Flag of Chola

Chola Flag
Name (Chola Puli Kodi)
Adopted 300s BCE
Design However, there is no reference or description about the Chola flag. Therefore, any Chola flags used in media are created for the purpose of illustration.

The Flag of Chola (Tamil: சோழர் கொடி) or Tiger Flag (Tamil: புலி கொடி) was used by the Tamil Chola Empire. The Tiger or Jumping Tiger was the royal emblem of the Cholas and was depicted on coins, seals and banners. On the coins of Uttama Chola, the Chola Tiger was shown sitting between the twin fish of Pandya and the bow of Chera. The flag of Chola is mentioned in Periya Puranam,[1] which was compiled during the 12th century by Sekkizhar.[2]

The Periya Puranam has following mention about Chola flag.[1]

“ பாட்டியற் றமிழுரை பயின்ற வெல்லையுட்

கோட்டுயர் பனிவரைக் குன்றி னுச்சியிற்
சூட்டிய வளர்புலிச் சோழர் காவிரி
நாட்டியல் பதனையா னவில லுற்றனன்.
- பெரியபுராணம்

 ”

Contemporary derivatives

Tiger flag of Tamil Eelam created by the LTTE on 1977
Flag of Tamilnadu Kongu Ilaingar Peravai

The Flag of Tamil Eelam was inspired by the Chola flag.[3] It depicts the Chola tiger jumping through a circle of bullets, with crossed black bayonets on a red background. The nationalist Tamil party Naam Tamilar Katchi uses a similar tiger flag without the bayonets, bullets and front paws. The Tamilnadu Kongu Ilaingar Peravai flag depicts the tiger of Tamil Eelam on a green-red background without bayonets and bullets.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sekkizhar: “Chola of Cauvery country
  2. ↑ Glimpses of life in 12th century South India
  3. ↑ Daya Somasundaram (11.02.2014) Scarred Communities: Psychosocial Impact of Man-made and Natural Disasters on Sri Lankan Society, SAGE Publications India, p. 73.