Ashoka Chakra
Sign in to saveAlso known as Ashokachakra, Ashok Chakra, Asoka Chakka
Buddhist symbol on the flag of India
Wikidata facts
- Image
- Ashoka Chakra 1.svg
Show 1 more fact
- Commons category
- Ashoka's Dharmacakra
Sources (1)
via Wikidata · CC0
~3 min read
Article
Illustration of the Ashoka Chakra, as depicted on the flag of India. Depiction of a chakravartin, possibly Ashoka, with a 16-spoked wheel (1st century BCE/CE)
The Ashoka Chakra (Transl: Ashoka's wheel) is an Indian symbol which is a depiction of the Dharmachakra. It is called so because it appears on a number of edicts of Ashoka, most prominent among which is the Lion Capital of Ashoka. The most visible use of the Ashoka Chakra today is at the centre of the Flag of India (adopted on 22 July 1947), where it is rendered in a navy blue colour on a white background, replacing the symbol of charkha (spinning wheel) of the pre-independence versions of the flag. It is also shown in the Ashoka Chakra medal, which is the highest award for gallantry in peacetime.