Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday unveiled the national emblem cast on the roof of the new Parliament building. It is made of bronze with a height of 6.5 metres and weighing 9,500 kg. Meanwhile, this has sparked a huge controversy. Opposition leaders have accused the Centre of distorting the national emblem by replacing the "graceful and regally confident" Ashokan lions with those having "menacing and aggressive posture". The designers of the sculpture, however, have claimed that there is "no deviation".
Amid this controversy, let us know more about the national emblem.
India's national emblem is is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka, an ancient sculpture dating back to 280 BCE during the reign of the Maurya Empire. It is situated in Uttar Pradesh’s Sarnath.
It became the national emblem of the country on January 26, 1950 - the day India became a republic after the Constitution came into effect.
The Lion Capital depicts four Asiatic lions sitting next to each other on a cylindrical base with four Ashok Chakras carved on it. However, it shows only three lions and one Ashok Chakra in the front in 2D.
The Ashok Chakra in the front is flanked by a galloping horse to its left and a bull to its right. The bull represents hard work and steadfastness, while the horse represents loyalty, speed, and energy.
The country’s national moto ‘Satyameva Jayate’ is written in Devnagiri script below the Lion Capital in the national emblem, which means, ‘Truth alone triumphs.’ This is a quote from Mundaka Upanishad, the concluding part of the sacred Hindu Vedas.
The national emblem’s presence is found on all official government documents e.g. letterheads, currency notes, passports, etc. It functions as the official seal for all national and state government offices.
