Name (Chola Puli Kodi) | Adopted 300s BCE | |
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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 dynasty. 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, which was compiled during the 12th century by Sekkizhar.
The Periya Puranam has following mention about Chola flag.
Contemporary derivatives
The Flag of Tamil Eelam was inspired by the Chola flag. 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 Tamil Nadu Kongu Ilaingar Peravai flag depicts the tiger of Tamil Eelam on a green-red background without bayonets and bullets.