The Flag Code Nobody Follows: How Many Indians Unknowingly Disrespect the Tricolor

It's August 15th morning. Your neighbor proudly puts up the Indian flag on their balcony. The kids in your society are running around with tiny flags, and everyone's feeling patriotic. But wait - is that flag touching the ground? Is it flying alongside another flag? Is it torn at the edges?

If you nodded yes to any of these, you've just witnessed what happens every Independence Day across India. We love our Tricolor, but most of us don't know how to respect it properly.

India has something called the Flag Code of India. Think of it as a rulebook for how to treat our national flag with respect. But here's the thing: hardly anyone knows these rules exist, let alone follows them.

As parents, we teach our kids to stand up during the national anthem and feel proud of their country. But shouldn't we also teach them how to handle the very symbol of that pride?

Let us explore some simple rules that every Indian family should know:

Make it fun for your children. When you buy flags this Independence Day, have them check that they're the right size and quality. Show them how to hold it properly. Explain why we don't let it touch the ground: "Because it represents all of us, and we wouldn't want to be dragged in the dirt, right?"

Here's a simple game: Ask your kids to spot flag mistakes in your neighborhood. Is someone using a flag as a tablecloth? Is a flag touching the ground? Turn it into a learning moment, not a criticism session.

When they see others not following these rules, don't make them judge others harshly. Instead, say, "They love the flag too, they just don't know these rules. Maybe we can share what we learned."

For the little ones, teach them the "flag hug" - hold the flag close to your chest, never let it fall, and always keep it clean and neat.

For older kids, explain why these rules exist. The flag isn't just cloth; it's the symbol of our freedom, our democracy, and our unity.

These aren't just random rules made by boring officials. Each rule has a reason. The flag represents every Indian, from the farmer in Punjab to the fisherman in Kerala. When we treat it carelessly, we're being careless with what connects us all.

The government wants us to display our flag more, but they also want us to do it right.

Here's what you can do with your family this August 15th:

Remember: If you're putting up a flag at home, it should be the highest flag. No other flag or decoration should be above it.

In a world where everything changes quickly, our flag remains constant. It's the same saffron, white, and green that our freedom fighters fought for. The same Ashoka Chakra that represents our values.

When we teach our kids to respect the flag properly, we're not just teaching rules. We're teaching them that some things are sacred, that symbols matter, and that being patriotic means being respectful too.

This Independence Day, let's make a promise. Let's be the generation that finally learns and follows the Flag Code. Let's teach our kids that loving your country isn't just about feeling good, it's about doing good, even in small ways.

Because when a child learns to hold the flag with care, they're learning to hold their country with care too. And that's a lesson worth passing on.

Our Tricolor deserves better than ignorance. It deserves our respect, our care, and our commitment to doing things right. This August 15th, let's give it exactly that.