India is a magical, beautiful country which is filled with culture, heritage, a rich history and some great cuisine. It’s said that every 200 km you can see a change in language and culture but besides that what sets Indians apart is the various traditions and cultures across different states.
Indians have a deep-rooted history with their land and the things we hold precious. For a country so rich, we take pride in our country’s various national symbols which make up for the spirit of those who love our country.
In this article, we’re going to explore the 10 national symbols of India that represent our
Culture & history.
List of national symbols of India and their importance
In this article, we’re going to talk about the national symbols of India such as the national flag, national flower, national tree, etc their meaning and importance.
1. Tiranga –
Also known as the National flag of India and this is one of the most important national symbols of India, the tiranga is a tri-coloured flag that has saffron orange which represents sacrifice and courage, white which symbolises peace and truth and green strips which represents fertility and faith along with an Ashoka chakra with a 24 spoke wheel and is navy blue.
The last design of the flag was coined by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru at the constituent assembly on 22nd July 1947. The national flag is hoisted on special occasions mainly republic day i.e.- 26th January and Independence day i.e. – 15th August respectively.
2. National Anthem of India –
Jana Gana Mana is the National anthem of India which was written by Rabindranath Tagore on 11th December 1911. The song was first sung on 27th December 1911 and was declared as the national anthem of India on 24th January 1950.
A formal rendition of the anthem should take 52 seconds for completion. The musical notations for the English translation of our national anthem were set by James H. Cousins wife Margaret who was the principal of the Besant Theosophical College.
3. National Song of India –
Vande Mataram is the national song of India and was written by Bamkim Chandra Chatterjee in the year 1870. Vande Mataram was our National anthem and was replaced by Jana Gana Mana post-independence.
Vande Mataram received its status as our national song on 24th January 1950. Vande Mataram is a huge source of motivation for our freedom fighters.
The original song has the first 2 stanzas written in Sanskrit and the rest is in Bangla. The song was first sung at the National Congress convention in Calcutta in the year 1896.
4. National River of India –
The national river of India is Ganges or Ganga. In 2008, it was declared as such by the Government of India. Ganga begins from Uttarakhand in the Himalayas and runs all the way towards the Bay of Bengal covering a whopping distance of 2525 kilometres. There are many longest Rivers in India and Ganga is the 3rd longest river in the country.
On the banks of Ganga are many religious holy pilgrims such as Varanasi, Prayagraj and Haridwar and the river is bustling with a variety of fish, dolphins and snakes. Also considered to be the holiest river amongst Hindus and the spiritual symbol of India.
5. National Flower of India –
The national flower of our country is the beautiful Indian Lotus. Lotuses generally bloom in mud or dirty water and are found in different colours of pink, white, etc.
Lotus is seen in the hands of the Goddess Lakshmi which symbolises prosperity, fertility and wealth. The Bhagavad Gita also considers the Lotus to be a metaphor for detachment because just as the lotus grows and remains untouched human beings must also rise above worldly attachments.
Another reason why the lotus is considered to be the national flower is that it’s enjoyed a significant presence in ancient scriptures, tradition and mythology.
6. National fruit of India –
Mango is considered to be the national fruit of India and is also known as the national fruit of Konkan. With more than 1300 varieties of fruit, the most famous one is Hapus.
The mango leaf also holds a great spiritual significance in Indian culture and is considered to be sacred. You can get the fruit in the months of April and June. Mangos are rich in Vitamin A, C and D.
Mango is a versatile fruit and can be used raw into pickles, cold drinks, etc or ripe into vegetables or enjoyed as is. There is no doubt that the mongo is a taste symbol of India.
7. National Tree of India –
Banyan tree is also known as Kalpavriksha is the national tree of India which means wish-fulfilling tree. The unity of our country can be reflected by the incredible structure and deep roots of the tree.
During the time of India’s independence, Britishers would kill hundreds of rebels by hanging them from a banyan tree which is why post our Independence it was declared as a symbol of the national tree of India.
The broken branches of a banyan tree reach the ground which is known as Parambi and can live up to hundreds of years. Vat Purnima is a festival celebrated in India in celebration of the banyan tree as it’s considered to be super religious.
8. National Animal of India –
The national animal of our country is the Bengal Tiger as it represents strength, power and agility. Also known as the lord of the jungle, the tiger represents our country’s rich wildlife.
Declared as the national animal of India in 1973, along with the launch of the Tiger project which was formed to protect the tigers of India. Before 1973, Lions were considered to be the national animal of India.
These tigers are found throughout the country except in the northwest region and also in the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.
Bengal tiger classified as an endangered animal species along with the many animals in India.
9. National Bird of India –
Peacocks are considered the national bird of India and was declared so in 1963 because of their significance in Indian traditions. Peacocks resemble joy, beauty, grace and love and can be found all over the country. Peacocks can be found in grasslands, dry and moist deciduous forests and are cultivated in regions near the human habitat.
They’re also most commonly found in areas where water is available. Another reason why it was given as the national bird status is so that it can’t be confused with the bird emblem of any other nation and should be associated with Hindu myths and legends.
Peacock is the symbol of beauty & courage in India. the green peafowl peacock currently listed as endangered bird species on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature
10. National Heritage Animal of India –
Elephants are considered to be the national heritage animal of India. Considered to be endangered species by the IUCN red list.
Elephants were declared as the national heritage animal so that better measures could be taken for their preservation.
We have approximately 30,000 Asiatic elephants out of the total world population. Elephants are considered to be the symbol of prosperity, good luck, the destroyer of all evil, remover of obstacles, memory and wisdom.
Lord Ganesha has the face of an elephant and the body of a human, which is why it’s the national heritage animal of our country.
In Conclusion –
There are in total 17 national symbols of India. The other national symbols include king cobra as the national reptile of India, Ganges river dolphin as the national aquatic animal, saka calendar as the national calendar of India, state emblem as the national emblem, Indian rupee as the national currency and national vegetable to be a pumpkin.
All these national symbols form the spirit of our country and carry our country’s essence. Every national symbol of India represents the history and the richness of our country making it even more meaningful and add to the beauty of our country.