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India

Éart

I am proud to be Indian!

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Which state your parents come from?

Which language is spoken there?

Flag of India

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The orange symbolizes purity, spirituality, courage and sacrifice

The white stands for peace, unity and truth.

The green stands for fertility and prosperity.

The navy blue wheel is called Ashoka's Dharma Chakra, with 24 spokes. Each

spoke depicts one hour of the day, portraying the prevalence of righteousness

all 24 hours.

Colour the Flag

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Jan 26: Republic Day of India

On August 15th, 1947 India gained independence after nearly 200

years of British rule.

The Constitution of India came into effect on Jan 26, 1950 and is

celebrated as the Republic Day (national holiday)

Constitution means:

The Constitution lays down the basic structure of government under

which the people are to be governed.

Republic means:

A political order in which the supreme power lies in a body of

citizens who are entitled to vote for officers and

representatives responsible to them.

Republic Day Parade

National Animal of India-THE TIGER

National Bird of India-THE PEACOCK

National Flower of India- THE LOTUS

National Tree of India-THE BANYAN TREE.

National Fruit of India-THE MANGO

National Game of India- HOCKEY

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National Song of India (Vande Mätram ) By Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay

vNde matrm!

sujla< su)la<

mlyjzItlam!

zSyzamla< matrm! ,

zuÉJyaeTSnapuliktyaimnI<

)uLlkusumimtÔumdlzaeiÉnI<,

suhaisnI< sumxur Éai;[I<

suoda< vrda< matrm!.1.

vNde matrm!

vande mätaram

sujaläm suphaläm malayajaçétaläm

çasyaçämaläm mätaram .

çubhajyotsnäpulakitayäminéà

phullkusumamitadrumadalaçibhinéà

suhäsinéà sumadhura bhäñiëéà

sukhadäà varadäà mätaram (1)

vande mätaram

Translation by Shree Aurobindo

Mother, I bow to thee!

Rich with thy hurrying streams,

bright with orchard gleams,

Cool with thy winds of delight,

Dark fields waving Mother of

might,

Mother free.

Glory of moonlight dreams,

Over thy branches and lordly

streams,

Clad in thy blossoming trees,

Mother, giver of ease

Laughing low and sweet!

Mother I kiss thy feet,

Speaker sweet and low!

Mother, to thee I bow.

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National Anthem of India Written by Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel laureate poet, writer, philosopher was the

ambassador of Indian culture to the rest of the world. He is probably the most

prominent figure in the cultural world of Indian subcontinent and the first

Asian person to be awarded with the Nobel prize.

jn g[ mn Aixnayk jy he

mart ÉaGyivxata

p<jab isNxu gujrat mraQa

d+aivf %Tkl b<ga

ivNXy ihmacl ymuna g<ga

%CDl jlix tr<ga

tv zuÉ AazI; ma<ge<

gahe tv jygawa

jn j[ m<gldayk jy he

Éart ÉaGyivxata

jy he jy he jy he

jy jy jy jy he

Jana-gana-mana-adhinäyaka, jaya he

Bhärata-bhägya-vidhätä.

Punjab-Sindhu-Gujarata-Maräthä

Drävida-Utkala-Bangä

Vindhya-Himächala-Yamunä-Gangä

Uchchala-Jaladhi-tarangä.

Tava shubha näme jäge,

Tava shubha äshésha mänge,

Gähe tava jaya gäthä,

Jana-gana-mangala-däyaka jaya he

Bhärata-bhägya-vidhätä.

Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he,

Jaya jaya jaya, jaya he!

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English Meaning of our National Anthem

Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people,

dispenser of India’s destiny.

Thy name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sindh,

Gujarat and Maratha,

Of the Dravida and Orissa and Bengal;

It echoes in the hills of the Vindhyas and Himalayas,

mingles in the music of Jamuna and Ganges and is

chanted by the waves of the Indian Sea.

They pray for thy blessings and sing thy praise.

The saving of all people waits in thy hand,

thou dispenser of India’s destiny.

Victory, victory, victory to thee.

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zuÉ dIpavilzuÉ dIpavilzuÉ dIpavilzuÉ dIpavil çubh dépävali

rangoli

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dIpavil (dépävali) a Sanskrit word means array of lights that stands for

victory of brightness over darkness. It symbolises the victory of good over

evil, and lamps are lit as a sign of celebration and hope for mankind.

Diwali in India is celebrated with jubilation and enthusiasm. It is one of the

biggest festival of Hindus and is celebrated for five continuous days. Third

day is the main day of Diwali and is celebrated as the 'Festival of Lights'. To

mark this day people light diyas all around their house. During the evening

Lakshmi Puja is performed to seek divine blessings of Goddess of Wealth.

People also exchange Diwali Gifts with all their dear ones and burst fire

crackers in the night to express their happiness.

Date of Diwali Festival is not fixed as it is reckoned according to the position

of the moon. According to Hindu calendar, Diwali falls on the 15th day of the

dark fortnight of the auspicious Hindu month of Kartik (October/November).

It comes on the no moon day or Amavasya. This Diwali date is significant for

Hindus as it was on this particular day that Lord Ram was crowned as the

King of Ayodhya on his return to the kingdom with wife Sita and brother

Laxman after 14 years of exile and slaying of demon King Ravana. The day of

killing Ravan is celebrated as Dussehra (19~21 days before Diwali). People

celebrate Diwali by lighting diyas to dissipate the darkness of amavasya and

commemorate the crowning of Lord Ram.

The North Indian business community usually starts their financial new year

on Diwali and new account books are opened on this day. On the day after

Diwali is called Bhaiya Duj. On this day , sisters apply vermilion to the

foreheads of their brothers and pray for them. In turn , their brothers give them

gifts and money.

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HAPPY HOLI

zuÉzuÉzuÉzuÉ haelIhaelIhaelIhaelI FESTIVAL OF COLOURS

The Legend of Holika and Prahlad

There was once a demon king by the name of

Hiranyakashyap who won over the kingdom of earth. He he

commanded everybody in his kingdom to worship only him.

But to his great disappointment, his son, Prahlad who was an

devotee of Lord Närayana refused to worship his father.

Hiranyakashyap tried several ways to kill his son Prahlad but

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Lord Vishnu saved him every time. Finally, he asked his

sister, Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap.

For, Hiranyakashyap knew that Holika had a boon, whereby,

she could enter the fire unburnt.

Holika coaxed young Prahlad to sit in her lap and she herself

took her seat in a blazing fire. her Holika was not aware that

the boon worked only when she entered the fire alone.

Prahlad, who kept chanting the name of Lord Närayana all

this while, came out unharmed, as the lord blessed him for

his extreme devotion. Thus, Holi derives its name from

Holika. And, is celebrated as a festival of victory of good

over evil.

In several states of India, specially in the north, effigies of

Holika are burnt in the huge bonfires that are lit. People

play with colors and special sweets are made.

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haelI hE haelI hE

Aae haelI Aa$ re

Aa$ deoae haelI Aa$ re

AaAae oele r<g hm

AaEr ouzI mnaye hm

Aa$ deoae haelI Aa$ re

Holé hai holé hai

O hole äé re

äé dekho holé äé re

äo khele ranga hama

aura khuçé manäye hama

äé dehko holé äé re

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Shivaratri (Feb 16, 2007)

On this auspicious day, devotees observe fast and keep vigil

all night chanting

` nm> izvay ` nm> izvay ` nm> izvay

` nm> izvay ` nm> izvay ` nm> izvay Shivaratri marks the night when Lord Shiva performed the

'Tandava' dance. It is also believed that on this day Lord

Shiva was married to Goddess Paravati . On this day

devotees observe fast and offer fruits, flowers and bel leaves

on Shiva Linga.

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Akbar & Birbal Stories

Akbar and Birbal (pronounced as Beerbal) stories are very famous

and popular in India among all ages of people.

There was a Mogul Emperor in India, Akbar who ruled India. His

grandson Shajahan built the Taj Mahal in Agra, 7th wonder of the

world, in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahel.

Akbar himself was illiterate, but he invited several learned people in

his court. Among these people, nine were very famous and were

called "Nav Ratna" (nine jewels of the Mogul Crown) of his court.

Among these nine jewels, two of them are very famous - Tansen for

his singing art, and Birbal for his valuable advice.

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Birbal’s Painting

Once Akbar told Birbal 'Birbal, make me

a painting. Use your imagination in it. To

which the reply was 'But hoozoor, I am a

minister, how can I possibly paint?'.The

king was angry and said 'If I don’t get a

good painting by one week then you shall

be hanged!'. The clever Birbal had an idea.

After one week, he went to the court and with him he carried a

covered frame. Akbar was happy to see that Birbal had obeyed

him, until he opened the cover. The courtiers rushed to see

what was wrong. What they saw made them feel very happy.

At last, they would not see Birbal in court!

The painting was nothing but ground and sky. There were a

few specs of green on the ground. The Emperor, angrily, told

Birbal 'what is this!' To which the reply was 'A cow eating

grass hoozoor!'. Akbar said 'where is the cow and grass?' and

Birbal told 'I used my imagination. The cow ate the grass and

returned to its shed!'

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Birbal Outwits a Cheat

A farmer and his neighbour once went to

Emperor Akbar's court with a complaint.

"Your Majesty, I bought a well from

him," said the farmer pointing to his neighbour," and now he

wants me to pay for the water."

"That's right, your Majesty," said the neighbour. "I sold him

the well but not the water!"

The Emperor asked Birbal to settle the dispute. "Didn't you

say that you sold your well to this farmer?" Birbal asked the

neighbour. "So, the well belongs to him now, but you have

kept your water in his well. Is that right? Well, in that case you

will have to pay him a rent or take your water out at once."

The neighbour realised that he was outwitted. He quickly

apologised and gave up his claim.

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