sukhadaaM varadaaM maataraM ||

Koti koti kantha kalakalaninaada karaalekoti koti bhujai.rdhRîtakharakaravaaleabalaa keno maa eto balebahubaladhaariNiiM namaami taariNiiMripudalavaariNiiM maataraM ||

Tumi vidyaa tumi dharmatumi hRîdi tumi marmatvaM hi praaNaaH shariire

Baahute tumi maa shaktihRîdaye tumi maa bhaktitomaara i pratimaa gaDi

mandire mandire ||

TvaM hi durgaa dashapraharaNadhaariNiikamalaa kamaladala vihaariNiivaaNii vidyaadaayinii namaami tvaaM

Namaami kamalaaM amalaaM atulaaMSujalaaM suphalaaM maataraM ||

ShyaamalaaM saralaaM susmitaaM bhuushhitaaMDharaNiiM bharaNiiM maataraM |"


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Translation by Shree AurobindoMother, 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!

Vande Mataram

Bankin Chandra composed the song Vande Mataram in an inspired moment,Rabindranath sang it by setting a glorious tune to it and it was left to the genius of ShriAurobindo to interpret the deeper meaning of the song out of which India received the

philosophy of new Nationalism.

The English translation of Vande Mataram rendered by Shree Aurobindo, is considered asofficial and best as per Bhavan's book, Vande Mataram by Moni Bagchee (pg. 66).


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BHARATMA

NATIONAL BIRD OF INDIA : PEACOCK

NATIONAL ANIMAL OF INDIA : TIGER

NATIONAL FLOWER OF INDIA : LOTUS


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THE NATIONAL ANTHEM OF INDIA

Jana-Gana-Mana

(Thou Art the Ruler of All Minds)

The Indian National anthem, composed originally in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore, wasadopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly as the National Anthem of India on 24January 1950. It was first sung 27 December 1911 at the Calcutta session of the Indian NationalCongress. The complete song consists of five stanzas. The lyrics were rendered into English by

Tagore himself.

NATIONAL ANTHEM OF INDIA

" Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka Jaya He

Bharat Bhagya Vidhata

Punjab Sindh Gujarat Maratha

Dravida Utkala BangaVindhya 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 "

Translation of The national anthem- Jana Gana Mana In English

Thou are the ruler of the minds of all people, dispenser of India's destiny.

The name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sind, Gujurat and Maratha. Of the Dravid and Orissa and Bengal.

It Echoes in the hills of Vindhyas and Himalayas, mingles in the music of Yamuna and Ganga and ischanted by the waves of the Indian Sea.

They pray for your blessing and sing thy praise. The salvation of all peaople is thy hand, thou dispenser ofIndia's destiny. Victory, Victory, Victory to thee.

The Jana Gana Mana was composed by Shri Rabindranath Tagore and first sung at the Calcutta session of the Indian

National Congress on December 27th, 1911. It was adopted as the National Anthem of India on 24th January, 1950 by

the Constituent Assembly. The first stanza( out of five stanzas) of the song forms the National Anthem.

More Links for the Indian national anthem :-

http://www.whitehouse.gov/national-anthem/newdelhi.htmlThe national anthem with audio.

http://www.hcilondon.org/Includes audio clip of the National anthem.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/national-anthem/newdelhi.htmlhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/national-anthem/newdelhi.htmlhttp://www.hcilondon.org/http://www.hcilondon.org/http://www.hcilondon.org/http://www.whitehouse.gov/national-anthem/newdelhi.html


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Bharatma

VANDE MATARAM ...The National Song of India

...composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterji has an equal status as the

Jana Gana Mana.

Click here to know more about Vande Mataram

Indian independence day - Independence Day of India

FLAG OF INDIA

THE NATIONAL FLAG OF INDIA is in tricolour of deep saffron(Kesari) at the top, white inthe middle and dark green at the bottom in equal propotions.The flag is a horizontaltricolour in equal proportion of deep saffron on the top, white in the middle and dark

green at the bottom. The ratio of the width to the length of the flag is two is to three. Inthe 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. Its diameter approximates the width of thewhite band and it has 24 spokes. The saffron stands for courage, sacrifice and the spirit

of renunciation; the white, for purity and truth; the green for faith and fertility. The designof the National Flag was adopted by India's constituent assembly on 22nd july, 1947. It'suse and display are regulated by a code. The Indian flag symbolizes freedom. The late

Prime Minister Pandit Nehru called it a flag not only of freedom for ourselves, but asymbol of freedom for all people.

Some interesting flag facts : Courtesysitagita.com

Our national flag was hoisted on Mt. Everest, the highest peak in the world, on May 291953, along with the Union Jack and the Nepalese National flag. In 1971, the Indian flag,went into space on board Apollo-15. It flew into space as a medallion on the spacesuitworn by Cosmonaut Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, during the Indo-Soviet jointspace flight in April 1984. On January 9 1982, the first Indian Antarctica Expeditionplanted the first Indian flag over Dakshin Gangotri. It was hoisted for the first time on theSouth Pole on January 17, 1989, by Colonel J.K. Bajaj. On April 21, 1996, at 0352 hrs(IST), the first Indian and perhaps the first in Asia, Sqdn. Ldr. Sanjay Thapar, holder ofmany national and international records in parajumping and skydiving, jumped from analtitude of 10,000 ft from an MI - 8 helicopter and hoisted the Indian tricolour on the North

Pole. On Sept 28, 1985, the Tiranga set out on an around the world sailing expedition onboard Trishna under Colonel T.P.S. Chowdhry and successfully returned home onJanuary 10, 1987, cruising the high seas of the world and covering over 30,000 nauticalmiles in 470 days.
http://www.indianchild.com/vande_mataram.htmhttp://www.indianchild.com/vande_mataram.htmhttp://www.indianchild.com/vande_mataram.htmhttp://www.indianchild.com/vande_mataram.htmhttp://www.indianchild.com/indian_independence_day.htmhttp://www.indianchild.com/indian_independence_day.htmhttp://www.indianchild.com/indian_independence_day.htmhttp://www.indianchild.com/vande_mataram.htmhttp://www.indianchild.com/indian_independence_day.htmhttp://www.indianchild.com/indian_independence_day.htmhttp://www.indianchild.com/vande_mataram.htmhttp://www.indianchild.com/vande_mataram.htm


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Learn about theRupee symbolof India, 2010

History of India

Pictures for Indian flag
http://www.indianchild.com/indianrupee/rupee-symbol.htmhttp://www.indianchild.com/indianrupee/rupee-symbol.htmhttp://www.indianchild.com/history_of_india.htmhttp://www.indianchild.com/history_of_india.htmhttp://www.indianchild.com/maps.htmhttp://www.indianchild.com/maps.htmhttp://www.indianchild.com/maps.htmhttp://www.indianchild.com/history_of_india.htmhttp://www.indianchild.com/indianrupee/rupee-symbol.htm


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National Emblem of India

The National emblem is a symbol of contemporary India's reaffirmation of its commitmentto world peace and goodwill.

The National Emblem of India is a replica of the Lion of Sarnath, near Varanasi in Uttar PradeshState. The Lion Capital was erected in the 3rd century BC by Emperor Ashoka to mark the spotwhere Lord Buddha first proclaimed his gospel of peace and emancipation..

It is symbolic of India's reaffirmation of its ancient commitment to world peace and goodwill. In the

original, there are four lions, standing back to back, mounted on a abacus with a frieze carryingsculptures in high relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion separated byintervening wheels over a bell-shaped lotus. Carved out of a single block of polished sandstone,the capital is crowned by the Wheel of the Law (Dharma Chakra).

In the state emblem adopted by the Government of India on 26 January 1950, only three lionsare visible, the fourth being hidden from view. The wheel appears in relief in the center of theabacus with a bull on the right and a horse on the left and the outlines of the other wheels onextreme right and left. The bell-shaped lotus has been omitted.

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 'truthalone triumphs'

National Animal of India-THE TIGER.

The magnificent Tiger Panthera tigris (linnaeus), the national animal of India, is a rich-colored well-striped animal with a short coat. The combination of grace, strength, power hasearned the tiger great respect and high esteem. Indian tigers are famous all over the world andone of the main attractions for the lovers of wild life. They are the crowning glory and the light ofthe Indian wild life.

Tough, muscular, majestic tigers roam about the Sunderbans of Bengal "burning bright in the

darkness of the night." The natives of the forest worship the tiger as the deity that gives themhoney and wax. The Sunderbans are their main habitat for their thick forests of Sunder trees. Theyfeed on fish, cattle and sometimes human beings. The man-eaters are the most dreaded of all wildbeasts. It is a common belief that a tiger does not harm anyone who has offered prayers to him.


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Tigers are fast runners, excellent swimmers and their eyesight is strong.

To check the dwindling population of tigers in India, which came down to just 1,827 in 1972,massive conservation program was initiated in April 1973, known as the 'Project Tiger'. Thisproject aims to maintain a viable population of tigers in India for scientific, economic, aesthetic,cultural and ecological values. Since then, the tiger population has shown a gradual increase andthe census of 1989 puts the tiger population of the country at 4,334. So far, 19 tiger reserves have

been established in the country under this project, covering over 29, 716 sq. km. forest areaNational Bird of India-THE PEACOCK

Peacock is a large and majestic bird. It has got a long and beautiful tail. Both the peacock and the

hen have crest. But the crest of hen is smaller in size. The main body of the cock is mottled brownin color. Especially, the metallic green color found on the lower neck is very attractive. Thoughpeacocks 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 offive eggs, which are in pale cream color.

The significance of peacock is attached to cultures of India, Far East, Ancient Persia, Greekand Christian. In Hinduism, the image of the god of thunder, rains and war, Indra, was depicted inthe form of a peacock. In south India, peacock is considered as a 'vahana' or vehilce of lordMuruga. The figure of peacock is painted in various Islamic religious buildings. In Christianity, thepeacock was also known as the symbol of the 'Resurrection'.

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

National Flower of India- THE LOTUS

Among the various flowers of Indian sub-continent, the flower Lotus is regarded with divinity andgrace. Often, Goddesses Lakshmi and Saraswathi are associated with the flower lotus. Even LordSiva, who wanted to escape the wrath of the Lord Saneeswaran, morphed himself into the shapeof a bee and took asylum inside a lotus. Buddhists regard this flower as a sacred one.

Lotus symbolizes purity, beauty, majesty, grace, fertility, wealth, richness, knowledge andserenity. They are found in white and pink colors in general and they grow in shallow and murkywaters. Some blue colored flowers are also sighted. These flowers enjoy a warm sunlight andintolerant to cold weather. Hence they cannot be seen blossoming in the winter. The floating

leaves and flowers have long stems, which contains air spaces to maintain buoyancy.

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


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the worldly pleasures.

Depending upon the level of water in the tank, the stems will rise. In this fashion, it is guidingthe human beings to rise upto the situation leading to a genuine elevation in their lives. As theworld famous 'Thirukural' says,

"Vellathanayathu malar neetam manthartham

ullath thanyathu ouyarvu"

signifying, in relation with the water level of a tank, the stem will rise. In the same way, dependingupon their ambitions and thoughts, human beings can elevate themselves in their life.

In Indian religious epics, references of lotus are made, in relation with eyes and feet of divinepersona. For instance "Kamala Kannan" referring Lord Krishna with the contextual meaning, aperson having eyes with the color of the pink lotus. Also, it is coupled with the feet of deities."Kamala Patham" means lotus feet implying the feet of the god. "Charan Kamala Patham"implying, submit oneself in totality, at the lotus feet of the god.

National Tree of India-THE BANYAN TREE.

THE BANYAN TREE-Called the Indian fig tree( Ficus bengalensis) grow over a large area. Theroots then give rise to more trunks and branches. Because of this characteristic & longevity, theBanyan tree is considered immortal & sacred and is an integral part of the myths and legends inIndia. Even today, the banyan tree is the focal point of village life and the village council meetingsunder the shade of this huge shade-giving tree.

National Fruit of India-THE MANGO

The fruit Mango,of the tree Mangifera indica,is one of the most widely cultivated fruits of thetropical world. This juicy, delicious fruit is a rich source of Vitamins A, C and D. In India there arehundreds of varieties of mangoes, in different sizes, shapes and colours etc. Mangoes, have beencultivated in India since time immemorial. The famous Indian poet Kalidasa sang its praises.KingAlexander relished its taste, as did the Chinese traveller Hieun Tsang. Akbar, the Moghal emperorplanted over 100,000 mango trees in Darbhanga, known as Lakhi Bagh(India).

About India

Introduction

India, officially known as Republic of Indiacan aptly be described by the starting words of CharlesDickens in `The Tale of Two Cities:

`It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness,

it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity,

it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness,


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it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair,we had everything before us, we had nothing before us

-- Charles Dickens

India is a country full of such paradoxes. Be it economic stratas in the society, culture, climate orthe terrain. Yes Sir, a nation of contradictions, that is India.

The name 'India' is derived from the River Indus, the valleys around which were the home of theearly settlers called "The Aryans". They called it the Sindhu river. The Persian invaders startedcalling it the "Hindu river". The combination of these two words gives the India another name of"Hindustan".

Geographical infomation

India lies to the north of the equator between 644' and 3530' north latitude and 687' and9725' east longitude with a coastline of 7,517 kilometers (4,671 mi).

The Indian climate varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north to the snowcovered peaks of the Himalaya mountains. The terrain also varies greatly with upland plain(Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west and Himalayas(Mountains) in north.

India has a lot of natural resources including but not limited to coal (fourth-largest reserves in theworld), iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds,petroleum and limestone.

More Information on India

I have divided this section of my site into various subsections, each containing additionalinformation about India. Please use the links below or on the left side to learn more about specificparts of India:

Section Name Comments/Description

History Learn more about India's origin and history

Indian Religion* Hinduism

Learn more about Indian religions

Indian Art Learn more about Indian Art

Indian Languages Learn more about Indian Languages

Indian Flag Get infomation on the Indian Flag

Indian National Anthem Get infomation about India's National anthem

Indian National Emblem

Get infomation about India's National EmblemIndian Constitution Get infomation about India's constitution

National animal of India Get infomation about India's National Animal

National bird of India Get infomation about India's National Bird

Learn About Indian Art

Introduction

Culture makes people into a nation. The culture in India although diverse and varied, still bindsthe country together in some form of common identification. The Indian culture, particularly

drama and the arts, in spite of having passed through many changes, is characterized by anunmistakable unity and continuity. Though there are diverse languages, religions, traditions,festivals and attire, the rich heritage of the culture survives!
http://www.suramya.com/india/india_history.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_history.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/religion_hinduism.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/religion_hinduism.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_art.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_art.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_language.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_language.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_flag.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_flag.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_anthem.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_anthem.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_emblem.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_emblem.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_constitution.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_constitution.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_animal.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_animal.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_bird.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_bird.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_bird.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_animal.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_constitution.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_emblem.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_anthem.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_flag.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_language.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_art.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/religion_hinduism.phphttp://www.suramya.com/india/india_history.php


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Here in this article I am going to discuss some of the various types of Indian Art. To do acomplete discussion of Indian Art would require an entire series of books and multiple Phd's so I

am not even going to claim that I have covered all there is to know about art in India.

Indian Paintings

Like India Indian paintings are vast, diverse and unique. All periods in the Indian History havepainted, be it the cave paintings in Ajanta or paintings by the Mughal artists in Delhi.

Cave Paintings in Bhimbetka

Cave paintings by homo-sapiens in the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka which have been dated to be

over 9,000 years old are the oldest known paintings in India.

These paintings depict the lives of the ancient homo-sapeins who lived in these caves. Thepaintings have been drawn using mainly red and white colors with occasional use of green andyellow colors. They depict scenes from the daily lives of the hunters including scenes of hunting,

childbirth, dancing and drinking, religious rites as well as images depicting the naturalenvironment around them.

Cave Painting in Bhimbetka

It is amazing that the paints used by these primitive hunters have not faded yet. One of thetheories archeologists have is that they used colored earth, vegetable dyes, roots and animal fatto create these paints but a lot of people disagree with the theory.

Cave Paintings in Ajanta and Ellora Caves

These amazing cave paintings were lost to mankind for a millennia and were unearthed in the1819 by John Smith, a British officer who accidentally stumbled upon them while on a huntingexpedition. There are 34 caves at Ellora and 24 caves at Ajanta.

These caves are not natural caves, they were carved by generations of Buddhist, Hindu, and Jainmonks. They are probably the finest examples of cave - temple architecture. The paintings inthese caves illustrate the story of Buddhism, spanning over a period from 200 BC to 650 AD. Theartists and the monks have covered the walls of caves at Ajanta with stunning murals andpaintings covering Buddha's life and his teachings.

Cave Painting in the Ajanta cave


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To get the results they have, the artists first filled the pores in the rock by applying mud plasterover the area to be painted. Once this coat was dry a second coat of lime plaster was applied to

give them a clear and smooth canvas. On this canvas they first drew the outlines in red ochre andthen filled the image with appropriate colors.

The Ellora caves

More details on the Ajanta and Ellora caves are available at the following sites:*Wikipedia Article on Ajanta Caves*world-mysteries Article on Ajanta and Ellora

Miniature painting

During the 11th & 12th centuries miniature paintings became popular replacing the wall paintingsas the dominant art form. These paintings evolved from the illustrations etched on palm-leafmanuscripts. These manuscripts were mostly contained literature on the Buddhism & Jainism.They also covered the themes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagvata Purana, Rasikpriya,Rasamanjiri, etc.

Krishna Lifting Govardhan Miniature Painting
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajanta_Caveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajanta_Caveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajanta_Caveshttp://www.world-mysteries.com/mpl_11.htmhttp://www.world-mysteries.com/mpl_11.htmhttp://www.world-mysteries.com/mpl_11.htmhttp://www.world-mysteries.com/mpl_11.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajanta_Caves


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In the late 17th century miniature paintings gained lots of recognition and support from theroyalty and aristocracy. The miniature painting styles from this time can be classified into three

schools: The Mugal, The Rajput and Deccan schools.

The Mughal Miniature Paintings have a strong and a definite narrative content. They are heavilyinfluenced by the Persian painting style. The paintings use bright colors and bold contrast to showdescriptive scenes of the world surrounding the artist. During the reign of Jahangir these paintings

gained more sophistication and became smaller and more intricate.

The Rajput School was characterized by the Krishna Legends themes. The emphasis was onemotions, especially those of love. These paintings are also known for the depiction of variouslove acts of the divine couple; Krishna and Radha .

In the Deccan School the melding of Persian and Turkish traditions with Indian traditions hascreated a facinating style of its own. The paintings in this school are boldly executed with livelythemes.

Metal Work

Ancient India had an international reputation for her brass and bell metal work. The technology ofmetalworking had been well developed in India by 2500 B.C . This manifested itself in exquisiteyet sturdy images and icons in temples and household niches, lamps, platters and other itemsrequired for acts of worship, in gold, silver, copper, brass, bronze, and other mixed metals andalloys. The world-famous dancing figure of Nataraja, a work in the Chola tradition, epitomises thisachievement. Villages from Tamil Nadu mould and assemble brass oil-lamps (dipa), standing aswell as hanging ones, adorned with decorative swans or women.

Dancing figure of Nataraja

But what is even more remarkable is that many everyday household equipments in India are artobjects. The kitchen ladle, the nut-cracker, the water-pot, are all imbued with the artistic spirit.The water-pot (ghara, kalash, churru) itself can take on myriad forms and shapes and haveembossed borders. Benares and Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh are famous for their hand-made orhand-finished brass, copper and even stainless-steel implements of traditional shapes. Theblacksmith is traditionally a most important part of the village community. Tribal metalware, forexample that of Bastar, Madhya Pradesh, is mainly of iron hammered and twisted into oil lamps.

Wood Work

The temple craftmen of Ancient India were famous for their delicate Woodwork. They decoratedtemples with carved doors and doorposts. Wooden gateways are found in Orissa, Rajasthan,


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Gujarat and Maharashtra. The speciality of Tamil Nadu was the vahana (temple chariot), amassive structure thick with delicate figurines.

Andhra Pradesh, Mysore and Karnataka are famous for their elephants and combs, carved mostly

out of sandalwood. Many havelis (mansions) of Rajasthan displayed screens, friezes, windows,and canopies of wooden fretwork. Domestic items like the karahi and the khanta too are craftedout of wood.

In modern India the woodwork by artists from the state of Jammu & Kashmir is popularthroughout the world and the furniture made over here is covered with exquisite carvings. Thecraftsmen in Kashmir use walnut wood in their creations which makes the handicrafts sturdy,durable and quite expensive.

Textiles:

India possessed the knowledge of cotton and fast dye quite early in history compared to othercountries. Dyed and patterned cotton cloth from India has been exported internationally from pre-Roman times.

A lot of methods are used to enhance the look of fabrics in India. One of them is throughembroidery work. Other methods are dyeing and weaving. Karnataka is famous for dyeing andweaving of silk, Rajasthan for the dyeing of cotton with indigo and alazarin. Gujarat andRajasthan have especially developed bandhni work (tying-and-dying of pinprick patterns onwoollen shawls and fine cotton cloth).

Block-printing with the help of wooden blocks and vegetable dyes is another speciality ofSanganer, Bagru, Jodhpur, Kota and other centres in Rajasthan. Gujarat and Orissa are renownedfor ikat work (a complex process where, before the cloth is woven, the warp or weft threads, orboth, are bundled and bound with bands resisting dye-stuffs, and then repeatedly dyed to createbands of patterns). In Gujarat there used to be a thriving centre of silk patola saris of double ikat

work in Ahmedabad, Surat, Patan etc. Sambalpur and Cuttack in Orissa, Pochampalli, Chirala and

Puttapaka in Andhra Pradesh are still flourishing centres of ikat textiles.

Pottery:

Pottery is an important art form in India. Earthen pots have been in usage since the early vedictimes for various purposes like: drinking pots, food storage, decorative purposes etc.

Blue Pottery from Jaipur

Over the years most of the regions have developed their own distinct style of pottery that displaythe makers skill and workmanship. For example The Blue pottery of Jaipur is an art which hasbeen handed down for generations among the potters of this city. The potters over here specialize


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in blue colored pots and items giving it this name. This pottery is very popular for its delicatedesign and long life. The Image above is an excellent example of The Blue Pottery of Jaipur.

Another Pottery example

Another fine example of the pottery skills developed in India can be seen in the skill of thecraftsmen of Khurja(a small town in Uttar Pradesh). They have a distinct style of their own inwhich they use warm shades of autumnal colors like orange, brown, and light red. Thebackground is often a floral design in sky-blue colour. The pots are often bright in design and canbe used as premium tableware or as dinner-sets, jugs, flower vase etc.

Learn About Indian Languages

India is a nation of diverse cultural background with each culture having its own language bothwritten and spoken. Because of this India has 22 official languages and over 1000 spokenlanguages.

According to Article 343(1) in the Indian Constitution "The Official Language of the Union shall be

Hindi in Devanagari script and English could be also used for official purposes.". In addition Article345 of the constitution also provides recognition to "official languages" of the union.

As of May 2008 the Official Languages consist of the following: Assamese/Axomiya, Bengali, Bodo,Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali,Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.

Languages in Northern India evolved separately from the languages in South India. The languagesin North India evolved from Old Indo-Aryan languages such as Sanskrit, by way of the MiddleIndo-Aryan Prakrit. Although its not possible know exactly when the modern languages like Hindi,Marathi, Saraiki, Punjabi, etc emerged most scholars date the emergence to around 1000 AD.Since then each language has been heavily influenced by other languages like Persian and Urdu.

The South Indian languages on the other hand evolved separately and at present the origins ofthe Dravidian languages is unclear. They are an isolated family till the present day and have nodemonstrable connection with any other language including the Indo-European tongues, Mitanni,Basque, Sumerian, or Korean.

Additional Information on Indian Languages

*Dravidian Languages (Wikipedia Entry)*Indian Scripts*Indian Languages Portal

*Languages of India (Wikipedia Entry)*Indian Language Map*Monthly journal devoted to the study of languages in the Indian sub-continent.*The Indian Language Page
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dravidian_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dravidian_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dravidian_languageshttp://w3studi.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/~gangultr/india/scripts.htmlhttp://w3studi.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/~gangultr/india/scripts.htmlhttp://w3studi.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/~gangultr/india/scripts.htmlhttp://www.indianlanguages.com/main/index.phphttp://www.indianlanguages.com/main/index.phphttp://www.indianlanguages.com/main/index.phphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indiahttp://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/india/indianlanguages.htmhttp://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/india/indianlanguages.htmhttp://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/india/indianlanguages.htmhttp://www.languageinindia.com/http://www.languageinindia.com/http://www.languageinindia.com/http://www.gadnet.com/lingox.htmhttp://www.gadnet.com/lingox.htmhttp://www.gadnet.com/lingox.htmhttp://www.gadnet.com/lingox.htmhttp://www.languageinindia.com/http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/india/indianlanguages.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indiahttp://www.indianlanguages.com/main/index.phphttp://w3studi.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/~gangultr/india/scripts.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dravidian_languages


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Learn About the Indian Flag

What is a Flag?

The word flag is of Teutonic (German) origin and probably came into use around the 15th and16th centuries in various northern European languages signifying a piece of cloth, bunting or a

similar material displaying the insignia of a community, an armed force, an office or an individual.A flag in a classical sense is usually, but not always oblong and attached to a staff or halyard.

In the early days of history, the flags besides being objects of worship and reverence, also servedas rallying points for organizing armies and for identification of friend and foe during battles. For

this purpose flag bearers were used in wars to give direction to soldiers.

History of the Indian Flag

To select a flag for independent India an ad hoc committee was created by the ConstituentAssembly on 23 June 1947. The committee headed by Rajendra Prasad and included Maulana Abul

Kalam Azad, Sarojini Naidu, C. Rajagopalachari, K. M. Munshi and B.R. Ambedkar as its members.

The committee recommended that the flag of the Indian National Congress be adopted as theNational Flag of India with suitable modifications. The modified flag was adopted on July 22, 1947in the Constituent Assembly on the eve of the Independence of India.

The Tiranga proudly went up for the first time against a free sky of Independent India on the flagmast of the Council House at 10:30 a.m. As the Tricolour went up the flag mast, a 31 gun salutewas accorded to the symbol of the newly born nation. In the afternoon of the August 15, 1947,the first public flag salutation ceremony was held at the War Memorial at the Prince's Park nearIndia Gate. The flag was hosted at the red fort for the first time on August 16th at 8:30 am not onAug. 15th contrary to the popular belief.

Indian Flag Design

The Indian flag is a tricolour with deep saffron on the top, white in the middle and green at thebottom in equal proportion. Ratio of the width of the flag to its length is two to three. In thecentre of the white band is a navy blue wheel which represents the "Charkha". Its design is that ofthe wheel which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. Its diameterapproximates to the width of the white band and has 24 spokes. The colors of the flag do notrepresent any community or religion but rather represent the following:

Saffron/(kesaria) - Piety and Patriotism

White - Purity and PeaceGreen - ProsperityChakra - Progress (24 hours - for 24 spokes)

The Indian Flag

The Flag Code of India


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The display of the Indian Flag is governed by the Flag Code of India, 2002; the Emblems andNames (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950; and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour

Act, 1971.

The regulations state that the flag must never touch the ground or water, or be used as a draperyin any form. The flag may not be intentionally placed upside down, dipped in anything, or holdany objects other than flower petals before unfurling. No sort of lettering may be inscribed on the

flag. When out in the open, the flag should always be flown between sunrise and sunset,

irrespective of the weather conditions. The flag may be also flown on a public building at nightunder special circumstances. The flag should never be depicted, displayed or flown upside down.

As of 2002 private citizens are allowed to hoist the flag on any day of the year as long as theysafeguard the dignity of the Flag. The modified code forbids usage in clothing below the waist, onundergarments, and embroidered onto pillowcases, handkerchiefs or other dress material.

The Indian National Anthem

What is a National Anthem?

According to Wikipedia:

A national anthem (also "national hymn", "song" etc.) is a generallypatriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history,traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation'sgovernment as the official national song, or by convention through use by

the people.

Although National Anthems gained prominence in Europe in the 19th Century, the oldest nationalanthem in the world is the Duch National anthem "Het Wilhelmus"which was written between1568 and 1572 during the Dutch Revolt.

History of the National Anthem

The song 'Jana Gana Mana' composed by Rabindranath Tagore was adopted as the Indian nationalanthem on 24 January 1950. It was first sung on 27 December 1911 at the Calcutta session of theIndian National Congress.

National Anthem Lyrics

The anthem is written in highly Sanskritized Bengali and is part of a Brahmo poem. Only first offive stanzas of the hymn were made part of the anthem. A formal rendition of the nationalanthem takes fifty-two seconds.

The Anthem Reads:


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The following is the english translation of the anthem:

Thou art the rulers 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 Yamuna and Ganga 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.


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A. R. RAHMAN THAI MANNAI VANAKKAM LYRICS

A. R. Rahman Lyrics

Thai Mannai Vannakam - A R Rahman:

Angum angum ingum ingum sutri sutri thirinthaen

Chinna chinna paravaippol disai engum paranthaen

Veyyililum mazhaiyilum vittu vittu alainthaen

Mugavari ethu endru mugam thulaithaen

Manam pitthai ponathae unnai kangal thaeduthae

Thoda kaigal neeluthaey ithayam ithayam thudikkindrathae

Engum unpol paasam illai aathalaal un madi thaedinaen

Thai Mannae Vanakkam

Vande Mataram..........Vande Mataram.......

Vanna vanna kanavugal karuvukkul valarthaai

Vanthu mannil piranthathum malargalai koduththai

Antha pakkam intha pakkam kadalgalai koduthai

Nandavanam nattuvaikka nathi koduthai

Undhan maarbodu anaithaai, ennai aalaaki valarthai

Suga vaazhvondru koduthai pachchai vayalgalai nee parisaliththai

Pongum inbam engum thanthaai kangalum nandriyaal ponguthae

Vande Mataram.............Vande Mataram..........

Thayae un peyar sollum pothae ithayathhil min alai paayumae

Inivarum kaalam ilaignanin kaalam un kadal mellisai paadumae

Thai aval pol oru jeevanillai, aval kaaladi por sorgam veru illai

Thai mannai pol oru bhoomi illai, bhaaratham engalin swaasamae

Thai Mannai Vanakkam........Thai Mannai Vanakkam.......

Vande Mataram.............Vande Mataram..........

http://mp3skull.com/mp3/thai_mannai_vanakkam_tamil.html

To listen Thai Mannai Vanakkam Tamil music just click Play

To download Thai Mannai Vanakkam Tamil mp3for free:

1. Right Click -> Save Link As (Save Target As)

2. Change filename to Thai Mannai Vanakkam Tamil.mp33. If Save As Type is not MP3, change to All Files
http://www.maxilyrics.com/a.-r.-rahman-lyrics-1bcb.htmlhttp://mp3skull.com/mp3/thai_mannai_vanakkam_tamil.htmlhttp://mp3skull.com/mp3/thai_mannai_vanakkam_tamil.htmlhttp://mp3skull.com/mp3/thai_mannai_vanakkam_tamil.htmlhttp://www.maxilyrics.com/a.-r.-rahman-lyrics-1bcb.html


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. . - :

.......... .......

,

............. ..........

,

,

........ .......

............. ..........

The Indian National Animal

What is the Indian National Animal?

The National animal of India is the magnificent creature called The Bengal Tiger. The scientificname of the Bengal Tiger is "Tiger Panthera tigris". This tiger is a rich-coloured well-striped animalwith a short coat. The combination of grace, strength, agility and enormous power has earned the

tiger great respect and high esteem. It is found throughout the country except the north-western


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region, and also in the neighbouring countries such as Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. The tigeroccupies a variety of habitats from dry open jungles, humid ever-green forests to mangrove

swamps.

The Bengal Tiger

The Tiger was chosen as the National animal of India due to its grace, strength, agility andenormous power.

The Bengal Tiger Population

Due to illegal hunting for their skins there has been a steep fall of Tiger population in the world. Itgot bad enough that the Indian government started a project to preserve the tiger population inthe world. This project is called "Project Tiger" and was launched in 1973. Under the project 23reserves were established throughout the country for tigers.

As of 2008 the population of wild Bengal tigers in the Indian subcontinent is estimated to bebetween 1,300 and 1,500. Of these, 1,411 are found in the wild in India.

The Indian National Bird

What is the Indian National Bird?

The peacock ("Pava Cristatus (linnaeus)") which is a symbol of grace, joy, beauty and love is thenational bird of India. A peacock is a colourful, swan-sized bird with a fan-shaped crest of featherson its head, a white patch under the eye and a long slender neck.


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The Peacock

The male of the species is more colourful than the female with glistening blue breast and neck anda spectacular bronze-green train of around 200 elongated feathers. The female on the other handis brownish, slightly smaller than the male and it lacks the train.

The elaborate courtship dance of the male by fanning out the tail and quivering the feathers is agorgeous sight. The peacocks usually perform their dance early in the morning or early evening.

The peacock is widely found in the Indian sub-continent from the south and east of the Indusriver, Jammu and Kashmir, east to Assam, south to Mizoram and the whole of the Indian

peninsula.

The Indian National Emblem

What is an Emblem?

An emblem is an image, abstract or representational that epitomizes a concept e.g., a moraltruth, or an allegory.

A national emblem symbolically represents a nation. National emblems may appear on many

things such as the national flag, coat of arms, or other patriotic materials.

History of the Indian Emblem

The emblem of India is an adaptation from the Sarnath Lion on an Ashoka pillar erected byEmperor Ashoka to mark the spot where Gautama Buddha first taught and where the Buddhist

religion was born.

The emblem was adopted by the Government as the National emblem of India on 26th January1950. It is a part of the official letterhead of the Government of India and appears prominently onthe diplomatic and national Passports of India. The emblem is also shown on the Indian Currency.

Description of the Indian National Emblem
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The emblem has four lions standing back to back (only three are visible), mounted on an abacuswith a frieze carrying sculpture in high relief of an elephant, a gallping horse, a bull and a lion

separated by intervening wheels (chakras). Carved out of a single block of polished sandstone,the Capital is crowned by the Wheel of the Law (Dharma Chakra). The words, "Satyameva Jayate"from Mundaka Upanishad meaning 'Truth alone triumphs', are inscribed below the abacus inDevangari script.

The Indian National Emblem

In the contemporary times, the national emblem of India is a symbol of modern India'sreassertion of its ancient commitment to world peace and goodwill.

The Indian Constitution

What is a Constitution?

A constitution is a written document that contains a set of rules for a government. It defines the

fundamental political principles, and establishing the structure, procedures, powers and duties, ofa government. By limiting the government's own reach, most constitutions guarantee certainrights to the people. The term constitution can be applied to any overall law that defines thefunctioning of a government.

Introduction to the Indian Constitution

The Constitution of India is the world's lengthiest written constitution with 395 articles and 8schedules. It contains the good points taken from the constitution's of many countries in theworld. It was passed on 26 Nov 1949 by the 'The Constituent Assembly' and is fully applicablesince 26 Jan 1950. The Constituent Assembly had been elected for undivided India and held itsfirst sitting on 9th Dec.1946, re-assembled on the 14th August 1947, as The SovereignConstituent Assembly for the dominion of India. In regard to its composition the members wereelected by indirect election by the members of The Provisional Legislative Assemblies (lower houseonly). At the time of signing 284 out of 299 members of the Assembly were present.

The constitution of India draws extensively from Western legal traditions in its outline of theprinciples of liberal democracy. It follows a British parliamentary pattern with a lower and upperhouse. It embodies some Fundamental Rights which are similar to the Bill of Rights declared bythe United States constitution. It also borrows the concept of a Supreme Court from the US.

India is a federal system in which residual powers of legislation remain with the centralgovernment, similar to that in Canada. The constitution provides detailed lists dividing up powers

between central and state governments as in Australia, and it elaborates a set of DirectivePrinciples of State Policy as does the Irish constitution.

The constitution has provision for Schedules to be added to the constitution by amendment. Theten schedules in force cover the designations of the states and union territories; the emoluments


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for high-level officials; forms of oaths; allocation of the number of seats in the Rajya Sabha. Areview of the constitution needs at least two-thirds of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to pass it.

The Indian constitution is one of the most frequently amended constitutions in the world. Infact

the first amendment to it was passed after only a year of the adoption of the constitution andinstituted numerous minor changes. Many more amendments followed, a rate of almost twoamendments per year since 1950. Most of the constitution can be amended after a quorum of

more than half of the members of each house in Parliament passes an amendment with a two-

thirds majority vote. Articles pertaining to the distribution of legislative authority between thecentral and state governments must also be approved by 50 percent of the state legislatures.

Below is the full text of the Indian Constitution. You can also download the entire constitutioninpdf formatif you like.

Text of The Constitution: Preamble

We, The people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGNSOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:

JUSTICE, social, economic and political;LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;EQUALITY of status and of opportunityand to promote among them allFRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the NationIN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949,do hereby Adopt, Enact and give ourselves this Constitution.

PART I : THE UNION AND IT'S TERRITORY

1.Name and territory of the Union .

(1) India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.

(2) The States and the territories thereof shall be as specified in the First Schedule.

(3) The territory of India shall comprise-

1. The territories of the States; the Union territories specified in the First Schedule; and suchother territories as may be acquired.

2. Admission or establishment of new States :

Parliament may by law admit into the Union, or establish, new States on such terms and

conditions, as it thinks fit.

2A. Sikkim to be associated with the Union [ Rep. by the Constitution Thirty-sixAmendment Act, 1975, Section 5 (w.e.f. 26.04.1975).

3. Formation of new States and alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existingStates :

Parliament may by law.

(a.) form a new State by separation of territory from any State or by uniting two or more Statesor parts of States or by uniting any territory to a part of any State;

(b) increase the area of any State;
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(c) diminish the area of any State;

(d) alter the boundaries of any State;

(e) alter the name of any State;

Provided that no Bill for the purpose shall be introduced in either House of Parliament except onthe recommendation of the President and unless, where the proposal contained in the Bill affects

the area, boundaries or name of any of the States, the Bill has been referred by the President tothe Legislature of that State for expressing its views thereon within such period as may bespecified in the reference or within such further period as the President may allow and the periodso specified or allowed has expired.

Explanation I

In this article, in clauses (a) to (e), "State" includes a Union territory, but in the proviso, "State"does not include a Union territory.

Explanation II

The power conferred on Parliament by clause (a) includes the power to form a new State or Unionterritory by uniting a part of any State or Union territory to any other State or Union territory.

4. Laws made under Articles 2 and 3 to provide for the amendment of the First andthe Fourth Schedules and supplemental, incidental and consequential matters .-

(1) Any law referred to in Article 2 or Article 3 shall contain such provisions for the amendment ofthe First Schedule and the Fourth Schedule as may be necessary to give effect to the provisions ofthe law and may also contain such supplemental, incidental and consequential provisions(including provisions as to representation in Parliament and in the Legislature or Legislatures ofthe State or States affected by such law) as Parliament may deem necessary.

(2) No such law as aforesaid shall be deemed to be an amendment of this Constitution for thepurposes of Article 368.

PART II : CITIZENSHIP

5.Citizenship at the commencement of the Constitution

At the commencement of this Constitution every person who has his domicile in the territory ofIndia and -

(a) who was born in the territory of India; or

(b) either of whose parents was born in the territory of India; or

? who has been ordinarily resident in the territory of India for not less than five years preceding

such commencement, shall be a citizen of India.

6. Rights of citizenship of certain persons who have migrated to India from Pakistan

Notwithstanding anything in Article 5, a person who has migrated to the territory of India from theterritory now included in Pakistan shall be deemed to be a citizen of India at the commencement

of this Constitution if-

(a) he or either of his parents or any of his grand-parents was born in India as defined in theGovernment of India Act, 1935 (as originally enacted); and


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(b) (i) in the case where such person has so migrated before the nineteenth day of July, 1948, hehas been ordinarily resident in the territory of India since the date of his migration, or

(ii) in the case where such person has so migrated on or after the nineteenth day of July, 1948,

he has been registered as a citizen of India by an officer appointed in that behalf by theGovernment of the Dominion of India on an application made by him therefor to such officerbefore the commencement of this Constitution in the form and manner prescribed by that

Government:

Provided that no person shall be so registered unless he has been resident in the territory of Indiaor at least six months immediately preceding the date of his application.

7. Rights of citizenship of certain migrants to Pakistan

Notwithstanding anything in Articles 5 and 6, a person who has after the first day of March,1947,migrated from the territory of India to the territory now included in Pakistan shall not bedeemed to be a citizen of India:

Provided that nothing in this article shall apply to a person who, after having so migrated to the

territory now included in Pakistan, has returned to the territory of India under a permit forresettlement or permanent return issued by or under the authority of any law and every suchperson shall for the purposes of clause (b) of Article 6 be deemed to have migrated to theterritory of India after the nineteenth day of July, 1948.

8. Rights of citizenship of certain persons of India origin residing outside India

Notwithstanding anything in Article 5, any person who or either of whose parents or any of whosegrand-parents was born in India as defined in the Government of India Act, 1935 (as originallyenacted), and who is ordinarily residing in any country outside India as so defined shall bedeemed to be a citizen of India if he has been registered as a citizen of India by the diplomatic orconsular representative of India in the country where he is for the time being residing on an

application made by him therefor to such diplomatic or consular representative, whether before orafter the commencement of this Constitution, in the form and manner prescribed by theGovernment of the Dominion of India or the Government of India.

9. Person voluntarily acquiring citizenship of a foreign State not to be citizens

No person shall be a citizen of India by virtue of Article 5, or be deemed to be a citizen of India byvirtue of Article 6 or Article 8, if he has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of any foreign State.

10. Continuance of the rights of citizenship

Every person who is or is deemed to be a citizen of India under any of the foregoing provisions ofthis Part shall, subject to the provisions of any law that may be made by Parliament, continue tobe such citizen.

11. Parliament to regulate the right of citizenship by law

Nothing in the foregoing provisions of this Part shall derogate from the power of Parliament tomake any provision with respect to the acquisition and termination of citizenship and all othermatters relating to citizenship.

PART III : FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS

GENERAL

12. Definition


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In this part, unless the context otherwise requires, "the State" includes the Government andParliament of India and the Government and the Legislature of each of the States and all local or

other authorities within the territory of India or under the control of the Government of India.

13. Laws inconsistent with or in derogation of the fundamental rights .-

(1) All laws in force in the territory of India immediately before the commencement of thisConstitution, in so far as they are inconsistent with the provisions of this Part, shall, to the extent

of such inconsistency, be void.

(2) The State shall not make any law which takes away or abridges the rights conferred by this

Part and any law made in contravention of this clause shall, to the extent of the contravention, bevoid.

(3) In this article, unless the context otherwise requires.-

"law" includes any Ordinance, order, bye-law, rule, regulation, notification, custom or usageshaving in the territory of India the force of law;

"laws in force" includes laws passed or made by Legislature or other competent authority in theterritory of India before the commencement of this Constitution and not previously repealed,notwithstanding that any such law or any part thereof may not be then in operation either at all or

in particular areas.

(4) Nothing in this article shall apply to any amendment of this Constitution made under Article368.

RIGHT OF EQUALITY

14. Equality before law

The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the lawswithin the territory of India. Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex

or place of birth.

15. Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place ofbirth .-

(1) The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste,sex, place of birth or any of them.

(2) No citizen shall, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them, be

subject to any disability, liability, restriction or condition with regard to-

(a) access to shops, public restaurants, hotels and palaces of public entertainment; or

(b) the use of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, roads and places of public resort maintained wholly orpartly out of State funds or dedicated to the use of the general public.

(3) Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from making any special provision for womenand children.

(4) Nothing in this article or in clause (2) of Article 29 shall prevent the State from making any

special provision for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes ofcitizens or for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.

16. Equality of opportunity in matters of public employment .-


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(1) There shall be equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters relating to employment orappointment to any office under the State.

(2) No citizen shall, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, descent, place of birth, residence

or any of them, be ineligible for, or discriminated against in respect or, any employment or officeunder the State.

(3) Nothing in this article shall prevent Parliament from making any law prescribing, in regard to a

class or classes of employment or appointment to an office under the Government of, or any localor other authority within, a State or Union territory, any requirement as to residence within thatState or Union territory] prior to such employment or appointment.

(4) Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from making any provision for the reservation ofappointments or posts in favor of any backward class of citizens which, in the opinion of the State,is not adequately represented in the services under the State.

(5) Nothing in this article shall affect the operation of any law which provides that the incumbentof an office in connection with the affairs of any religious or denominational institution or anymember of the governing body thereof shall be a person professing a particular religion orbelonging to a particular denomination.

17. Abolition of Untouchability

"Untouchability" is abolished and its practice in any form is forbidden. The enforcement of anydisability arising out of "Untouchability" shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law.

18. Abolition of titles .-

No title, not being a military or academic distinction, shall be conferred by the State.

No citizen of India shall accept any title from any foreign State.

No person who is not a citizen of India shall, while he holds any office of profit or trust under theState, accept without the consent of the President any title from any foreign State.

No person holding any office of profit or trust under the State shall, without the consent of thePresident, accept any present, emolument, or office of any kind from or under any foreign State

RIGHT TO FREEDOM

19. Protection of certain rights regarding freedom of speech etc

(1) All citizens shall have the right-

(a) to freedom of speech and expression;

(b) to assemble peaceably and without arms;

? to form associations or unions;

(d) to move freely throughout the territory of India;

(e) to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India; and

(f) omitted

(g) to practise any profession, or to carry on any occupation, trade or business.


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(2) Nothing in sub-clause (a) of clause (1) shall affect the operation of any existing law, orprevent the State from making any law, in so far as such law imposes reasonable restrictions on

the exercise of the right conferred by the said sub-clause in the interests of the sovereignty andintegrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order,decency or morality or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence.

(3) Nothing in sub-clause (b) of the said clause shall affect the operation of any existing law in so

far as it imposes, or prevent the State from making any law imposing, in the interests of the

sovereignty and integrity of India or public order, reasonable restrictions on the exercise of theright conferred by the said sub-clause.

(4) Nothing in sub-clause ? of the said clause shall affect the operation of any existing law in sofar as it imposes, or prevent the State from making any law imposing, in the interests of thesovereignty and integrity of India or public order or morality, reasonable restrictions on theexercise of the right conferred by the said sub-clause.

(5) Nothing in sub-clauses (d) and (e) of the said clause shall affect the operation of any existinglaw in so far as it imposes, or prevent the State from making any law imposing, reasonablerestrictions on the exercise of any of the rights conferred by the said sub-clauses either in theinterests of the general public or for the protection of the interests of any Scheduled Tribe.

(6) Nothing in sub-clause (g) of the said clause shall affect the operation of any existing law in sofar as it imposes, or prevent the State from making any law imposing, in the interests of thegeneral public, reasonable restrictions on the exercise of the right conferred by the said sub-clause, and, in particular, nothing in the said sub-clause shall affect the operation of any existinglaw in so far as it relates to, or prevent the State from making any law relating to,-

(i) the professional or technical qualifications necessary for practising any profession or carryingon any occupation, trade or business, or

(ii) the carrying on by the State, or by a corporation owned or controlled by the State, of any

trade, business, industry or service, whether to the exclusion, complete or partial, of citizens orotherwise.

20. Protection in respect of conviction for offences

(1) No person shall be convicted of any offence except for violation of the law in force at the timeof the commission of the act charged as an offence, nor be subjected to a penalty greater thanthat which might have been inflicted under the law in force at the time of the commission of theoffence.

(2) No person shall be prosecuted and punished for the same offence more than once.

(3) No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself.

21. Protection of life and personal liberty

No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedureestablished by law.

22. Protection against arrest and detention in certain cases

(1) No person who is arrested shall be detained in custody without being informed, as soon as

may be, of the grounds for such arrest nor shall he be denied the right to consult, and to bedefended by, a legal practitioner of his choice.

(2) Every person who is arrested and detained in custody shall be produced before the nearestmagistrate within a period of twenty-four hours of such arrest excluding the time necessary for


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the journey from the place of arrest to the court of the magistrate and no such person shall bedetained in custody beyond the said period without the authority of a magistrate.

(3) Nothing in clauses (1) and (2) shall apply (a) to any person who for the time being is an

enemy alien; or (b) to any person who is arrested or detained under any law providing forpreventive detention.

(4) No law providing for preventive detention shall authorise the detention of a person for a longer

period than three months unless- (a) an Advisory Board consisting of persons who are, or havebeen, or are qualified to be appointed as, Judges of a High Court has reported before theexpiration of the said period of three months that there is in its opinion sufficient cause for suchdetention:

(5) When any person is detained in pursuance of an order made under any law providing forpreventive detention, the authority making the order shall, as soon as may be, communicate tosuch person the grounds on which the order has been made and shall afford him the earliestopportunity of making a representation against the order.

(6) Nothing in clause (5) shall require the authority making any such order as is referred to in thatclause to disclose facts which such authority considers to be against the public interest to disclose.

(7) Parliament may by law prescribe-

(a) the circumstances under which, and the class or classes of cases in which, a person may bedetained for a period longer than three months under any law providing for preventive detentionwithout obtaining the opinion of an Advisory Board in accordance with the provisions of sub-clause(a) of clause (4);

(b) the maximum period for which any person may in any class or classes of cases be detainedunder any law providing for preventive detention; and

? the procedure to be followed by an Advisory Board in an inquiry under sub-clause (a) of clause(4).

RIGHT AGAINST EXPLOITATION

23. Prohibition of traffic in human beings and forced labour

(1) Traffic in human beings and begar and other similar forms of forced labour are prohibited andany contravention of this provision shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law.

(2) Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from imposing compulsory service for public

purpose, and in imposing such service the State shall not make any discrimination on groundsonly of religion, race, caste or class or any of them.

24. Prohibition of employment of children in factories, etc.

No child below the age of fourteen years shall be employed to work in any factory or mine orengaged in any other hazardous employment. Provided that nothing in this sub-clause shallauthorise the detention of any person beyond the maximum period prescribed by any law madeby Parliament under sub-clause (b) of clause (7); or such person is detained in accordance withthe provisions of any law made by Parliament under sub-clauses (a) and (b) of clause (7)

RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF RELIGION


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25. Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion.-

(1) Subject to public order, morality and health and to the other provisions of this Part, all

persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise andpropagate religion.

(2) Nothing in this article shall affect the operation of any existing law or prevent the State from

making any law -

(a) regulating or restricting any economic, financial, political or other secular activity which maybe associated with religious practice;

(b) providing for social welfare and reform or the throwing open of Hindu religious institutions of apublic character to all classes and sections

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INDIA ( Detailed )