THE TIRANGA
The national flag of India, fondly called the Tiranga or Tricolour, is a proud emblem of our nation’s unity, freedom, and sovereignty. It reflects the spirit of sacrifice, peace, and progress, and occupies a sacred place in the hearts of every Indian.
The journey of the Indian National Flag: The Tiranga we know today was not created overnight. It evolved through many designs during the freedom struggle, each representing the political aspirations and dreams of the people of India.
🇮🇳 Early Flags(1906–1917)
● 1906 – The Calcutta Flag
Designers: Sachindra Prasad Bose and Sukumar Mitra.
Where hoisted: Calcutta (now Kolkata).
Design: Three horizontal stripes – green (top) with eight half-open white lotuses, yellow (middle) with “Vande Mataram” written in Devanagari script, and red (bottom) with a white sun and a crescent moon.
Significance: The first unofficial national flag symbolising unity against colonial rule.
● 1907 – The Berlin Committee Flag
Proposed by: Madam Bhikaji Cama and Indian revolutionaries in Europe.
Designed by: Hemchandra Kanungo.
Design: Similar to the 1906 version but with seven stars on the top stripe representing the Saptarishi (seven sages).
Event: Unfurled at the 2nd International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart, Germany.
● 1917 – The Home Rule Flag
Leaders: Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant.
Design: Nine alternating horizontal stripes (five red and four green) with seven white stars in the shape of the Saptarishi. A Union Jack was placed in the top-left corner, and a crescent moon and star were on the top right.
Significance: Represented the demand for self-governance within the British Empire.
🇮🇳 The Swaraj Flag (1921–1931)
● 1921 – Gandhi’s Swaraj Flag
Event: All India Congress Committee session at Bezwada (now Vijayawada).
Designer: Pingali Venkayya, modified by Mahatma Gandhi.
Design: Red and green stripes representing Hindus and Muslims, with a white stripe added for other communities. A Charkha (spinning wheel) was placed in the centre to symbolise self-reliance and Swadeshi.
Significance: Became a unifying symbol of the freedom movement.
● 1931 – The Tricolour with Charkha
Adopted by: Indian National Congress.
Design: Saffron at the top, white in the middle, and green at the bottom, with a blue Charkha in the centre.
Note: It was clarified that the colours had no communal association—Saffron stood for courage and sacrifice, White for truth and peace, and Green for prosperity.
Significance: Direct forerunner of the current national flag.
🇮🇳 The Current Tiranga (1947 – Present)
On 22 July 1947, just before India’s independence, the Constituent Assembly adopted the current form of the national flag.
Design Changes: The Charkha in the centre was replaced with the Ashoka Chakra—a navy-blue wheel with 24 spokes, taken from the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath.
Symbolism:
Saffron: Strength and courage.
White: Peace and truth.
Green: Fertility, growth, and auspiciousness.
Ashoka Chakra: Eternal movement, progress, and the principle of Dharma (righteousness).
The Tiranga was officially hoisted for the first time as the national flag of independent India on 15 August 1947. Since then, it has been a constant reminder of our nation’s unity, sovereignty, and heritage.
Respect for the Tiranga: The Flag Code of India prescribes rules for displaying and handling the national flag. It must always be hoisted with dignity, never touch the ground or water, and be treated as a sacred national symbol.
Conclusion: The evolution of the Tiranga is not just a story of changing designs—it is the story of India’s awakening, sacrifices, and unity in diversity. From the early flags of 1906 to the majestic Tricolour of today, each version carried the hopes of millions. The present Tiranga is a symbol of our identity and a constant inspiration to uphold the values of courage, truth, peace, and progress.
