My Country - India

The official Sanskrit name for India is Bharat. INDIA has been called Bharat even in Satya yuga (Golden Age). The name 'India' is derived from the River Indus, the valleys around which were the home of the early settlers. The Aryan worshippers referred to the river Indus as the 'Sindhu'. The Persian invaders converted it into Hindu. The name 'Hindustan' combines Sindhu and Hindu and thus refers to the land of the Hindus.

India was ruled by the British and Indians were the subjects of a British Empire ruled by King of England. In 15th August 1947, India attained Independence and power passed into the hands of Indian people from the British rulers. Patriotic Indians waged a powerful struggle under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi & other Indian leaders to make India country a free nation. After India became a free country, it made remarkable progress in all fields of human activity. In politics,India has become a vibrant democracy, known world wide as the Worlds largest democracy.

India remains a democratic country since its inception electing representatives by holding countrywide election at regular intervals. India has become a prosperous country where industry and agriculture have registered impressive signs of growth. Removal of untouchablity and illiteracy are among the aims of Free India. Indians can rightly feel proud of its past achievements, as it celebrates the 61st Independence Day on August 15th, 2008 and it is hoped will continue its onward journey spreading the message of LOVE, FRIENDSHIP & PEACE.

National Flag

The National flag is a horizontal tricolor of deep saffron (kesari) 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. 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. Its use and display are regulated by the Indian Flag Code.

National Anthem

The song Jana-gana-mana, composed originally in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore, was adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly as the national anthem of India on 24 January 1950. It was first sung on 27 December 1911 at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress. The complete song consists of five stanzas. The first stanza contains the full version of the National Anthem :

Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka, jaya he
Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.
Punjab-Sindh-Gujarat-Maratha
Dravida-Utkala-Banga
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!

Playing time of the full version of the national anthem is approximately 52 seconds. A short version consisting of first and last lines of the stanza (playing time approximately 20 seconds) is also played on certain occasions. The following is Tagore's English rendering of the anthem :

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

National Emblem

The State emblem is an adaptation from the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. In the original, there are four lions, standing back to back, mounted on an abacus with a frieze carrying sculptures in high relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion separated by intervening 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 lions are visible, the fourth being hidden from view. The wheel appears in relief in the centre of the abacus with a bull on right and a horse on left and the outlines of other wheels on extreme right and left. The bell-shaped lotus has been omitted. The words Satyameva Jayate from Mundaka Upanishad, meaning 'Truth Alone Triumphs', are inscribed below the abacus in Devanagari script.

National Song

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 with Jana-gana-mana. The first political occasion when it was sung was the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress. The following is the text of its first stanza

Vande Mataram!
Sujalam, suphalam, malayaja shitalam,
Shasyashyamalam, Mataram!
Shubhrajyothsna pulakitayaminim,
Phullakusumita drumadala shobhinim,
Suhasinim sumadhura bhashinim,
Sukhadam varadam, Mataram!

The English translation of the stanza rendered by Sri Aurobindo in prose 1 is

I bow to thee, Mother,
richly-watered, richly-fruited,
cool with the winds of the south,
dark with the crops of the harvests,
The Mother!
Her nights rejoicing in the glory of the moonlight,
her lands clothed beautifully with her trees in flowering bloom,
sweet of laughter, sweet of speech,
The Mother, giver of boons, giver of bliss.
 

National Calendar

The national calendar based on the Saka Era with Chaitra as its first month and a normal year of 365 days was adopted from 22 March 1957 along with the Gregorian calendar for the following official purposes: (i) Gazette of India, (ii) news broadcast by All India Radio, (iii) calendars issued by the Government of India and (iv) Government communications addressed to the members of the public.

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

National Animal

The magnificent tiger, Panthera tigris (Linnaeus), 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 neighboring countries, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. To check the dwindling population of tigers in India 'Project Tiger' was launched in April 1973. So far, 25 tiger reserves have been established in the country under this project, covering an area of 33,875 sq km.

National Bird

The Indian peacock, Pavo cristatus (Linnaeus), the national bird of India, is a colorful, 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 colorful than the female, with a glistening blue breast and neck and a spectacular bronze-green train of around 200 elongated feathers. The female is brownish, slightly smaller than the male, and lacks the train. The elaborate courtship dance of the male, fanning out the tail and preening its feathers, is a gorgeous sight.

The peacock is widely found in the Indian sub-continent from the south and east of the Indus river, Jammu and Kashmir, east Assam, south Mizoram and the whole of the Indian peninsula. The Peacock enjoys protection from the people as it is never molested for religious and sentimental reasons. It is fully protected under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

National Flower

Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) 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.

Languages of India

There are around 18 languages recognized by the Indian Constitution. These languages are

Assamese
Bengali
Gujrati
Hindi
Kannada
Kashmiri
Konkani
Malayalam
Manipuri
Marathi
Nepali
Oriya
Punjabi
Sanskrit
Sindhi
Tamil
Telgu
Urdu
 

Hindi is the national, official and main link language of India. Its homeland is mainly in the north of India, but it is spoken and widely understood in all urban centers of India. It is written in the Devanagri script, which is phonetic and, unlike English, is pronounced as it is written. Hindi is a direct descendant of Sanskrit through Prakrit and Apabhramsha. It has been influenced and enriched by Dravidian, Turkish, Farsi, Arabic, Portuguese and English. It is a very expressive language. In poetry and songs, it can convey emotions using simple and gentle words. It can also be used for exact and rational reasoning.

Festivals of INDIA :

Here is the description of some of the important festivals of India.

• HOLI

Popularly known as the 'colour throwing festival', Holi is a spring festival celebrated normally over two days. On the evening of the first day bonfires are lit, to symbolise the destruction of evil but also seen as the end of winter in the north, as the next day cold colored water is thrown on people. In many parts of India, the god of pleasure is the presiding deity of Holi. Many who celebrate Holi to commemorate the destruction of the female demon Putana by the Lord too, worship Lord Krishna. Legends apart, Holi today is the time to drop all civility and inhibitions, smear colored powder and water on one and all, sing dance and feast.

• DURGAPUJA

To mark the defeat of Ravana by Lord Rama, Dussehra symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. The Ramlila - an enactment of the life of Lord Rama, is held during the nine days preceding Dussehra. On the tenth day, larger than life effigies of Ravana, his son and brother - Meghnath and Kumbhakama, are set alight. In West Bengal, puja pandals have beautifully decorated images of the goddess Durga and people gather here in large numbers to enjoy the festivities. In South India, houses are decorated with displays of toys and clay images of gods. Relatives and friends visit each other to exchange greetings. In Gujarat, the exuberant Navaratri celebrations include dancing the lively garba and dandiya ras. In Himachal Pradesh, a week-long fair in the hill town of Kullu, is a part of the Dussehra celebrations. From the little temples in the hills, deities are brought in procession to the 'maidan' in Kullu, to pay homage to the reigning deity, Raghunathji. Mysore - the city of palaces, celebrates the ten day Dussehra in a royal style. The Mysore Palace is illuminated with a myriad lights. Majestic processions, a torch light parade and dance and musical events enliven the tranquil city.

• DEEPAWALI

Diwali, a contraction of the Sanskrit word 'Deepawali', means a row or cluster of lights. It is one of the most widely celebrated festivals of India.The origin of the festival has many versions but the most popular one, Lord Rama's coronation after his 14 year exile in the forest. It is said that the people illuminated their houses and streets with earthen oil lamps to welcome the Lord. This is done even today when almost every one illuminates their houses with oil lamps, candles and electric lights. To the business community, especially in western India, diwali marks the New Year involving the worship of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. They open new books of account on this day. And at night, along with illuminations, firecrackers are lit in almost every house, sweets are distributed, new clothes are worn and games of chance are played. Diwali is the brightest and noisiest festival of India.

• ONAM

This is a unique festival of Kerala. It is celebrated in honour of an 'Asura' or demon. Puranic legendhas is that Vamana, an incarnation of lord Vishnu, obtained the kingdom of Bali, or Mahabali as he is known in kerala, and exiled him. However Mahabali, everfond of his land and subjects, was allowed to visit the land once a year, the day of Onam. The folklore of kerala considers the region of Mahabali as Kerala's golden age.

• PONGAL

A harvest festival celebrated mainly in Tamil Nadu. It is a three-day festival. The first day, known as Bhogi Pongal , is confined to domestic festivities. On the second day, Surya Pongal, cooked rice is offered to the sun, greetings on this day normally follow the pattern of a question and an answer: "Did the milk boil ?" "Yes , boiled", referring to the rice cooked in milk which is offered to the sun. On the third day, Mattu Pongal, cattles are washed, their horns painted and decorated and rice offered to the sun, festivities involve bull fights and the snatching of money bags tied between the horns of ferocious bulls.

• JAGGGANATH PURI RATHYATRA

The prime attraction for tourists all over India and abroad, which is, the Rath Yatra, which falls in the month of June- the ideal time to visit Puri. Lord Jagannath with his sister Subhadra and brother Balabhadra take an annual vacation to the 'Gundicha Ghar', a smaller sanctum, 2 kms from the main temple. This journey constitutes the Rath Yatra Festival. The three deities, in separate raths (wooden chariots), are pulled by devotees to the Gundicha temple. These raths are elaborately dressed in a riot of colours, the colours symbolising the significance of each deity.

• VINAYAKA CHATURTHI

This is a ten-day festival, dedicated to Ganesha. Celebrated from the fourth to the fourteenth day in the bright fortnight of Bhadrapad, it is especially important in Maharashtra and is one of the cultural highlights of the state. LokManya Tilak, the illustrious freedom fighter of Maharashtra, popularised this festival. The festival begins on the fourth day of Bhadrapad, which is celebrated as Ganesha Chaturthi in the rest of India. This day is very important to all Hindus, who believe that by praying to the remover of obstructions, people hope to dispel all obstacles from their lives. Some people believe that this was the day Ganesha was born.

• REPUBLIC DAY

26th January is celebrated as Republic Day. On this day in 1950, India became a sovereign, democratic, socialist and secular republic. We began governing ourselves according to the constitution. In Delhi, it is a day of great activities and excitement. A grand parade is held. The President of India takes the Salute. All the three wings of our Armed forces - The ARMY, The NAVY and The AIR FORCE participate in this parade. The bands play several patriotic songs. Lots of children in colourful dresses from the schools of Delhi also participate in the parade. At night, all the important government buildings are lit.

• ID-UL-FITR

Id-ul-Fitr means the 'festival of breaking the fast'. Fitr is derived from the word fatar meaning 'breaking'. Another connotation suggests that it is derived from 'fitrah' or 'alms'. Certain Sunni Muslims believe that fitr comes from fitrat meaning 'nature' and Id-ul-Fitr is the celebration of god's magnanimity in providing nature to man. Celebrated on the first day of the new moon in Shawwal, it marks the end of Ramzan. In the morning everyone bathes, wears new or clean clothes, applies perfume, eats dates or some other sweet before walking to the mosque for Id prayers. Men wear white clothes because white symbolizes purity and austerity. On this day, according to the Quran, Allah has ordained a dole for every Muslim who is free and is in possession of alms worthy capital. This charitable gift, called Sadaqah Fitr, is a dole to break the fast. It is to be given to a needy person as thanksgiving. Even one who has not kept the rozas is expected to give alms.

• BAISAKHI

Baisakhi, celebrated with joyous music and dancing, is New Year's Day in Punjab. It falls on April 13, though once in 36 years it occurs on 14th April. It was on this day that the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, founded the Khalsa (the Sikh brotherhood) in 1699. The Sikhs, therefore, celebrate this festival as a collective birthday. Sikhs visits gurdwaras (Sikh temples) and listen to kirtans (religious songs) and discourses. After the prayer, kada prasad (sweetened semolina) is served to the congregation. The function ends with langar, the community lunch served by volunteers.

• JANAMASHTMI

The birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, the incarnation of Vishnu and the author of the Bhagavad Gita (Song Celestial), is observed all over. It is celebrated with special interest at Mathura and Brindavan where Lord Krishna spent his childhood. Night-long prayers are offered and religious hymns are sung in temples. Scenes are enacted from Lord Krishna's early life.

• CHRITMAS

Despite the same underlying spirit, the celebration of Christmas in India is different in different parts of this country of diversity. If in the North East it is celebrated in one way, in the South West it is done in a different way. Christians in the plains decorate mango or banana trees at Christmas time. Sometimes they also decorate their houses with mango leaves. In some parts of India, small clay oil-burning lamps are used as Christmas decorations; they are placed on the edges of flat roofs and on the tops of walls. Churches are decorated with poinsettias and lit with candles for the Christmas Eve service. However, for the urban regions the ingredients of the festivities are the familiar X-mas trees (mostly potted) decorated with stars and tinsels, toys, plastic fruits and colorful streamers and illuminated well are placed in front of the Christian houses, shops and restaurants. Santa is also seen in some streets and some shops and departmental stores deploy Santa to entertain their kid-customers. In the major cities of India caroling processions are also seen on streets and thoroughfares.