Tiranga Zhanda

By Mira Pawar.

On the 15 th of August, we all are in awe of the tri-colour flag which is being hoisted year after year since 1947. Certainly! The Indian flag, known as the “Tiranga” is a symbol of the nation’s unity and pride and has a long history to tell. Earlier, only the Armed forces, government establishments, schools and selected few institutions were allowed to hoist the flag in their premises. However, in March 2021, P.M Modi launched the campaign “Har Ghar Tiranga” as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebration, to encourage people to bring the Tiranga home and hoist it to mark the 75th year of India’s independence.

While the Tiranga is a symbol of paramount significance to us, we should not forget its value. I have read a couple of posts on FB with pictures where the flag is discarded on the ground the very next day. We need to be a bit respectful towards our national flag and its creator.

Our flag was designed by Pingali Venkayya, an Indian freedom fighter and visionary, born on 2nd of August, 1876 in Andhra Pradesh. Venkayya’s journey to create the iconic flag was both inspiring and significant. He grew up with a deep sense of patriotism and a desire to contribute to India’a struggle for independence from British colonial rule. He was not only a freedom fighter but also a linguist, geologist, and agricultural scientist. His multifaceted background played a crucial role in the flag’s design. Venkayya joined the British Army at a young age of 19. During his tenure as a soldier, he participated in the Anglo-Boer war (1899 – 1902) in Africa where he met Mahatma Gandhi and formed an association which lasted more than 50 years.

Influenced by his travel around the world and the flags of various nations, Venkayya was determined to create a flag that truly represented India’s diverse culture and aspirations. He envisioned a flag that would stand as a unifying symbol for the entire nation. After much contemplation, Venkayya decided on a tricolour design. The saffron colour at the top represented courage and sacrifice, the white in the middle symbolized peace and truth, and the green at the bottom stood for fertility and growth. In the centre of the white stripe, he placed a spinning wheel, representing progress through self-reliance, a concept promoted by Mahatma Gandhi. Impressed by the symbolism and significance of the design, Gandhi adopted it as the official flag.

As India’s struggle for independence intensified, the Tiranga became a potent symbol of resistance and unity. Finally, on August 15, 1947, the Indian flag was hoisted atop the Red Fort in Delhi, marking India’s newfound freedom from British rule.

The journey of Pingali Venkayya and the creation of the Indian flag is a testament to the power of symbolism and the indomitable spirit of individuals, working towards a common goal. Venkayya lived humbly following Gandhiji’s ideologies and breathed his last on the 4th of July 1963. He had one desire and that was to see the Tiranga flutter atop Red Fort but sadly was unfulfilled as his family could not afford to take him to Delhi. After his death, the Indian postal service honoured him with a postage stamp in 2009 for his contribution as a freedom fighter. The A.P government had recommended his name for posthumous Bharat Ratna in 2012 but there was no response from the central government.

The Tiranga continues to inspire generations of Indians, reminding them of their shared history and the values they hold so dear.