On 26 January 1930, India’s Independence Day was celebrated for the first time. Independence Day was celebrated on 26 January until independence on 15 August 1947. Despite India achieving independence on 15 August, 1947, its laws were still based on the colonial Government of India Act 1935. In order to give importance to the date of declaration of Purna Swaraj on 26 January 1930, the constitution was implemented on 26 January 1950 and 26 January was declared as Republic Day.
On 19 August, 1947, a resolution was moved for the appointment of the Drafting Committee that was responsible to draft a constitution. Dr BR Ambedkar was chosen as its chairman.
On 26 January 1950, India the Constitution of India came into effect, replacing the Government of India Act (1935). By adopting its own Constitution, India became a republic on 26 January. On that day, Dr Rajendra Prasad started his first term as President of India and the Constituent Assembly became the Parliament of India under the transitional provisions of the new Constitution.
This is the primarily known point on 26th January. Now let’s fast forward to the original copy of the constitution of India.
The Constitution of India is a fascinating piece of art also. It is a book which can guide India’s present and ensure India’s future while constantly acknowledging India’s past.
Sure, the Constitution is a document that protects our rights as citizens; but the rarely known fact is that each part of the Constitution begins with artworks that traces India’s 5000-year-old history. The intricate gold pattern on the front and back cover itself is borrowed from the famous Ajanta murals.
The original copy of the Constitution of India was entirely handcrafted by calligraphers and artists at Tagore’s Visva Bharati. It took 5 years to create these elaborate pieces of art. The calligraphy of this handwritten-handmade book is credited to Prem Behari Narain Raizada, illuminated in miniature style by Nandalal Bose and his student from Shantiniketan, a total of 22 illustrations, including Himalaya view, Indian desert scene and views of Indian sea.
The execution of line-drawings and gold-works that bear Nandalal Bose’s signature “Nand” on several pages were beautified by Beohar Rammanohar Sinha, signed either as “Ram” or “Rammanohar”.
The signature of Prem Behari Narain Raizada, signed as “Prem”, can be seen on the calligraphed page on Article 55 of the constitution of India.
The first part of the original document of the Constitution of India starts with a popular Indus Valley seal-mark, the bull. The rarity of this seal has continued to puzzle historians till date, as the humped bull is a recurring theme in many of the ritual and decorative arts of the Saindhav (Indus) region, appearing on painted pottery and as figurines long before the rise of cities and continuing on into later historical times.
The part on citizenship is represented by India’s Vedic Age, illustrated with the painting of a Gurukul.
Part 3, on fundamental rights is depicted by an illustration of Rama, Lakshman, Sita. Incidentally, Interestingly, this image of Ram was used for a verdict (on Ram Janmbhoomi dispute) and the court thus declared Rama to be a constitutional entity.
Part on Directive Principles of State Policy begins with the iconic scene of Arjun and Krishna’s conversation before the war.
The part of the constitution on rules related to the President and Vice President is illuminated with the image of Buddha’s Enlightenment.
Image of Mahavira, depicting a period of huge change in society is rendered in the page after it, that is the part 6.
Great artistic depiction is done again by rendering the image of Nataraja Chola Bronze on pages related to finance (Part 12). The Chola Bronze Nataraja was created as per the instructions of the Shilp Shastras.
Part 13, on trade and commerce within India, is illustrated with Arjuna’s Penance (from Mahabalipuram).
Part 14 of the constitution of India, consisting of Articles on Services Under the Union and the States, is depicted with a scene from Akbar’s court. Part 15 of the constitution of India, about democracy and elections, is illustrated with images of Shivaji and Guru Gobind Singh.
The heroes of the freedom struggle starting with Rani Lakshmibai and Tipu Sultan are depicted in a series of images.
Part 17 of the constitution of India, which is about the official language, is depicted with an image of Mahatma Gandhi’s Dandi March.
Further, Mahatma Gandhi’s tour of Noakhali is illustrated in Part 17 of the constitution of India, which is on emergency provisions.
Subhash Chandra Bose has an artwork dedicated to him in the original Constitution of India that bears a painting of the image of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose leading the military campaigns of his INA against British India.
There is a history of this as well. The world’s longest written Constitution is carefully kept in the library of the Parliament of India. However, on the occasion of the golden jubilee of India’s independence followed by 50 years of the Constitution, the then central government decided to publish 1000 copies of the original Constitution of India (the replica of the Constitution’s manuscript adorned with painting illustrations). The then home minister, L. K. Advani had taken the initiative to print the replica of the original Constitution.
On 05th August, 2020, the then union Law minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad showed the original copy of the constitution book to the people. He showed the pages in the constitution book, consisting of the constitution written in pictorial forms of the gods.
He tweeted “Original document of the Constitution of India has a beautiful sketch of Lord Ram, Mata Sita and Laxman returning to Ayodhya after defeating Ravan. This is available at the beginning of the chapter related to Fundamental Rights. Felt like sharing this with you all.”
