Independence Day: Tricolour flies high in Delhi-NCR

The Capital and its surrounding areas boast of monumental National Flags that instill a sense of patriotism among denizens.

With Independence Day fervour reaching its pinnacle, it is once again the time to witness the historic moment when the Tricolour will be hoisted at the ramparts of the historic Red Fort by the Prime Minister.

And even as the sight of this Tricolour fluttering high and wide in the sky of old Delhi fills one and all with a feeling of immense pride, residents of Delhi-NCR recall their experiences of visiting different places in the region which flaunt the tallest and largest National Flags and inspire patriotism, awe and wonder among the people.

While there are quite a few high mast national flags in the National Capital Region (NCR), the tallest among them is hoisted at a height of 250 feet in Faridabad’s Town Park. Since being put up there in 2015, this symbol of national pride has captivated attention of many city residents. “I often drive past the Town Park and it is such an amazing feeling to witness our Indian Flag fluttering in the wind. I always take a moment to stop my car and salute the flag. It just happens almost naturally every time,” says Devvrat Singh from Faridabad’s Green Field Colony.

When a monumental national flag weighing over 35 kilogram was installed on a 207-foot pole in Central Park, it not only added to the charm of the colonial era buildings in Connaught Place but has also gradually become one of the most recognisable landmarks of the central Delhi area.

READ: Indian tricolour to be hoisted at Niagara falls on August 15

Getting clicked in front of the flag ahead of the upcoming I-day, a group of friend seems ecstatic and jubilant. “Does a visit to CP even considered complete if one hasn’t click a picture here?” says Aaditya Rawal, 19, a resident of Dwarka sector 6.

Ask this group of teenagers as to what they feel while looking at this monumental flag and pat comes the reply, “The josh is high! And it’s not just about the height or the width but the Tricolour is special and it is impossible to not feel patriotic while standing in front of it,” says Amarinder Singh, who’s accompanying Rawal on this trip to central Delhi.

The organisation behind the installation of this monumental flag at a place of prominence in Delhi’s heart, is the Flag Foundation of India. Foundation’s Chief Operating Officer Shahnawaz Khan tells us, “One may have seen the Connaught place flag multiple times but the Goosebumps are always real, a majestic feeling is always there. When you see this flag at the Connaught Place and people clicking photos in front of it, the only thing that is common in all of them is a feeling of oneness as an Indian. So when a person displays a national flag, it is an implicit symbolic gesture saying that the person rises above all other affiliations and is united as an Indian.”

Opening up about the foundation’s journey of having installed many such flags across the India, he adds, “In 2012 it was the Flag Foundation of India which installed the first monumental Tricolour in Kaithal, Haryana. It was hoisted on a flag pole of 207 feet. Later on, flags of similar dimension were also installed by us at many other places including Connaught Place in Delhi. Between 2012 and 2020, we have installed about 80 such flags across India. However, it’s not the height but the sustainability of the flag which is most important for us and after the installation of the flag at Connaught Place, we have made it a point to keep the height of all our monumental flags in the country at around 100 feet.”

At Greater Noida’s India Expo Mart too, there is another beautiful National Flag hoisted at the height of 163 feet. The massive flag can be seen while driving on the Noida-Greater Noida expressway and is visible from different colleges in the surrounding areas of Knowledge Park. City resident Abhishek Sharma, recalls attending the ceremony in which it was installed on the morning of Independence Day in 2017.

“I haven’t witnessed anything so euphoric. There was a band performing and it required over a dozen people to hold the flag while it was being hoisted. It easily took over five minutes for the flag to reach its height on the pole and the sight of it fluttering was truly a mesmerizing one,” he says, adding that every now and then he keeps crossing the area and can’t resist being in awe with its beautiful, massive appearance.

So how easy or difficult it is to maintain a flag of this proportion and what all measures are taken for installing one such monumental flag? “The Expo Mart hosts many national and international events throughout the year including Auto Expo where over 7 lakh people visited our establishment. During every exhibition and event, this flag is often the centre of attraction where most people prefer to click pictures and moreover it shows our dedication and commitment towards the nation. It is a matter of pride for us and of course it instills a feeling of patriotism among all,” says Chairman of India Expo Mart Greater Noida, Rakesh Kumar, adding, “We are maintaining it on a regular basis. Many heads of the state as well as the Indian Prime Minister of India, have visited our complex several times for different events. So, we are extremely glad to have our Indian Flag flying high on a height over 160 feet for everyone to see. We have a hydraulic system at place, through which the flag is hoisted at that height. So there is certainly no issue with maintenance or keeping it stable at that height.”

Author tweets @kediashish

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