Independence Day 2022: How to store Indian National Flag after Independence Day celebrations?

Before Independence, the National Flag went through several changes. India's first flag consisted of three colours - green, yellow and red - in horizontal stripes. It was first showcased on August 7, 1906, and developed at today's Kolkata's Parsee Bagan Square (Green Park).

Bhikaiji Cama, one of the prominent personalities who helped India get its independence, was the first person to hoist an Indian flag on foreign soil in Stuttgart, Germany in 1907. Designed by Sachindra Prasad Bose, it was the flag of the Berlin Committee (later renamed the Indian Independence Committee). That same year, Cama waved the second unofficial flag in Paris. This second one had only one difference - the top row featured one lotus instead of the Saptarishis seven stars.

In 1917, when India's political struggle had shifted, the third flag was raised by Dr Annie Besant and Lokmanya Tilak during the Home Rule movement. This flag featured seven stars in the saptarishi pattern superimposed on five and four alternate red-green horizontal stripes. The Union Jack was displayed in the top left corner (the pole end). On the right corner, the flag had a white crescent and star.

The fourth unofficial flag was adopted in 1921 when Pinglay Venkayya designed a flag and presented it to Mahatma Gandhi during a meeting of the All India Congress Committee. Red and green were used to symbolise the Hindu and Muslim communities in India. Gandhi added the spinning wheel and white strip to signify the nation's progress and other communities respectively.

Then, came another flag in the early '30s which featured the 'Charkha' - spinning wheel. According to Gandhi, the 'Charkha' represented self-reliance, progress and the common man. Termed the Swaraj flag, Gandhi flag and the Charkha Flag, a seven-member committee was established in Karachi to modify the flag in 1931.

When Lord Mountbatten decided to free India, Dr Rajendra Prasad was asked to design the flag for a free nation. After getting Gandhi's consent, Venkayya worked to modify the flag. It was decided to replace the 'Charkha' with the emblem that featured on the Pillars of Ashoka at Sarnath, near Uttar Pradesh. The National Flag was born on July 22, 1947.

The topmost band of the Indian flag is saffron in colour, which signifies the nation's bravery and power. The white centre line on the Dharma Chakra denotes harmony and truth. The last green stripe symbolises the land's richness, growth and good fortune.

In Sarnath, the Lion Capital - created by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka in the third century BC - featured a 'Dharma Chakra' which represented the 'wheel of the law'. The chakra aims to demonstrate that one can only flourish with movement as stagnation can lead to death. Hence, India should welcome change.

After years of independence, the flag code was changed on January 26, 2002. The Indians were allowed to fly the flag above their residences, places of business, and industries as long as the Flag Code's rules are properly obeyed to prevent any disrespect for the Tricolour. The Flag Code of India, 2002, has been separated into three sections for convenience.