MADRAS 375 – The home of the first Indian flag

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The flag made of silk, which was part of the museum’s reserve collection, has been on display since Republic Day last year — Photo: R. Ragu / The Hindu
The flag made of silk, which was part of the museum’s reserve collection, has been on display since Republic Day last year — Photo: R. Ragu / The Hindu

The national flag gallery at the Fort Museum, among other exhibits, traces the evolution of the Indian flag

As the nation marks its 67th Independence Day, tucked away in the second floor of the quaint Fort Museum is the first Indian national flag hoisted from Fort St. George.

“The Indian national flag that was hoisted on the morning of 15 August, 1947, at Fort St. George is made of silk and measures eight feet by twelve feet,” said an official.

The flag, which was part of the museum’s reserve collection, has been on display since Republic Day last year, the official said. The response has been very encouraging, he added.

“The flag is an important part of our history and we wanted the public to see it. Several school students and families have visited the museum and this particular gallery,” the official said.

On the morning of August 15, 1947, the then Chief Justice of Madras administered the oath to Archibald Edwards Nye, Governor of Madras, at the Secretariat in Fort St. George — Photo: The Hindu Archives
On the morning of August 15, 1947, the then Chief Justice of Madras administered the oath to Archibald Edwards Nye, Governor of Madras, at the Secretariat in Fort St. George — Photo: The Hindu Archives

The Fort Museum, which comes under the Archaeological Survey of India, has galleries that display arms, medals, portraits and coins, among several other exhibits, primarily from the colonial period.

The national flag gallery and the adjacent freedom fighters gallery, among other exhibits, trace the evolution of the Indian flag and the earliest postal stamps of independent India.

The freedom fighters gallery has a list of over 1,000 freedom fighters, apart from photos and copies of some documents given to the museum by freedom fighters’ families.

“We request families of freedom fighters to come forward and share photos, documents or any information about them so that we can display it at the museum,” the official said.

The period museum has been functioning from what is called the Exchange Building at Fort St. George, since 1948.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai> Madras 375 / by Asha Sridhar / Chennai – August 15th, 2014