Ashoka all fish and castration of animals during certain periods such as Chaturmasa and Uposatha. Ashoka also abolished the royal hunting of animals and restricted the slaying of animals for food in the royal residence. Because he banned hunting, created many veterinary clinics and eliminated meat eating on many holidays, the Mauryan Empire under Ashoka has been described as "one of the very few instances in world history of a government treating its animals as citizens who are as deserving of its protection as the human residents". The Ashoka Chakra (the wheel of Ashoka) is a depiction of the Dharmachakra (the
Star of India (flag) Blue Ensign was used for military and naval purposes, the Red Ensign was used for representing India in most international events. The Star of India had a sunburst with the words "Heaven's Light Our Guide" around them, and was the badge of the Order of the Star of India, a chivalric order of knighthood. A blue state (government) ensign also existed, and was defaced with a lion holding a Tudor Crown. The Star of India flags were replaced by the Tiranga (Indian Tricolour) after Independence on 15 August 1947 in the independent Dominion of India, and by the Flag of