Evolution of National Flag of India

Our Indian National Flag holds untold stories of our freedom fighters who believed in the saying, “Tiranga Nahi, Shaan hai Hamari, is pe to Jaan Kurbaan hai Hamari” It is amazing to see how our National Flag has evolved with time which was initially discovered or recognized during our national struggle for freedom. It was adopted in its present form during the meeting of the Constituent Assembly held on 22nd July 1947, when it became the official flag of the Dominion of India. 

History of the Indian Flag

In this article, we will discuss the journey in the making of the National Flag and its evolution with time. Let’s get started.

Unofficial flag of India in 1906

The first national flag in India is said to have been hoisted on August 7, 1906, in the Parsee Bagan Square (Green Park) in Calcutta, now Kolkata.

The flag was composed of three horizontal strips of red, yellow, and green.

Berlin committee flag, 1907

The Berlin committee flag was first raised by Bhikaiji Cama in 1907. The second unofficial flag of India was hoisted in Paris by Madame Cama & her band of exiled revolutionaries in 1907. This flag was quite similar to the first flag, except that the top strip had only one lotus but seven stars denoting the Saptarishi. 

Flag used during Home Rule movement in 1917

The third flag went up in 1917 when our political struggle had taken a definite turn. Renowned personalities like Dr. Annie Besant and Lokmanya Tilak hoisted it during the Home rule movement. This flag had five red and four green horizontal strips arranged alternately, with seven stars in the saptarishi configuration.

In the left-hand top corner (the pole end) was the Union Jack. There was also a white crescent and star in one corner.

The flag unofficially adopted in 1921

During the session of the All India Congress Committee, which met at Bezwada in 1921 (now Vijayawada), an Andhra youth prepared a flag and took it to Gandhiji. It was made up of two colors-red and green-representing the two major communities, i.e., Hindus for red and Muslims for green. Gandhiji suggested the addition of a white strip to represent the remaining communities of India and the spinning wheel to symbolize the country's progress.

Flag adopted in 1931

This flag was also the battle ensign of the Indian National Army. The year 1931 was a landmark in the history of the flag. A resolution was passed adopting a tricolor flag as our national flag. This flag, the forbear of the present one, was saffron, white, and green with Mahatma Gandhi's spinning wheel at the center. It was, however, clearly stated that it bore no communal significance and was to be interpreted thus.

Present tricolor flag of India

Finally, on July 22, 1947, the Constituent Assembly adopted it as Free India National Flag. Post-independence, the colors and their significance remained the same. The top band of saffron color portrays the strength and courage of the country. The white middle band indicates peace and truth with Dharma Chakra. The last band is green in color showing the fertility, growth, and auspiciousness of the land. 

The Dharma Charkha of Emperor Asoka was adopted in place of the spinning wheel as the emblem on the flag. It depicted the "wheel of the law" in the Sarnath Lion Capital by the 3rd-century BC Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. The chakra intends to show life in movement and death in stagnation.

Hence, the tricolor flag of the Congress Party eventually became the tricolor flag of Independent India.