Indian Flag in Python Turtle

Beginner · Flags · 75 lines · draws in about 14 seconds

This program draws the Indian tricolour at its official 3:2 size, with the three bands from one `rectangle()` function and the 24 spokes of the Ashoka Chakra from a loop that turns 15 degrees each time.

Indian Flag in Python Turtle: the finished drawing

import turtle

# The flag is 3 units wide for every 2 units high

WIDTH = 540

HEIGHT = 360

BAND = HEIGHT / 3

SAFFRON = "#FF9933"

GREEN = "#138808"

NAVY = "#000080"

screen = turtle.Screen()

screen.title("Indian Flag")

screen.bgcolor("#dde6ee")

t = turtle.Turtle()

t.speed(7)

def rectangle(x, y, width, height, color):

"""Draw a filled rectangle whose top-left corner is at (x, y)."""

t.penup()

t.goto(x, y)

t.setheading(0)

t.pendown()

t.color(color)

t.begin_fill()

for side in range(2):

t.forward(width)

t.right(90)

t.forward(height)

t.right(90)

t.end_fill()

# Three equal bands: saffron on top, white in the middle, green below

left = -WIDTH / 2

top = HEIGHT / 2

rectangle(left, top, WIDTH, BAND, SAFFRON)

rectangle(left, top - BAND, WIDTH, BAND, "white")

rectangle(left, top - 2 * BAND, WIDTH, BAND, GREEN)

# The Ashoka Chakra: a navy wheel 3/4 as tall as the white band

radius = BAND * 3 / 8

t.color(NAVY)

t.pensize(3)

t.penup()

t.goto(0, -radius)

t.pendown()

t.circle(radius, steps=60)

# 24 spokes from the centre, 360 / 24 = 15 degrees apart

t.pensize(1)

t.penup()

t.goto(0, 0)

t.pendown()

for spoke in range(24):

t.forward(radius)

t.backward(radius)

t.left(15)

# A small dot on the rim between each pair of spokes

t.penup()

t.left(7.5)

for spoke in range(24):

t.forward(radius - 3)

t.dot(4)

t.backward(radius - 3)

t.left(15)

# The hub in the middle

t.dot(radius / 3)

t.hideturtle()

turtle.done()

Open in the editor

How the code works

One function for every band

rectangle() lifts the pen, goes to the top-left corner, then draws right, down, left and up while begin_fill() and end_fill() colour the inside. The flag calls it three times.

def rectangle(x, y, width, height, color):
    """Draw a filled rectangle whose top-left corner is at (x, y)."""
    t.penup()
    t.goto(x, y)
    t.setheading(0)
    t.pendown()
    t.color(color)
    t.begin_fill()
    for side in range(2):
        t.forward(width)
        t.right(90)
        t.forward(height)
        t.right(90)
    t.end_fill()

Three bands, one under the other

The flag is 540 wide and 360 high, so each band is 120 high. Starting at top = HEIGHT / 2 and stepping down one band at a time keeps the whole flag centred on (0, 0).

left = -WIDTH / 2
top = HEIGHT / 2
rectangle(left, top, WIDTH, BAND, SAFFRON)
rectangle(left, top - BAND, WIDTH, BAND, "white")
rectangle(left, top - 2 * BAND, WIDTH, BAND, GREEN)

A wheel with 24 spokes

The chakra is 3/4 as tall as the white band, so its radius is 3/8 of the band. Each spoke goes out from the centre and back, then the turtle turns 15 degrees, because 24 spokes share 360 degrees.

radius = BAND * 3 / 8
t.color(NAVY)
t.pensize(3)
t.penup()
t.goto(0, -radius)
t.pendown()
t.circle(radius, steps=60)

# 24 spokes from the centre, 360 / 24 = 15 degrees apart
t.pensize(1)
t.penup()
t.goto(0, 0)
t.pendown()
for spoke in range(24):
    t.forward(radius)
    t.backward(radius)
    t.left(15)

Dots on the rim and the hub

Turning 7.5 degrees first puts each dot halfway between two spokes. dot() draws a filled circle where the turtle stands, so the hub is one bigger dot back in the middle.

# A small dot on the rim between each pair of spokes
t.penup()
t.left(7.5)
for spoke in range(24):
    t.forward(radius - 3)
    t.dot(4)
    t.backward(radius - 3)
    t.left(15)

# The hub in the middle
t.dot(radius / 3)

Make it yours

Change the code above and press Run. Some ideas:

Change t.speed(7) to t.speed(1) to watch each of the 24 spokes being drawn.
Change WIDTH = 540 and HEIGHT = 360 to 450 and 300 for a smaller flag: the bands and the wheel shrink with it because they are worked out from HEIGHT.
In the spoke loop, change range(24) to range(12) and t.left(15) to t.left(30) to see a wheel with 12 spokes.

What it uses

functions with parameters
begin_fill and end_fill
for loops
circle and dot

Every turtle command the site supports is listed on Python turtle online.