THE INDIAN TRICOLOR - Its our flag

That's our flag! And a surge of patriotic adrenalin pours into every Indian breast when we see our flag flutter and wave in the breeze over our vast subcontinent. That's our flag and we feel great pride as we see its three colors blaze out the message that we are the world's largest democracy. That's our flag pronouncing our nation as a free and independent country, a nation that blends both its ancient heritages and its modern sophistications into a whole that appeals to its billion plus populaton.

August 15 is our National Independence Day and it is our nation's 61 st. anniversary. In 1947 India gained its independence from Great Britain and self rule began. The great symbol of our freedom and independence and nationalism is the Flag that we fondly call the TRICOLOR.

The flag has three colors in it - saffron on top (NOT orange), white in the middle with a blue 24 spoked wheel in its center, and green at the bottom. The color saffron represents courage, sacrifice and renunciation. White of course is for purity and truth while green symbolises life, faith and chivalry. The center wheel is in blue and is a replica of a wheel on the ancient ASHOKA PILLAR from the period of an ancient king and its 24 spokes are indicative of the eight fold path of right living (right morals, right thoughts, right speech, etc.) advocated by the teacher Buddha in his eight-fold path teaching.

So, we look forward to Aug 15th and celebrating India's 61st anniversary. Our local church will raise the flag as we sing our national anthem. We are free! We are democratic! And we can thank our Sovereign Lord for making all this happen.

Till we share with chai next time, this is Leonard.