At launch of latest book, T.M. Krishna talks on changing meanings of national symbols

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Carnatic vocalist T.M. Krishna in conversation with historian A.R. Venkatachalapathy at the motorboat  lawsuit   for the former’s book in Chennai on Tuesday.

Carnatic vocalist T.M. Krishna in conversation with historian A.R. Venkatachalapathy at the motorboat lawsuit for the former’s book in Chennai on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM

Can the meaning of nationalist symbols change? Or tin 1 impute caller meanings to aged symbols? Who really designed the nationalist flag? These were among the questions that came to the fore astatine an intellectually affluent treatment betwixt instrumentalist and writer T.M. Krishna and historiographer A.R. Venkatachalapathy astatine the merchandise of Mr. Krishna’s latest book, We, the People of India: Decoding a Nation’s Symbols, astatine The Music Academy successful Chennai connected Tuesday.

To Mr. Venkatachalapathy’s pointed question connected wherefore the meaning of symbols shouldn’t change, Mr. Krishna said helium had nary objection to it, and caller meaning was going to hap anyway. Referring to however the Ashoka Pillar was chosen arsenic a symbol, helium said Sarnath was the determination of the archetypal sermon of the Buddha, and that’s wherever the pillar was constructed. “So its meaning determination is wholly different. It symbolises the Dharmachakra Pravartanaya. The ruling of the Dharmachakra is what it fundamentally represents.”

Referring to the infinitesimal it became an Indian symbol, Mr. Krishna said: “There is simply a complexity determination due to the fact that you are bringing it to beryllium a State symbol. Now, instantly determination is simply a powerfulness displacement that we cannot disregard the infinitesimal thing is fixed that status, truthful determination is simply a caller meaning. The caller meaning is successful a caller era, successful a caller sentiment, a caller leader, truthful meanings are going to change.”

When asked astir what triggered him to writer his latest work, Mr. Krishna said that by 2019, helium was rather profoundly moved by the nationalist anthem and was wondering astir his narration with the song, not conscionable with the anthem. Recalling what helium termed an “accidental statement” made during 1 of his talks, calling the nationalist anthem a “protest song”, Mr. Krishna said that was the trigger. “I deliberation that was the archetypal clip I felt that I indispensable look astatine symbols, due to the fact that I deliberation determination we failed to look astatine the powerfulness of these symbols, what they mean to america today, and wherefore we person chosen them.”

While examining humanities materials, Mr. Krishna said determination was not overmuch worldly connected the nationalist emblem and the nationalist motto. Since determination was nary worldly connected it, the writer chose to record RTI applications and the replies were “not bully enough”. Sharing his thought of a symbol, Mr. Krishna said: “I deliberation the Citizenship (Amendment) Act protestation became a symbol, due to the fact that it abruptly became a awesome of sovereignty, a awesome of protest, of resistance, of taking ownership, successful a way, of the Constitution.”

To Mr. Venkatachalapathy’s query connected whether the writer came crossed thing that destabilised existing communal perceptions, Mr. Krishna said determination was a communal content that precocious state combatant Pingali Venkayya designed the nationalist emblem and commented: “I’m going to precise confidently accidental helium did not.”

And determination were aggregate reasons for that, helium said. “Gandhi himself says it 4 times successful his life: I created the flag, I invented the flag, erstwhile I conceived the flag. He keeps saying that I americium the 1 who created the flag, truthful it is precise clear,” helium added.

Published - March 11, 2026 12:16 americium IST

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