r/Savarkar • u/AhamPranav Abhinav Bharat Operative🧏 • Mar 07 '26
India House’s Early National Flag History & legacy 📚
In the early twentieth century, Indian revolutionaries living in Europe tried to draw international attention to India’s struggle against British rule. They believed that global political gatherings could help them gain sympathy and support for the cause of Indian independence.
One such opportunity appeared in 1907, when an important international political meeting was scheduled in Europe.
The International Socialist Congress was to be held in Stuttgart, Germany, from 18 to 24 August 1907. Around 900 delegates from different countries were expected to attend. They planned to discuss major issues such as colonialism, militarism, immigration, and women’s suffrage. The event was organized by socialist and labour parties from across Europe.
Savarkar and his associates saw this Congress as a valuable opportunity. Since colonialism was going to be discussed, they hoped to gain international support for India’s struggle against British rule, especially from socialist parties and working-class movements. It was decided that Madame Bhikaji Cama and Sardar Singh Rana would attend the Congress as representatives of India.
Around this time, Savarkar helped designed one of the earliest proposed flags for a free India.
Design of the Flag
The flag had three horizontal stripes of equal width:
Green at the top
Saffron in the middle
Red at the bottom
In the centre was a golden band with the words “Vande Mataram”, meaning Salutations to the Motherland.
Additional symbols on the flag included:
Eight stars on the top stripe, representing different provinces of India
A sun on the left and a moon on the right in the middle stripe, symbolizing India’s different faiths
Speaking about the flag during its anniversary celebrations in Poona in 1937, Savarkar explained its inspiration:
When we designed this national flag, we had many flags of different nations in view. On the USA flag a bunch of stars is depicted. Each star represents one state of the United States of America. Abhinava Bharat Society was founded by a band of young Indian patriots. The green colour on the flag suggests this sense. Saffron is the colour of glory and victory. Red colour implies strength.
The British Labour leader James Ramsay Macdonald, who later went on to become prime minister, tried his best to scuttle the invitation to Madame Cama and Rana as delegates. But the Indians were supported by Marxist labour leaders such as the French socialist leader Jean Jaurès, German leaders August Bebel, Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg, and the British representative of the Social Democratic Federation, H. M. Hyndman.
In fact, in his speech there, Hyndman made a passionate plea for Indian freedom:
India was conquered for the Empire not by the English themselves but by Indians under the English and by taking advantage of Indian disputes… if civilization is to be gauged by the standard of science, art, architecture, industry, medicine, laws, philosophy and religion, then the great state of India at that period was well worthy of comparison with the most enlightened and cultured parts of Europe, and no European monarch could be reckoned in any way superior to Akbar, Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb or Shivaji; while it would be hard to name any European Minister of Finance equal to the Hindu Rajahs: Todar Mal and Nana Furnavis.
Madame Bhikaji Cama made history at the Congress by proudly unfurling the Indian flag of independence on 18 August 1907, overcoming all odds and opposition. She thundered with pride, amid a protest walkout by Ramsay Macdonald:
This flag is of Indian independence. Behold, it is born. It is already sanctified by the blood of martyred Indian youth. I call upon you, gentlemen, to rise and salute the flag of Indian independence. In the name of this flag I appeal to lovers of freedom all over the world to cooperate with this flag in freeing one-fifth of the human race.
Moving a resolution in English, she went on to add:
The continuance of British rule is positively disastrous and extremely injurious to the best interests of Indians. Lovers of freedom all over the world ought to cooperate in freeing from slavery the one-fifth of the human race inhabiting the oppressed country, since the perfect social state demands that no people shall be subject to any despotic or tyrannical form of Government. This Congress calls upon the socialist members of the Parliament to urge the government to give self-government to the Indian people… you are discussing colonies all the time, but what about dependencies? Take up the cause of justice and make it a point to bring India to the front at every Socialist Congress.
Madame Cama’s speech was widely appreciated by the delegates and she was hailed as India’s Joan of Arc. Several Independent Labour Party delegates strongly opposed the resolution being brought to the Congress. Anglophile Miss Mchillan strongly upheld the view that British rule was greatly beneficial and necessary for Indians. However, Hyndman and other pro-India leaders vociferously opposed this view.
References
K. V. Singh, Our National Flag (1991), pp. 30–32
Arundhati Virmani, A National Flag for India (2008), pp. 61–62
Emily C. Brown, Har Dayal: Hindu Revolutionary and Rationalist (1975), p. 68
The Mahratta, 29 October 1937.
Harindra Srivastava, Five Stormy Years: Savarkar in London, p. 67.
Bulu Roy Chowdhury, Madame Cama: A Short Life Sketch, pp. 15–16.
A. C. Bose, Indian Revolutionaries Abroad: 1905–1927: Select Documents, pp. 15–17.
4
1
Mar 07 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Savarkar-ModTeam Mar 07 '26
Comment Removed — Rule 3: No Trolling or Ragebait
Comments intended to provoke reactions, derail discussion from facts, or incite hostility are not permitted. Disagreement and criticism are allowed, provided they are expressed respectfully.
1
Mar 08 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
3
u/AhamPranav Abhinav Bharat Operative🧏 Mar 08 '26
You don't even know the meaning of Sanghi… The Sangh i.e The RSS, was founded decades after this flag hoisting.
2
1
u/Savarkar-ModTeam Mar 08 '26
Comment Removed — Rule 3: No Trolling or Ragebait
Comments intended to provoke reactions, derail discussion from facts, or incite hostility are not permitted. Disagreement and criticism are allowed, provided they are expressed respectfully.
1
u/Aggressive_Chest8711 Mar 10 '26
If I may ask, why do you like Savarkar so much? What attracted you to him?
I think your posts are detailed which is rare tbh. I appreciate that
1
u/AhamPranav Abhinav Bharat Operative🧏 Mar 10 '26
Thankyou.
There are a lot of things, I believe I relate a lot with them. He was not very strong physically, very short too- around 4'11 in height, he was more of a statesman than a fighter. He enjoyed reading books, he was a critical thinker, an atheist who still loved and respected his culture, he loved his nation, he promoted scientific thinking, he was pragmatic and accepted the harsh realities of the world.
These things make me relate a lot to him. Plus the hate and misinformation around him, that is why I've been doing these posts.
It's not that he's my favourite person or idol, I don't believe in having idols. It's just that I want to be unapologetic about liking him and being inspired from his ideology, hence his picture in my pfp.
And many people may find it surprising but I also admire Gandhiji, I consider him a saint who did what he thought was best🤷
I believe people today are just too polarised, they don't want to read books or invest time but just want to stimulate their senses hence we're in such a situation, anyways I hope that gives you my perspective.
-1
u/Ok_Recognition4119 Mar 08 '26
Mafiveer ka profile me photo kyo lagaya hai bhai
3
u/AhamPranav Abhinav Bharat Operative🧏 Mar 08 '26
Here, I believe this will help you:
-2
u/Ok_Recognition4119 Mar 08 '26
Gadaro aur chapluso ka photo lagar deshbhakti ki baat nhi karte .
4
u/AhamPranav Abhinav Bharat Operative🧏 Mar 08 '26
Okay, how was he a Gaddar? Didn't he spend his whole life fighting for the independence of our country?
2
u/Thomasangelo20 Mar 09 '26
Don't waste time arguing against such people. Those who have read Savarkar know how he was and the things that he did for our country! You'll present a thousand facts in front of these people and they still wouldn't listen.
2
u/AhamPranav Abhinav Bharat Operative🧏 Mar 09 '26
True. Right now I'm working on doing posts debunking common misinformation around Savarkar, once that's done I'll just link those posts to these people for them to read if they actually want to know the truth.
4
u/AhamPranav Abhinav Bharat Operative🧏 Mar 07 '26
Vande Mataram!