Dhammacakka Day 2022- National Emblem of India

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National Emblem of India- Relevance for UPSC Exam

GS Paper 1: Indian History- Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

Recently, the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind addressed the Dhammacakka Day 2022 celebrations at Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh today through a video message.

About: Dhammacakka Day 2022 commemorates Buddha’s First Sermon or the First Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma.
- On this day, he taught the Dhammacakka-pavattana Sutta (Pali) or Dharmacakra pravartana Sutra (Sanskrit).
Organizing Ministry: The Ministry of Culture in association with the International Buddhist Confederation is celebrating the Āshaḍha Pūrṇima Divas, as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
Significance: Dhammacakka Day 2022 (Ashadha Purnima) is the second most important sacred day of observance for Buddhists after Vaishakha Buddha Purnima.

About: National Emblem of India is an adaptation from the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. Ashokan Pillar of Sarnath is located at Sarnath near Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
Key Features: In the original, there are four lions, standing back to back, mounted on an abacus with a frieze carrying sculptures in high relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion separated by intervening wheels over a bell-shaped lotus.
- Carved out of a single block of polished sandstone, the Capital is crowned by the Wheel of the Law (Dharma Chakra).
- Two-dimensional picture of Sarnath Pillar is the Official symbol of Government of India.
- National Emblem shows only three of Four Lions, symbolizing Power, Courage and Confidence.
- Base of the State Emblem have Dharma Chakra in the centre and bull and a horse on either side of it.
- Satyameva Jayate is written on it in Devanagari script which itself traces its origin to the Mudraka Upanishad
Importance of Sarnath: It is one of the four main places in Buddhism –
- Bodh Gaya: Buddha attained enlightenment;
- Sarnath: Buddha gave his first sermon;
- Shravasti: Buddha spent most Chaturmases and gave most of the sermons; and
- Kushinagar: Buddha attained the Mahaparinirvana.