The Ashoka Chakra is the wheel with 24 spokes that sits right in the middle of India’s National Flag. This is one of the most important parts of the Indian Flag, however many people don’t know why the colour of Ashoka Chakra is blue.
While the reason behind this colour is philosophical, establishing the Ashoka Chakra on the National Flag of India carries a deep history.
What is the Ashoka Chakra?
The Ashoka Chakra is the wheel that is placed in the white band at the centre of the Indian National Flag. It has a total of 24 spokes that are spread equally across the whole wheel.
Before independence, early versions of the Indian Flag had a charkha, or spinning wheel, instead of this Chakra.
However when the flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 22 July 1947, the charkha was replaced with the Ashoka Chakra.
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Why is the Ashoka Chakra Blue?
The design of the Ashoka Chakra is inspired from the Dharma Chakra seen on the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath. When the Constituent Assembly designed the final flag, they kept the wheel in navy blue.
While there is no historical significance of this colour, the philosophical reasons include that this colour represents the color of the boundless sky and the deep ocean.
During the early design stages of the National Flag of India the Ashoka Chakra was originally painted black by Suraiya Tyabji before it was changed to navy blue.
Ashoka Chakra vs Charkha: What's the Difference?
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Ashoka Chakra
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Charkha
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A 24-spoke wheel which is inspired from the Lion Capital of Ashoka
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A spinning wheel which is used to make cloth
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Ashoka Chakra stands for justice and progress
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Charkha in the National Flag stood for self-reliance during the freedom struggle
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It has been in use in the National Flag of India since its adoption in 1947
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Used in earlier versions of the flag
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Connected to ancient Indian and Buddhist history
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It is connected to Gandhi's movement for independence
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What Does the Ashoka Chakra Represent?
The Ashoka Chakra stands for a few important ideas:
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Dharma, which means righteousness and doing the right thing
Justice and honesty in life
Continuous movement and progress
The idea that a country must always keep moving forward and never stay stuck
Why Does the Ashoka Chakra Have 24 Spokes?
The Ashoka Chakra has a total of 24 spokes which are placed at an equal distance from each other. These spokes connect to the larger meaning of the Dharma Chakra which is linked to teachings of Buddhism.
Many sources claim that each spoke stands for a different virtue, such as truth, courage, patience, and peace. Moreover, some of them also connect the 24 spokes to the 24 hours of the day.
However, it is quite important to know that the Flag Code of India only specifies that there must be 24 equally spaced spokes. It does not officially assign a separate meaning to each spoke.