Dharmachakra in the National Flag of India

Dharmachakra in the National Flag of India
- A Presentation (Synopsis)
by Ms Renuka & Dr.U.N.Biswas.
in One Day Workshop
On
Dharmachakra in the National Flag of India.
At Bauddha Dharmankur Sabha( The Bengal Buddhist Association).1. Buddhist Temple Street, Kolkata-700012, India.
On 13 April 2008.

The president of the Constituent Assembly of India was of the view that there was a strong feeling running in the minds of the people of India to adopt congress flag as National Flag of India with Charkha in the centre. The Constituent Assembly after long deliberations adopted Dharmachakra of the Lion Capital of Asokan Pillar of Sarnath.

On June 23, 1947, the president appointed an ad hoc committee under his chairmanship to adopt the National Flag of independent India. Apart from the chairman, Abul Kalam Azad, C.Rajagopalachari, Shrimati Sarojini Naidu, K.M.Pannikar, K.M.Mumshi, Babasaheb Dr. B.R.Ambedkar, Frank Anthony, B.Pattaabhi Sitaramayya, Hiralal Shastri, Satayanaryan Sinha, Baldeb Singh and S.N.Gupta were members of the ad hoc committee. The resolutions of the congress working committee in for adopting the National Flag of India and All India Congress Committee in August 1931 were circulated among the members of the ad hoc committee. The committee first met on 10 July 1947.
The committee met again on 18 July 1947. The committee met again on 18 July. In this meeting, the committee deliberated on a note on the National Flag prepared by S.D.Kalelkar. Kallelkar’s note was extremely important as he proposed to, “include the Buddhist concept of Dharmachakra(adopted by Emperor Ashoka). The spiritual basis of Indian civilization might thus be pronounced in our national symbol which will carry the message of peace, and non-violence to the world.”
In its meeting on 10 July 1947 it was decided that, “ The Emblem on the Flag should be an exact reproduction of the wheel on the capitol of Asok’s Sarnath pillar superimposed in the middle of the central band( white) of the flag.” The question of state Emblem and seal was also considered in this meeting and was decided that the Ste emblem and the Seal should be of same design. “The design should be an exact reproduction of the whole of the Sarnath Asoka capitol till joins the stem of the Pillar.( stambha).
The ad hoc committee dealt the design of the wheel on 18 July 1947. This meeting is very significant. The President was in the chair. Pandit Jawharlal Nehru was especially invited and was present. The committee resolved to adopt the Asokan Wheel, still the shadow of charkha loomed large. It was decided that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru should move a resolution in the following terms: … “In the centre of the white band, there shall be a wheel in avy blue to represent the Charkha. The design of the wheel shall be of the Wheel (Chakra) which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capitol of Asoka.”
Accordingly Nehru moved the resolution the resolution in the constituent Assembly ON 22 July 1947. He explained the difficulty in adopting the Carkha for its shape, but ‘the essential of part of Charkha should be there, that is the wheel. So the old tradition continues in regard to the Charkha and the wheel.”
What shall be the type of wheel in the centre of the National Flag asked Nehru? This is the turning point of the adoption of the emblem in the centre of National Flag. If we change the form of the design, we change the content. This is the universal concept of form and content in esthetics. The content changes with the change of design or word. “ Our minds went back to many wheels but notably one famous wheel, which had appeared in many places and which all of us have seen, the one at the top of the Ashoka column and in many other places. That wheel is a symbol of India’s ancient culture; it is a symbol of the many things that India had stood for through the ages. So we thought that this Chakra emblem should be there, and that wheel appears.”
Nehru felt exceedingly happy that the National Flag of India could be associated the name of Ashoka, one of the most magnificent names not only of the history of India but of the whole world. In this hour of conflict, intolerance and strife, our mind should look back to values of ancient India.
Nehru considered Ashokan period of history essentially an international period of history. “It was not a narrowly national period. It was a period when India’s ambassadors went abroad to far countries and went abroad not in the way of an Empire and went abroad not in the way of an Empire and imperialism but as ambassadors of peace and culture and goodwill.”( Cheers.)`
Philosopher Dr.Radhakrishnan, in his speech emphasized on virtue. Purity and goal of truth cannot be achieved without recourse to virtue. “The Asoka’s wheel represents to us the wheel of the Law, the wheel of Law, the wheel of Dharma. Truth can be gained only by the pursuit of the path of Dharma, by the practice of virtue, Truth,- Satya, Dharma, Virtue, these ought to be the controlling principles of all those who work under this Flag.”
Dr.Radhakrishanan, then dwells on the dynamic character of The Wheel of law. “It also tells that that the Dharma is something which is perpetually moving.”
Thereafter he mentions the challenges before the nation and especially points out untouchability. “There are ever so many institutions which are worked into our social fabric like caste and untouchability. Unless these are scrapped, we cannot say that we either seek truth or practice virtue. This wheel is a rotating thing, which is a perpetually revolving thing, indicates to us that there is death bin stagnation. There is life in movement.
He outlines qualities of leaders. They must be disinterested ( upekka) and be ‘imbued with the spirit of renunciation,(prabaja/pabajja) and ‘detachment.’
In the doctrine of the Master there is no distinction on the basis of caste. Those who practice untochability are not followers of the Dhamma.
‘The Going Forth from Home to the Homeless life’ is the life of a monk. He who has renounced has withdrawn from ‘worldly interest in order to lead a spiritual life.’
Saffron colour has been severely abused by the media and politicians in India. Mohammad Saadulla, a distinguished member of the constituent assembly said, “India is very well known for her spiritual attainments. Everywhere it is admitted that India has got a spiritual message to send out to the different countries of the world. The saffron, as is well known, is the colour of all those people who live the spiritual life of not only among the Hindus but also among Muslims.” Saffron, he says, reminds us to live in the higher plane of the spirit of renunciation.
He now brings in the rationale for replacement of Charkha by the Chakra.
“ Some may regret that the Charkha which was the emblem of the masses has been replaced by the Dharmachakra of Ashoka. But I consider that it was really a heaven born inspiration of the authorities that this Chakra now takes the place of Charkha. Although the Charkha which was the emblem of self-help and of our approach to the common masses and was embodied in our activities by the message of the Mahatma, yet towards the later stage the ideal of Charkha had been polluted, the instruction or inspiration of Mahatma Gandhi had been deviated from and those who wore the Charkha which was the symbol of non-violence were most violent in their actions which at one time Pandit Nehru had at great personal risk to assuage.” This part alone of the speech deserves elaborate examination and analysis, which may be undertaken in an exclusive workshop but it is suffice to say that he has very boldly and frankly brought in the reason behind the change from Charkha to Chakra. Now there is no trace of Charkha in the centre of the National Flag of India.
Mohammed Sadulla now turns to the Dharmachakra. Dharmachakra of Ashoka symbolizes the principle of morality in his governance. “He ruled not for his personal aggrandizement but for the contentment, peace and prosperity of the people under his charge.”
The emblem embodied in the national flag of India, “is ought to remind every administrator and citizen that we should carry on the tradition of the great Buddhist Emperor Ashoka and we should be reminded at all times that we are here not only for our material prosperity but also for our spiritual advancement. This Chakra was a religious emblem and we can not dissociate our social life from our religious environments.”
In this presentation the view of the Archaeological Survey of India has been stated and the Government of India in its publication mentions that the design of the wheel in the centre of the national flag of India is, ‘that of the wheel that appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka’ and it has 24 spokes.
There appears consensus that Dharmachakra is the Wheel of Law set rolling by the Buddha at Isipatana, modern Sarnath near Varnasi. Turning of the Wheel- Dharmachakrapravartana is four noble Truths. Thee Eight fold Magga has 32 aspects. This is why the Crowning wheel on the heads of four lions of Lion Capitol of Asoka at Sarnath has 32 spokes.
The Dharmachakra is our national Emblem and it is our national duty to uphold Dharma( Dhamma). The entire doctrine of the Budda can be expressed in one word, Dhamma. Similarly the principle of the governance of Asoka was Dhamma. This is what this presentation attempts to communicate.

Ms Renuka Biswas
Dr.U.N.Biswas
11 April 2008.
CG 22, Sector II, Salt Lake City, Kolkata-700091.