Chennai: Google on Thursday, August 15, hoisted its doodle commemorating India's 73rd Independence Day. The doodle, designed by India-born Copenhagen-based artist Shaivalini Kumar, depicts the rich tradition and culture of the nation. It features a 'patchwork' of beautiful motifs from the traditional Indian textiles.
The doodle is a collage of various illustrations which depict the core values, beliefs and strengths associated with our country, according to Shaivalini. The motifs include the Indian parliament, the Royal Bengal tiger which is the national animal of the country, LGBT Pride flag and so on.
The artist said she included the Indian Parliament to depict the robust democracy in India. On its left is the doodle of a satellite to symbolise the success of ISRO's space missions. The Royal Bengal tiger is there not only to signify its status as the national animal but also the strength and courage ingrained in the Indian population. Apart from being a national flower, lotus also signifies purity.
Shaivalini intended to show the growth of infrastructure and economic strength in India by combining auto rickshaw, the local transportation of our nation and the train. In a simplistic yet impressive manner, she did not fail to portray the fact that education has reached the grassroots of India by creating the illustration of hand writing with a chalk on a slate. And the clasped hands, in left corner of the doodle, display the prevalence of unity and compassion among the citizens despite their diverse practices of life such as language, food, culture, and so on.
One of the most significant aspects of the doodle is the illustration of the LGBT flag, apart from the tricolour Indian flag on a kite in the skies, which depicts social progress as part of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code invalidated by the Supreme Court, which led to the decriminalisation of homosexuality. It became a path-breaking judgment in the history of India.
While most of the nation either watched Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisting the tricolour flag on the ramparts of the Red Fort live or on television, Google made its own contribution to get the world celebrate India's glory by unveiling Shaivalini's brilliantly conceptualised doodle on its home page.
