A NATIONAL CELEBRATION OF UNITY & PATRIOTISM

There was a time when strict laws governed the hoisting and lowering of India’s national flag, including a ban on nighttime hoisting.

Traditionally, the flag was ceremonially raised each morning and lowered before sunset by police and army personnel on government buildings. This practice continues at the Indo-Pak Attari-Wagah border, where crowds gather daily for the retreat ceremony.

In India, disrespecting the national flag is punishable, but with Supreme Court intervention, changes were made to the Indian Flag Code. Industrialist Naveen Jindal played a significant role in this change, advocating for the right to display the tricolor at public places 24/7, similar to practices abroad. Over time, the flag has become a symbol of national pride, waved during events like the Cricket World Cup.

Since Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014, efforts to popularize the national flag have intensified. The “Har Ghar Tiranga” campaign, launched in 2022 to celebrate India’s 75th Independence anniversary, encourages citizens to hoist the flag at their homes, offices, and public places. This initiative aims to foster patriotism and national unity, with millions participating in both online and offline events.

In 2022, the flag was hoisted in over 23 crore homes, with 6 crore people uploading selfies with it. The campaign has gained international support, with iconic buildings worldwide lit in tricolor.

This year, from August 9 to 15 the campaign is once celebrated as a festival, with various events across the country.

Highlights include a Tiranga Bike Rally in New Delhi on August 13, a Bharat Tiranga Run in multiple cities, and patriotic music programs and street plays to spread the message of unity. Exhibitions, flash mobs, and painting competitions will also be held to engage youth and children. Amid all the enthusiasm care must be taken to respect of the national flag. Despite the widespread celebration, the weavers of Aaluda village in Rajasthan, who reportedly crafted the tricolor first hoisted by Prime Minister Nehru in 1947, remain unrecognized, a significant oversight in the 75 years since independence.