On September 2, 2022, Indian navy left behind its colonial legacy and honored the legacy of one of the greatest kings and the father of Indian navy Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. On this day Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi unveiled a new naval ensign with the national flag or the Tiranga on the upper corner and the blue octagonal shape encompassing the national emblem sitting on top of an anchor and superimposed on the shield is the navy’s motto “Sham No Varunah”. The octagonal shape draws its inspiration from the seal of the great Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj whose vision and warfare techniques established one of the best naval fleets in the world.
India’s Maritime Heritage
India’s maritime history dates back centuries where the earliest references to maritime activities are contained in the Rig Veda. There is plenty of evidence contained and derived from the art, literature, archaeology and paintings of India’s naval might back in those days. The people of Indus Valley Civilization had maritime trade link with Mesopotamia. There are ample evidence which indicate the same found after the excavation of Mohenjo Daro and Harappan city of Lothal.
Vedic literature has numerous references to boats, ships, vessels and maritime voyages. Rig Veda is the oldest reference so far which indicates to the evidences. It also refers to Varuna, the god of the oceans, and credits him with the knowledge of the sea routes used by the ships. The Puranas also contain several stories of sea voyages. The Indian epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata also contain references to the sea and sea routes. Chanakya also wrote the Arthashastra which clearly indicated to the naval presence during the time.
The age of Nandas and Mauryas saw extensive maritime trading activities which resulted in the spread of India’s culture and beliefs around the world. Ashoka the great is said to have spread Buddhism around the world by the means of sea routes during his reign. The Cholas who reigned from 9th to the 13th century had the strongest navy at the time who sent expeditions to various countries and diplomatic missions to countries like China.
This strong naval presence of India can also be credited to its geographical location and its long coastline. India is a peninsula which is surrounded by water from three sides covering a total length of 7,516 kilometers.
The Father Of Indian Navy
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is also known as the father of the Indian navy because it was for the first time in the history that India’s navy was not only used for sailing around the world, for importing and exporting purposes but also used for defending the coastlines from foreign invaders.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at a very young age understood the importance of having a strong navy. This was because of the increased presence of many foreign naval fleets such as the presence of the British naval fleet, the Portugal naval fleet and the French naval fleet.
Unlike other Indian empires Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s naval fleet had cannons, guns and many other modern equipment’s attached to its ships and boats which were then used to defend Indian coastlines and take the enemy’s ships down. Under the Marathas there were more than 500 ships and approximately 5000 men. But after the unfortunate death of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1680 the naval might of Marathas was deteriorating and soon was crushed by the foreign aggression.
Leaving Behind The Colonial Past
Until now India’s naval flag bourn a sign of our colonial past in the form of Saint George’s cross which was dropped on 2nd September 2022 for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s seal on the naval flag besides our national flag. Under Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government in 2001 the naval flag did go through a change when the Saint George’s cross was dropped and national emblem sitting on top of an anchor was imbedded on the naval flag. But again in 2004 under the Congress government the naval flag bearing Saint George’s cross was raised. But today, on September 2, 2022, we again are moving forward from our past of colonialism and slavery and raising a new flag while also honoring the great past India had.