Can you crack this Indian National Symbols quiz?
We are all familiar with the flag, the national anthem, and perhaps even the national song of India. But do you know we have 17 national symbols? Yes, that’s right, there are 17 of them. And here’s a quiz to see which ones you recognise.
What is our national flag called and who designed it?
Our tri-colour flag is officially called Tiranga. The saffron, white, and green flag with the Ashoka Chakra in blue in the middle was designed by Pingali Venkayya and adopted by the constituent assembly on 22 July 1947.
When was our National Anthem first sung?
The Jana Gana Mana is actually a long, four stanza song by Rabindranath Tagore, which he himself sung in a session of the Indian National Congress on December 27, 1911. Only the first stanza was picked up and adopted as our National Anthem on January 24, 1950. The poet had died long before that, so he never got to see our independence or hear the national anthem as we know it today.
What is our National Song and what is its political context?
On January 24, 1950, President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad declared that Vande Mataram ought to be our national song since it had “played a historic part in the struggle for Indian freedom”. Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay wrote the lyrics as part of his famous revolutionary novel Ananda Math in 1882. It was sung in the 1896 session of the Indian Naitonal Congress and became the slogan and war cry of the freedom struggle.
From where did we get our National Emblem?
Ashoka was one of the greatest and also most philosophical kings of India. The lion capital of Sarnath is our national emblem and the national motto associated with it is Satyameva Jayate.
What is another name for our National Fruit?
Mango is the national fruit of India, and given its popularity, this is no surprise. It’s also called the King of Fruits, and most Indians adore it.
Why did we decide on a National Animal?
India is home to be biggest cat in the world, the Royal Bengal tiger. Unfortunately, they were hunted mercilessly, and in April 1973, they were adopted as our National Animal in an attempt to prevent extinction. The tiger population in our country is still low.
When did we get a National Bird?
On February 1,1963, the parliament finalised the adoption of the Indian male peacock as our National Bird, due to its beauty and strong social connection with Indian arts.
Who designed the symbol for our National Currency?
The Indian National Rupee or INR is the official currency of India. The design by Udayakumar Dharmalingam was selected from a nation-wide competition. The circulation of our currency is controlled by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Who decided on our National Calendar?
A calendar committee was set up by the parliament of free India. It was headed by eminent scientist Meghnad Saha. Having studied dozens of local calendars, he decided on the Saka calendar (created in 79 AD by the court of King Shalivaahan). Dr. Saha felt this calendar accommodated Indian festivals and holidays very well and was best suited to the agricultural-seasonal cycle of the country.
Do we have a National Tree?
Yes, we do. The banyan is an integral part of our culture. Village panchayats still meet below it, kids play around it, and women pray to it.
Apart from these, Ganga is the national river, lotus is the national flower, king cobra the national reptile, Ganges river dolphin national aquatic animal, elephant the national heritage animal, pumpkin the national vegetable. Whew. Now use this quiz to wow people you know.