Cultural Calendar - August 2019

Colombo International Theatre Festival Workshops by Inter act art Black Box Theatre House (by registration only, contact Jayalath S Gomes 4 - 9 on Mob # + 94 758 521 126) Sunday - Friday Venue: SVCC Auditorium Sanskarika Newsletter of the Cultural Centre Aug 2019

Celebrating 73rd of Strings of Harmony – A SantoorJugalbandhi By Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma &Pandit Rahul Sharma Venue: Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference 15 Hall, BauddhalokaMw., Colombo 07 Thursday (Admission by invitation only: limited passes available 6.45 pm at SVCC from 5th August onwards For info # 2684698 or email to [email protected])

An evening of Indian Classical Dance by Richa Gupta & Vidha Lal 23 by Dr. Anuradha Durbhakula Friday 6.00 pm Venue: SVCC Auditorium

Semi Classical Vocal Recital By Vinu Lasath Gamaethige 30 Venue:SVCC Auditorium Friday 6.00 pm

Programmes subject to change Published by the Indian Cultural Centre,16/2, Gregory’s Road, Colombo 07. Tel: 011 2684698 Admission to all programmes are on first come first serve basis.Except 4th-9th & 15th Email: [email protected] Facebook: facebook.com/indianculturalcentre , Colombo All are cordially invited 011 2330195 UNIE ARTS, ‘Bande Mataram’ written in Sanskrit. This “A is a necessity for all . came up with an ‘All flag with a flag by replacing the ‘charkha’ Cultural Tapestry flag was also raised by Millions have died for it, it is no doubt a brown charkha embellishing the upper with the ‘ Chakra’ - the ‘Wheel at the Calcutta session of the Congress in kind of idolatry which it would be a sin quadrant’. The flag was instantly rejected of Law’ of Emperor Asoka. The design Indian : Its Evolution and Adoption December 1906. to destroy. For a flag represents an ideal. by the national leaders apprehending of the wheel was taken from abacus of The unfurling of the evokes the new flag would create more disunity the 3rd century A.D. Lion . Every has a National flag. It is an inspired by the ancient symbol of the ’s Flag in the English breast sentiments whose than bring harmony amongst the fellow The sample of the flag was made by explicit outward symbolic expression of Vajra or Thunderbolt. Vajra is a symbol (Fig 3) was a strikingly strength it is difficult to measure. The countrymen. Surya Badr-ud din Tyabji. It was then how a country sees itself. became of Lord Buddha. It implies ‘The Selfless similar flag with minor Stars and Stripes mean a world to the decided that Pandit Nehru would wide spread symbols of national identity Man’. It was the weapon of Lord Indra. deviations. It was (Fig. 6) Purna Americans. The and the Crescent place the recommendation before the from early 19th century. Before the French Rishi Dadhichi’s selfless offering of displayed at the Swaraj Flag will call forth the best bravery in Islam. on 22 July 1947. of 1789, it was monarchy himself had created the thunderbolt. International Socialist Undaunted with and not the common people, who The original flag made of pure silk is Congress at , It will be necessary for us Indians-Hindus, the setback, the Pandit Nehru, had a flag. With the advent of ‘- preserved at Acharya Bhavan Museum, Germany by Madame Mohammedans, Christians, Jews, , Congress Working Committee presided presenting the ’ concept and the ensuing growth Bose Institute, . Cama and her band and all others to whom India is their over by Sardar Ballavbhai Patel met new flag (Fig. 7) of exiled revolutionaries on August home-to recognise a common flag to again in Bombay in the same year in to the Constituent of - flags have become a Fig. 1: Nivedita’s 22, 1907. The flag was made by Hem live and to die for”. August 1931. The CWC came up with Assembly said: “... globalised phenomenon. flag at Acharya Chandra Kanungo (Das) in Paris. a new named ‘ this flag that I have In India, flags as special insignia have Bhavan Museum. (Fig. 5) Swadeshi Flag Flag’ by changing the colour red into the honour to present you is not, I hope been used at least since the Vedic Nivedita’s flag was (Fig 4) In 1915 on book cover. As per saffron and shifting the band in and trust, a flag of the dominion over times. In Rig Vedas, written in about adorned by the Dr. wishes of Mahatma the middle; “Saffron over White over anybody, but a flag of freedom not only 5000 B.C., flags were described as Ketu. symbol of the Vajra started the Home , emblazoned with a blue Charkha for ourselves, but a symbol of freedom In ancient Indian literatures and epics, placed in between the words ‘Bande’ Rule movement in Venkayyaa transferred in the centre”. It implied that the colours for all people who may see it. And the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, we and ‘Mataram’ in Bengali with 108 jyotis India. The National the ‘white over red stood for qualities not communities; the wherever it may go – and I hope it will go see a large number of kings and princes embroidered along the outer periphery. flag she introduced in consultation with over green with a saffron for courage and sacrifice, white far- not only where Indians dwell as our each with distinctive dhavjas or flags. The number 108 is a perfect three- and B. P. Wadia had charkha’ design onto for truth and peace, and Green for faith ambassadors and ministers but across All flags in India, whether ancient or digit multiple of three, its components two colours - red representing the bunting. Though the first tricolour, and strength. The charkha stood for the the far seas where it may be carried by medieval, were either personal or social adding up to nine, which is the sum Hindus and green for the Muslims. The was not officially accepted by AICC, welfare of the masses. Once the new the Indian ships, wherever it may go, it or religious. The concept of national flag of triple threes. Three is ‘Trinity’ that stars were arranged in the configuration it began to be hoisted in all Congress flag was approved, Dr N.S. Hardikar took will bring a message of comradeship, a took long time to develop. Before the represents supreme balance in the of ‘Saptarishi’ constellation. The occasions. Gandhiji’s approval made the task of transferring the design onto message that India wants to be friend British came, there was not really an India. form of creation, maintenance and inclusion of the Union Jack made the flag it sufficiently popular. The flag was in Khadi - the cloth of freedom. with every country of the world and The British win in the “” in destruction or transformation. The unacceptable to the masses. Although use till 1931. Objections were raised India wants to help any people who 1757 paved the way for the formation amazing transformation of the slogan the flag essays as described above were from time to time with the communal The National . seek freedom. That hope will be the of a of India as a unit. The ‘Bande Mataram’, also spelt as ‘Vande derived from the cultural manifestations interpretations of the Swaraj colours On 20 February 1947 the British message of this flag everywhere”. At the official British flag for India, the Union Jack Mataram’ derived from an innocent song of India, they didn’t find much patronage – Green was made to represent the Parliament announced to transfer stroke of midnight 14-15 August 1947, defaced with the motto “Heaven’s Light of a 19th century novel ‘Ananda Math’ or support for adoption as the National Muslims - Red the Hindus and the neutral powers to India by June 1948. With free India’s National flag was hoisted Our Guide” had practically no appeal to penned by Bankimchandra Chatterjee flag and subsequently relegated to White – all other lesser communities. nation-wide euphoria on imminent atop the Council House (Parliament the Indian body politic. In 1905, Lord into a revolutionary ‘war cry’ was the history. In 1916, , an Conflicts around the flag widened after freedom, resentment surfaced over Bhavan). The flag was presented by Curzon’s declaration of ‘Partition of work of the youth in Bengal charged avid flag enthusiast, came up with a the breakdown of Congress-Khilafat the continuation of ‘charkha’ – a Hansa Mehta representing the Flag Bengal’ became at once a turning point with their desire for liberation from booklet titled ‘A National Flag for India’ alliance in 1924. Muslim League’s symbol synonym with the Congress Presentation Committee, comprising all in the Indian independence movement. foreign rule. There were two other flags wherein he had presented twenty-four attitude changed, they were no longer party - on our National flag. It was felt women members of the Constituent It was at this point of time, termed that had the slogan ‘Bande Mataram’ flag designs. Pingali also organized an inclined to accept the Swaraj flag. Sikhs necessary to re-design a National flag, Assembly, as a gift from the women of as great wave of national struggle, emblazoned - the Calcutta Flag of 1906 exhibition to garner support for a truly demand for inclusion of their colour which would be acceptable to all the India.’ In short the need to unite the whole of India and Madame Bhikaji Rustom Cama’s flag Indian National flag. The Tricolour, known into the flag also gained momentum political parties, as well as, convince the this is the story became paramount and the question of 1907. as ‘Swaraj flag’ was first evolved at AICC around the same time. Swaraj flag failed Princely States, hitherto enjoying partial meeting at Bejwada in 1921 when a to get a pan-Indian acceptance. Seized sovereignty, to give up their traditional of our flag so of invention of a distinctive pan-Indian The Calcutta Flag (Fig.2) was the first ‘green & red’ flag made by Venkayyaa with the conflicts around the flag, the banners in favour of the new National proudly we National flag began to be discussed in tricolour National flag hoisted in Calcutta and improved by with AICC set up a ‘Flag Committee’ in its flag. Accordingly, on 23 June 1947 a hail. the press. on the first anniversary of the partition the addition of a white stripe at the top. Karachi session in April 1931 to go into Committee was constituted headed by By Sekhar One of the first serious attempts at of Bengal observed The idea of ‘charkha’ came from Lala the question of the National flag for Dr for recommending a Chakrabarti flag-making came from , as ‘Boycott Day’ on Hansraj of Jalandhar. Mahatma Gandhi recommending a flag for acceptance new National flag. The committee after He is an internationally known philatelist an Irish disciple of Swami Vivekananda August 7, 1906. in an article in in April 1921 after examining the objections against several deliberations came up with its from Kolkata and author of the book in 1904. The design of her flag was It had the word “The Indian National Flag unfurled through wrote; the present Swaraj flag. The Committee unanimous decision to retain the Purna Philately”.