General Knowledge Articles

National Symbols of India – Part 2

December 17 , 2023 134 days 4405 0

(இதன் தமிழ் வடிவத்திற்கு இங்கே சொடுக்கவும்)

National Symbols of India

National Animal: The Bengal Tiger

It is estimated that the Royal Bengal Tiger, India’s national animal, is among the world’s largest cats.
Tiger is found in various parts of Asia, including India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.
It is a rich-colored well-striped animal with a short coat.
The combination of grace, strength, power has earned the tiger great respect and high esteem.
Out of eight races of the species known, the Indian race is the Royal Bengal Tiger.
The scientific name of the Royal Bengal Tiger is Panthera Tigris.
The diminishing population of tigers led to the adoption of the tiger as India’s national animal in April 1973.
Before the tiger, the Lion was India’s national animal in 1950.

National Bird: Peacock

The male of the species is more colorful than the female, with a glistening blue breast and neck and a spectacular bronze-green trail of around 200 elongated feathers.
The female is brownish, slightly smaller than the male and lacks the trail.
The elaborate courtship dance of the male, fanning out the tail and preening its feathers is a gorgeous sight.
Peacocks are India’s national bird, and the Indian variety.
Pavo cristatus is its most well-known representative.
The peacock, a bird native to the subcontinent, symbolizes the unification of vibrant colours in Indian culture.
It is a colourful, swan-sized bird with a fan-shaped crest.
On February 1, 1963, the Peacock became the national bird of India.
India’s lowland parts are home to this species, brewing there year-round.

National Aquatic Animal: Dolphin

In India, the Ganges River dolphin has been designated as the country’s National Aquatic Animal in 2010.
Guwahati in Assam had become the first city in the country to have the Gangetic River Dolphin as its city animal.
Also, Guwahati is home to a city-dwelling python.
River dolphins are found in the Ganges, Yamuna, Chambal, and Brahmaputra rivers and their tributaries in South Asia.
Gangetic Dolphin is said to represent the purity of the holy Ganga as it can only survive in pure and fresh water.
It is listed by the IUCN as endangered on their Red List of Threatened Species.

National Fruit: Mango

The national fruit of India is mango.
It is affectionately referred to as “King of Fruits” (Mangifera indica).
Many worldwide have fallen in love with its sweet aroma and delicious flavors since time immemorial.
Prosperity and abundance are associated with the fruit because of its status as a national symbol.
Mango is one of the most widely grown fruits of the tropical countries.
In India, mango is cultivated almost in all parts, with the exception of hilly areas.
Mangoes have been cultivated in India from time immemorial.
The poet Kalidasa sang of its praises.
Alexander savored its taste, as did the Chinese pilgrim Hieun Tsang.
Akbar planted 100,000 mango trees in Darbhanga, known as Lakhi Bagh.

National Flower: Lotus

Lotus or waterlily is an aquatic plant of Nymphaea with broad floating leaves and bright fragrant flowers that grow only in shallow waters.
The aquatic herb known as ‘Padma’ in Sanskrit is revered in Indian culture as a magical talisman.
It is a sacred flower that occupies a unique position in the art and mythology of ancient India.
Spirituality, abundance, wisdom and purity of heart and mind are all associated with the lotus flower.

National Tree: Banyan

Known as Ficus benghalensis, the Banyan tree is the official tree of India.
Being linked to extended life and having numerous therapeutic benefits.
This tree is frequently depicted as the fabled “Kalpa Vriksha” or the “Tree of Wish Fulfillment”.
The branches of the Banyan Tree are rooted like new trees over a big region.
Large numbers of animals can be found in the banyan tree because of its size and long-life cycle.

National River: Ganga

They are known as the Ganges or the Ganga, India’s national river.
It is known locally as the Bhagirathi River.
It starts in the Himalayas on the Gangotri Glacier’s snow-covered snowfields.
Hindus consider the Ganges River to be the most holy river on the Earth.
There are 2,510 kilometers of mountain, plain, and valleys in the Ganga River basin.
It is making the longest river in India.
It flows through the main Indian cities of Varanasi, Allahabad, and Haridwar.

National Reptile: King Cobra

An Ophiophagus hannah is the Indian King Cobra or Snake Eater.
It serves as the country’s official reptile.
It can be found in Indian and Southeast Asian forests.
It is the world’s longest venomous snake.
It can grow to a maximum length of 19 feet and live for as long as 25 years.
They can inject up to 6 ccs of venom into each bite.
In Hinduism, the king cobra is also known as a Naga, and they are revered and adored as gods.
Shiva is generally represented as the god of death with a cobra wrapped around his neck.

National Heritage Animal: Indian Elephant

The Indian elephant is the national heritage animal of India since 22 October 2010.
The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) has been declared as the national heritage animal by the government in order to conserve its dwindling population.
60% of the Asian elephants live in India.
There are over 25,000 elephants in the country, including 3,500 in captivity in zoos and temples –
They are particularly in southern and north-eastern parts of the country.
Indian Elephant has been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations.
It has been declared an endangered species because of habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation.

Oath of Allegiance: National Pledge

Indians are required to take the National Pledge, in which they swear allegiance to the country.
People in India often recite it in unison, notably at school functions and on national holidays like Independence Day and Republic Day.
In 1962, Pydimarri Venkata Subba Rao, a Telugu writer, penned the promise.
Consequently, it has been translated into several different languages, beginning with Visakhapatnam in 1963.

National Game

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of India clarified that, officially, the country does not have a national game; no game, including hockey, has been notified as such.

National Vegetable Pumpkin

The national vegetable of India is the pumpkin.
Pumpkin is a winter squash that is round with smooth and ribbed skin which is yellow.
It grows throughout India and doesn’t have many soil requirements to grow.
Pumpkin can be grown easily as a climber or creeper.