Sister Nivedita: An avant-garde Flag Designer

This paper will illustrate the unique contribution of Sister Nivedita, who not only propagated the importance of the need of a National flag for India - her adopted country, but also introduced a National flag envisioned by her way back in 1904-5. She was an independent thinker far ahead of her time – an avant-garde flag designer. Her contribution was as unique as her own life story.

In the late 19^th century, when the national leaders in India became passionately infused with the spirit of reasserting the country’s independence, they felt the need for a distinctive national symbol for India. Sister Nivedita became most proactive when the question of the invention of a national flag for India began to be discussed in the press. Nivedita advanced her theory for the Vajra as the National flag for India in an illustrated article - ‘The Vajra as a National Flag’ published in the ‘Modern Review for November,1909’. 

She wrote: “Those who contemplate the desirability of such a symbol, however, seem to be unaware that already a great many people have taken up, and are using, the ancient Indian Vajra or Thunderbolt, in this way. When we look at all that a national banner means, we see the utter impossibility of manufacturing or devising such an emblem.”

It was, one of the first articles in printed form on the subject which delved into the question of the invention of a flag for India.

Yes, it was she who first realised and then relentlessly propagated the need for a pan-Indian national flag during the period that Rajani Palme Dutt termed as the first great wave of national resurgence.

Sister Nivedita had a universal mindset. Ole Bull (1810-1880) the famous violinist and composer was caught up in a rising tide of Norwegian romantic nationalism, and acclaimed the idea of Norway as a sovereign state, separate from Sweden—which became a reality in 1905. Bull had played an important role when the pure ‘red-white-blue’ State flag was hoisted on all Norwegian fortresses on June 9^th 1905. On the occasion of unveiling of a statue of Ole Bull, it was Sister Nivedita who drafted the speech for Ms. Sara Bull on April 4, 1901, praising the “Colours of Freedom” of the Norwegian Flag. 

Women Flag Makers vis-à-vis Flag Inventors

When we see a flag we generally wonder about its design, colour and graphics. Rarely do we think how the design first came about in flag form – who first translated the design onto a piece of cloth.

Surely, the process had to involve very skilled persons adept at needlepoint. Only someone who is very meticulous, can translate a virtual concept into a physical form. Fascinating stories of women flag makers weaving, stitching, embroidering, appliquéing pieces of cloths to turn them into national pride - their national flags, abound flag history. It is no surprise that the adage ‘behind every successful flag design there was a woman’ is so apt. But for Nivedita she was not behind anyone, she was the front-runner.

 The name and fame of most of the women flag makers remained within the ambit of celebrity seamstresses - ‘the first’ – to transfer ‘flag designs’- into real flags. They are not necessarily Flag inventors or designers.

Many of these splendid women flag-makers have been immortalized in postage stamps, banknotes, paintings, statues and on various other myriad objects. Many of them, the awe-inspiring ladies have been promoted as patriotic role models for young generations in their respective countries. 

In India, however, the fact of the matter is Nivedita’s contribution as first flag designer (not just flag maker) was not known amongst vast majority of people. Prof. Suniti Kumar Chatterji in an article published in the Modern Review for June 1931 had mentioned very briefly about Nivedita’s suggestion in which the Thunderbolt and the Lotus were included, to symbolise the spiritual aspirations of India. Prof.Chatterji wrote the article in response to the questionnaire issued by Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramayya, the Convener of the Flag Committee of the Congress on 23 April,1931. It was perhaps, after the release of Pravrajika Atmaprana’s book “Sister Nivedita” in 1961, that the glimpses of Nivedita’s flag first appeared. The late Sankari Prasad Basu, scholar, writer, researcher and critic in a series of articles “Nivedita O Jatiya Andolan Prasongey’ published in instalments in Bengali weekly ‘Desh’ in 1980s, lamented that none of the so-called great historians in India, not even in Publications Division’s booklet “Our Flag” first published in January 1950, cared to acknowledge or give Nivedita her due credit. I felt honoured that Sankari Prasad Basu very kindly mentioned my name in his book “Nivedita Lokmata” (vol 2, page 156) about my initiative in recording Nivedita’s contribution in the World body of Flag Research, USA. Good news is this that off-late there have been several books published on Indian flag which have dedicated chapters on Nivedita’s flag, this includes Publications Division’s “Our National Flag”,1991 penned by my friend the Late Lt. Cdr. KV Singh.  

  I have already mentioned Sister Nivedita played a pivotal role in organising the anti-partition movement of 1905 and plunged into the Swadeshi movement. She devised a distinctive pan-Indian National Flag to rally around. “India appears to be waking up in these days…. The people are feeling their power. I think Curzon has broken the British Empire” - wrote Nivedita on 13 Sept. 1905.

Sister Nivedita conceived the idea of the Vajra flag during a visit to Bodh Gaya her third in 1904, in the company of Jagadish Chandra Bose, Rabindranath Tagore, Jadunath Sarkar, Swami Sankarananda and Mathuranath Sinha. The idea of the national emblem was inspired by the ancient symbol of the Vajra - a symbol of Buddha that implies ‘The Selfless Man’. It was the weapon of Lord Indra. The thunderbolt is the symbol of renunciation and service. According to legend, Vajra was created from the bones of Rishi Dadhichi. It is a symbol of supreme sacrifice. Vajra is also associated with Goddess Durga.

 On 1 December 1904 in a letter written to Miss MacLeod, Nivedita mentioned her preference of “thunderbolt” as our National symbol. In a second letter dated February 5, 1905 she wrote to Miss MacLeod: “We have chosen a design for a National Flag – the Thunderbolt – and have already made one. Unfortunately, I took the Chinese war-flag as my ideal, and made it black on red. This does not appeal to India, so the next is to be yellow on scarlet”.

The final design of the flag adorned the symbol of the Vajra placed in between the words ‘Bande’ and ‘Mataram’ in Bengali with ‘108 jyotis or flames’ embroidered along the outer periphery.

The number 108 is considered to be most auspicious for both Hindus and Buddhists. “108” is a perfect three-digit multiple of three, its components adding up to nine, which is the sum of triple threes. Three is Trinity that represents supreme balance in the form of creation, maintenance and destruction or transformation. The traditional japa-malas or prayer-beads have 108 beads that are used to count the repetitions of prayers, chants or devotions. The song Bande-Mataram meaning ‘Hail to the Mother’ was composed in 1876 by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and incorporated in his novel ‘Ananda Math’ (Abode of Bliss) in 1882.

During the anti-partition movement in Bengal, “Bande Mataram” also spelled as “Vande Mataram” became the ‘war cry’ of national resurgence.

The Vajra flag was embroidered by her pupils.

Nivedita’s Vajra flag was publicly displayed in the Calcutta Congress Exhibition in December 1906.

The Flag is now preserved in the Acharya Bhavan Museum, Kolkata, the erstwhile residence of Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose. In spite of efforts of the museum administration to maintain the Flag in apple-pie order, the vagaries of climate had taken its toll on the century old silk satin flag.

 In 2014 the original flag was sent to INTACH laboratory for conservation and restoration.

   

The flag made of pure Indian silk measuring 3’6” x 3’6”, has been restored recently in 2015. It is now back in its place of pride in the Acharya Bhavan Museum of Sir J. C. Bose Trust, Kolkata

Nivedita’s flag and the subsequent other two flags with inscriptions ‘Bande Mataram’ did not find much support and ultimately relegated to history.

References:

The Modern Review for November 1909

The Modern Review for June 1931

Our Flag, Publications Division, January 1950

Sister Nivedita, Pravrajika Atmaprana, 1961

Desh, 30 October 1982.

Nivedita Lokmata. Sankari Prasad Basu, Ananda Publishers, 1987

Our National Flag, Lt. Cdr. KV Singh, Publications Division,1991

The National Flag unfurled through Philately, Sekhar Chakrabarti, Niyogi Books, 2012.

Proceedings of 26^th International Congress of Vexillology, Sydney, 2015.

Des Femmes et Des Drapeaux, by Patrice de La Condamine. 2017, (Women and Flags, 27th Int. Congress of Vexillology, London).