Armed Forces Flag Day

The Armed Forces Flag Day or the Flag Day of India is a day dedicated to honouring the soldiers and veterans of India's armed forces. It has been observed annually in India on December 7 since 1949.

History-                                                                                                                                              Immediately after India achieved independence, a need arose for the government to manage the welfare of its defence personnel. On August 28, 1949, a committee set up under the defence minister decided to observe a Flag Day annually on December 7. The idea behind observing a Flag Day was to distribute small flags to the general population and in return collect donations. Flag Day gains more significance as it considers that it is the responsibility of the civilian population of India to take care of the families and dependents of the armed forces personnel who fight for the country.

Jawaharlal Nehru, who was then Prime Minister of India, on December 7, 1954, said:

A few weeks ago, I visited Indo-China and saw our officers and men attached to the International Commission there. It gave me a thrill to see their smart bearing and the good work they were doing in that distant land. What pleased me still more was their general popularity with the people there. By their efficiency as well as their friendliness, they enhanced the reputation of India. Among them were people from all parts of India. They observed no provincial or other differences amongst themselves. I am sure my countrymen will be pleased to learn of them and would like to indicate their appreciation of these young men who serve our country both here and elsewhere so well. A way to indicate that appreciation is to contribute to the Flag Day Fund.

The flag of the Indian Armed Forces is similar to that of the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence, first utilised in 1956, and is a common colour scheme in British-aligned territories, used by fellow Commonwealth nations including Cyprus, Kenya and Nigeria.

Significance and purpose-                                                                                                                            An Army Officer pinning the lapels on the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. M.M. Pallam Raju, on the occasion of Armed Forces Flag Day, in 2010                                                                                                Flag Day serves to promote three basic causes:                                                                                    Rehabilitation of battle casualties                                                                                                                  Welfare of serving personnel and their families                                                                                  Resettlement and welfare of ex-servicemen and their families

The Armed Forces Flag Day commemoration and the collection of funds through distribution of flags. It is a time for Indians to express its gratitude and appreciation to the current and veteran military personnel of India and to acknowledge those who died in service to the country.

On the Flag Day all three branches of the Indian armed forces, the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy, arrange a variety of shows, carnivals, dramas and other entertainment programmes to showcase to the general public the efforts of their personnel to ensure national security. Throughout the country small flags and car flags in red, deep blue and light blue colours representing the three Services are distributed in return for donations.

Flag Day Fund-                                                                                                                                        The original Flag Day Fund was set up in 1949, by the Defence Minister's Committee. In 1993, the Defence Ministry of India consolidated related welfare funds into a single Armed Forces Flag Day fund. Those funds include,

Amalgamated Special Fund for War Bereaved, War Disabled and other ex-Servicemen/Serving Personnel

Flag Day Fund, St Dunstan's (India) and Kendriya Sainik Board Fund, Indian Gorkha Ex-Servicemen's Welfare Fund.

Fund collection-                                                                                                                                            The Chief of Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat commemorating the Armed Forces Flag Day, in New Delhi on December 07, 2017

The fund collection is managed throughout the country by the local arms of the Kendriya Sainik Board (KSB), which is part of the Ministry of Defence. The collection is organised both by official and non-official means through voluntary organisations. Though welfare of the ex-servicemen and their dependents is the joint responsibility of the union government, and the governments of States and Union Territories (UTs), majority of the problems have to be resolved only by the States and UTs. Like the Kendriya Sainik Board at the centre, the Rajya / Zila Sainik Boards are responsible for policy formulation and implementation of resettlement and welfare schemes for ex-servicemen, widows and their dependents residing in their respective States / UTs / Districts. To assist the Central Government in this regard, there are 32 Rajya Sainik Boards and 392 Zila Sainik Boards in the country.

The Secretary KSB advises the Department of Sainik Welfare in the States / UTs on the policies for resettlement and welfare of ex-servicemen, widows and seeks reports from the Director, Department Sainik Welfare / Secretary RSB and Zila Sainik Welfare Officer / Secretary ZSB, on implementation of policies and success in resettling ex-servicemen, widows, disabled personnel invalidated out from the Service and their dependents. Advice is also rendered on the welfare schemes required for the clientele, which are financed from funds allotted by the Governments of States / UTs and the Amalgamated Special Funds. The Fund is operated by a Managing Committee presided over by the Defence Minister at the centre and by the executive heads of the governments in the States and Union Territories. When the Armed Forces Flag Day programme was introduced, the fund allocation was managed in such a way that the Central KSB headquarters is given only a very small share of the Flag Day Fund collections made by each state. The allotted funds for the KSB is only half a paisa per individual in the state.

Stating that the Armed Forces of India safeguard the land, the sea and the aerial sovereignty of the nation, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari appealed to the people to donate to the armed forces flag fund that is used for the welfare of the families of martyrs, ex-servicemen, war disabled and others.

“I personally believe that a donation to the armed forces flag fund will earn more ‘punya’ than donating at a place of worship”, said the Governor.

The Governor inaugurated the Armed Forces Flag Day by making his donation to the Flag Fund at Sahyadri State Guest House at Malabar Hill in Mumbai on Saturday (7th Dec).

The Governor congratulated the Collectors of Mumbai Suburban District Milind Borikar and City Collector Shivajirao Jondhale for surpassing their targets of flag fund collection for the last year.

Representatives of philanthropic trusts, schools, banks, government offices and individuals were presented trophies for their support to the Armed Forces fund raising initiative.

Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar P., Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Western Naval Command, Maj. Gen. Raj Sinha, Chief Staff Officer, Indian Army, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa Area, Valsa Nair Singh, Principal Secretary, General Administration Department, Shivajirao Daund, Divisional Commissioner, Konkan, Group Captain S M Bawle of Maritime Air Operations and Laxminarayan Mishra, Director, Sainik Welfare were present.

Mahaparinirvana Day

Mahaparinirvana Day is the memorial day of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and is celebrated on 6 December. Ambedkar passed away on 6 December 1956 in Delhi, and was cremated on 7 December at Chaityabhoomi in Mumbai , according to Buddhist tradition. Before his death, he converted to Buddhism on 14 October 1956 along with lakhs of followers, and is considered a ' bodhisattva ' by Buddhists. Ambedkar was a Buddhist guru, hence the term ' Mahaparinirvana ' from the Buddhist concept has been used for his death anniversary. On the occasion of Mahaparinirvana Day, lakhs of people from all over India visit Chaityabhoomi , his burial place in Mumbai, from 1 December onwards . More than 2.5 lakh followers of Bhima gather at Chaityabhoomi and pay homage to Ambedkar's ashes and statue kept in the Chaityabhoomi Stupa and have darshan of Babasaheb. On this day, Ambedkarites in India and around the world pay homage to Ambedkar by placing his portrait and statue in front of him. They pay homage to him at local Buddhist monasteries ( Buddhist temples ), at their own homes, in public places, in schools and colleges, in government offices, etc. Political leaders and others pay homage to Ambedkar memorials in public places of Babasaheb. 

Earlier, Mahaparinirvana Day was a public holiday in the states of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh . In the backdrop of Corona, in 2020, instead of going to Chaityabhoomi in person, followers were urged to send letters to the Chaityabhoomi address and pay their respects to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar on the 64th Mahaparinirvana Day. Thousands of letters were sent to Chaityabhoomi in many languages ​​​​such as Urdu, Hindi, Marathi, English, Telugu. This also provided financial support to the postal department.

Background-                                                                                                                                                On December 6, 1956, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar passed away at his residence in Delhi . After that, his body was brought to Rajgriha ( Dadar ) in Mumbai. On December 7, 1956, he was cremated in the Buddhist manner in the Hindu crematorium on the seashore at Shivaji Park in front of 12 lakh followers. At that time, the place was known only as a Hindu crematorium. A few years later, a Chaitya was built over Ambedkar's sacred ashes. A large Buddhist community of lakhs from all parts of India comes to Chaityabhoomi (Dadar) Shivaji Park in Mumbai every year from December 1 to pay homage and pay respect to Ambedkar. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and Ambedkarite volunteers take great care of these communities. The crowd of devout followers who come every year keeps increasing enormously. 25 lakh followers come to Chaityabhoomi to have darshan of Babasaheb's ashes and greet him. Dr. The Chaityabhoomi memorial is a place of inspiration for Ambedkar's followers and thinkers as well as people from across the country and abroad. 

Since 2002, activists of the Ambedkar movement have established the 'Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Mahaparinirvana Day Coordination Committee' and have been working diligently to provide services and facilities to the followers by coordinating with the Municipal Corporation administration and involving all the institutions. The 61st Mahaparinirvana Day was celebrated in 2017. It has been decided to organize such a Mahaparinirvana Day from this year onwards by observing 15 minutes of silence, paying homage to Buddha, and by maintaining disciplined and auspicious friendship towards humanity.

Bhimrao Ambedkar is a prominent name in Indian democracy. He played numerous roles as a social reformer, economist, politician, and jurist in his lifespan. While his birthday is celebrated as Bhimrao Ambedkar Jayanti, his death anniversary is recognised as Mahaparinirvan Diwas. This day is observed on December 6, every year. Ahead of the Mahaparinirvan Diwas, here are some inspirational quotes by BR Ambedkar that you can share to drive a change.

Mahaparinirvan Diwas Inspiration Quotes-                                                                                            Here are some of the Mahaparinivaran Diwas inspirational quotes: "Educate, Agitate, Organize." – Dr. BR Ambedkar "I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved." – Dr BR Ambedkar. "Cultivate the habit of being content." – Dr BR Ambedkar. "The progress of any society depends on the progress of its weaker sections."– Dr BR Ambedkar. "Law and order are the medicine of the body politic and when the body politic gets sick, medicine must be applied." – Dr BR Ambedkar. "We are Indians, firstly and lastly." – Dr BR Ambedkar. "The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened." – Dr BR Ambedkar. "A great man is different from an eminent one in that he is ready to be the servant of the society." – Dr BR Ambedkar. "The battle for freedom is not the same as the battle for equality." – Dr. BR Ambedkar. "If I find the Constitution being misused, I shall be the first to burn it." – Dr BR Ambedkar.

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Ambedkar-                                                                                                                                      Mahaparinirvan Diwas Long Quotes-                                                                                                          "I like the religion that teaches liberty, equality, and fraternity. It is the religion that gives man the right to think, the right to speak, the right to act according to his understanding, and the right to live a life of dignity and honour. Without it, no man can be truly free or equal, and without it, no society can truly prosper." – Dr BR Ambedkar.

"We must begin by acknowledging that there are two systems of life and society, one that is based on inequality, and the other that is based on justice. I chose the latter, and I firmly believe that the future belongs to those who believe in the ideals of equality and justice." – Dr BR Ambedkar.

"On this day, as we remember my Mahaparinirvan, I urge you all to reflect on the true meaning of liberty, equality, and fraternity. When I crafted the Constitution of India, I did so with the belief that every individual, irrespective of their birth or background, should have the same opportunity to grow, develop, and live a life of dignity. It is through education, social reform, and the fight against discrimination that we can fulfil this vision." – Dr BR Ambedkar.

Mahaparinivan diwas-                                                                                                                                "The progress of any society depends on the progress of its weaker sections. When the weak become strong, the entire society benefits. If we truly wish to change the world, we must work to ensure that everyone, regardless of caste, religion, or gender, is given an equal chance to succeed.” – Dr BR Ambedkar.

"The Constitution is not a mere legal document; it is a tool for social transformation. It is a promise to the people of India that they will be treated with dignity and fairness, irrespective of their social or economic status." – Dr BR Ambedkar.

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Datta Jayanti

Datta Jayanti is celebrated on the full moon day of Margashirsha in the Hindu calendar. Datta Jayanti celebrations in Amalner. This day is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Dattatreya . It is celebrated across the country, and especially in Maharashtra, on the full moon day of the month of Margashirsha (Agrahayana) according to the Hindu calendar (December/January).

Datta Sect-                                                                                                                                                    Datta Jayanti Festival Raipatan (Taluka Rajapur) .Dattatreya continued his work of serving the downtrodden and eradicating suffering and ignorance in society. After him, Shripad Shrivallabh , Shri Narsimha Saraswati and Vasudevananda Saraswati are considered to be his incarnations. Datta's places are in Prayag , and in Maharashtra, in places like Audumbara , Gangapur , Mahur , Narsimhawadi , Kuravpur, and Kardalivan. The famous book Gurucharitra, written on the work of Shri Dattatreya, is read with devotion. 

Deity form-                                                                                                                                                  Dattatreya or Datta was the son of sage Atri and mother Anasuya. Dattatreya, who has three mouths, six arms, two legs, four dogs representing the four Vedas and Kamadhenu (cow mother) near him , is a form of Brahma , Vishnu , and Mahesh. Dattatreya is considered the first guru in Hinduism. Dattatreya traveled around India with the aim of spreading Hinduism . He established his shrines (gadi) in various places and continued his tradition. The birth of Dattatreya is also mentioned in the Ananushka Parva of the Mahabharata.

Gurucharitra Reading Week-                                                                                                                    The important text of the Datta Sampradaya, associated with Lord Dattatreya, is the Shri Gurucharitra . For seven days before Datta Jayanti, devotees of Datta read this Gurucharitra, following strict rules. This reading is performed on Datta Jayanti.

Nature of the festival-                                                                                                                                  Datta Jayanti Festival Kirtan Raipatan Taluka Rajapur. On the day of Datta Jayanti, bhajans and kirtans are performed in the temple of Datta. It is believed that Datta was born in the evening, so the birth kirtan is performed at that time. The temple is illuminated. A procession of Lord Dattatreya is taken out in a palanquin. This festival is organized in various parts of India for a week. Various artists in the field of music and dance come to perform their art in this festival. Special programs are also organized for such events. This festival is celebrated with enthusiasm not only in the city but also in small villages. Food and prasad are arranged for the devotees who come. 

Guruchritra-Author of the book-                                                                                                            Saraswati Gangadhar was a disciple of Shri Narsimha Saraswati and belonged to the fifth generation of Sayandeva. Sayandeva is among the seven major disciples of Narsimha Saraswati. The Gurucharitra gives the genealogy as Sayandeva -> Nagnath -> Devrao -> Gangadhar -> Saraswati Gangadhar. It is reported in the Shri Gurucharitra that Shri Narsimha Saraswati herself ordered Saraswati Gangadhar to write the biography, and this is also traditionally believed in by the Datta Sampradaya. This book is believed to have been composed around 1480 CE. It is found written in this book that the author, Saraswati Gangadhar, was a Brahmin of the Apastamba branch and his surname was Sakhra. The Datta Sampradaya is particularly widespread in Maharashtra and South India , especially in Karnataka .

Original texts and translations-                                                                                                                  This original Marathi verse version of Shri Gurucharitra was translated into Sanskrit almost verbatim by Shri Vasudevananda Saraswati alias Tembeswami in the latter half of the nineteenth century. This Sanskrit Gurucharitra is mostly composed in anushtubh verse. Gurucharitra is considered a worship text of the Datta sect. Saraswati Gangadhar's mother tongue was Kannada. Therefore, some Kannada inscriptions are found in it.

There are many variations in the Marathi Gurucharitra. After a comparative study of the copies of many such texts, an authenticated copy of the Gurucharitra was produced in the twentieth century by Shri. Ramchandra Krishna Kamat. Kamat's copy shows a strong imprint of the Sayandev copy. Kamat's authenticated copy and the Chitrashala copy used by Shri Vamanrao Gulvani in the tradition of Vasudevanand Saraswati are the most popular copies used for the recitation of the Gurucharitra.

Topics in the book-                                                                                                                              Gurucharitra has a total of 52 chapters and 7491 verses. Mangalacharan, Gurubhakti and Guruprasad are the main topics of this book. The special thing about Gurucharitra is that Vedanta and Kriyashunya Bhakti do not have a place here. The position of Guru and the Guru-Shishya relationship are given more importance in Gurucharitra than the person Narasimha Saraswati. Topics like Avtaranika are found in this book. This book is a guide to receiving the grace of Guru, achieving success in worldly and spiritual life. Both Shripad Shrivallabh and Narasimha Saraswati are considered to be incarnations of Dattatreya. Therefore, special descriptions about them are seen in this book.

The book describes various vows, pilgrimages and pilgrimages, and the rules for how a Brahmin should perform them. Along with that, important concepts related to the Datta Sampradaya such as Ashwath, Audumbara, Bhasma etc. are explained in detail in this book, and their importance is explained. The book also provides guidance on how to anoint the body with Bhasma and how to worship Shiva. The book also explains the importance of chastity and hospitality for women. 

Historical context- During the period in which this book was written, Maharashtra was ruled by Adilshahi and Nizamshahi. Therefore, this book discusses the need to establish peace in the society without increasing religious rifts.

Recitation-                                                                                                                                                    The recitation of the book Gurucharitra is considered an important part of the Datta Sampradaya. The recitation period of the book is 7/ 18/ 28/ 34/ 37/ 43/ 51 days. One should take a bath every morning and evening and meditate. For this, one should always use the same seat. The person performing the recitation should eat light and nutritious food. One should meditate on God throughout the day. During the recitation, one should spread a blanket and sleep on the floor. During the recitation, one should maintain purity of body, mind and intellect. After the recitation is over, one should end the recitation by offering food and dakshina to Brahmins and Suvasini.

Research-                                                                                                                                                      The original Sanskrit composition of Gurucharitra is speculated by R.C. Dhere that his disciple Siddha may have composed it in Sanskrit . The original Sanskrit text is no longer available. The currently available Gurucharitra may have been composed in Marathi by Saraswati Gangadhar in 1535 AD. Researcher Dhere speculates that the basis for its composition may have been available at that time. The original Gurucharitra had 51 chapters. Some scholars believe that the Avtarnika chapter was added later. It is believed that the thoughts of both Vedic and non-Vedic traditions have been recorded in this book, but the necessary research has not been done on it yet. 

Prose Guruchari-                                                                                                                                          Many people have converted the verse-based Gurucharitra into prose. One of them is Bal Vamanbhai Panchbhai. In the book 'Shri Gurucharitra - As It Is' written by him, the essence of the stories from all 52 chapters of Guruchari is written in simple Marathi.

Dr. Sitaram Ganesh Desai (Gadgil/Vaidya), who holds M.A.P.H., has narrated the Gurucharitra in prose form in his book 'Bhavarth Gurucharitra'. A total of 52 chapters have been presented in this form of stories. When Namkarni, a devotee of Shri Guru Narasimha Saraswati, went to Gangapur to have darshan of the Guru, Siddha Muni told him about the origin of the universe, the four yugas, Gurubhakti, the Datta avatar of Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, the biography of Shripadvallabh and the glory of the Guru. All of them are given in very simple language.

Then he has given information about Shri Gurucharitra and Shri Datta Sampradaya, the author of Shri Gurucharitra, the differences between various books, the weekly reading method, the benefits of reading, the meaning of Guru Geeta, the Marathi meaning of Kannada verses in Guruchari, Datta Bavani composed by Shri Rangavadhuta Swami, the three Datta Stotras and Karuna Tripadi composed by Shri Vasudevananda Saraswati, Datta Stotra composed by Shri Narada, Guru Ashtak of Shri Shankaracharya, an introduction to Shri Datta Sampradaya, some major Datta Kshetras, etc.

Manuscript versions of Gurucharitra-                                                                                                       According to manuscript scholar V.L. Manjul, the oldest manuscript copy of Gurucharitra is from 1695 AD. This copy has 51 chapters. So far, 100 manuscripts of Gurucharitra have been collected from various institutions. Of these, 32 manuscripts are in the Marathi Manuscript Center, while 15 manuscripts are in the Bharat Itihas Shoshod Mandal . There are about 50 manuscripts in institutions such as Bhandarkar Institute, Vedic Research Board, Deccan College and Tilak Maharashtra University . They include manuscripts such as 52 chapters, fifty-one verses, Laghu Samhita, Gurucharitra Saar and Sanskrit translation.

There is an illustrated manuscript from the collection of Sardar Kibe in the Pragya Pathshala of Wai . It contains a rare colored picture of Datta. However, in this picture, the cow is not drawn behind Datta.