The Jaffna Kingdom Flag: Symbolism, Heritage, and the Struggle Against Erasure of Tamil Identity

Introduction

The ancient flag of the Jaffna Kingdom is not just a relic of history; it is a living symbol that encapsulates the sovereignty, cultural richness, and religious devotion of the Tamil people in northern Sri Lanka. More than mere cloth and insignia, this flag represents centuries of continuity, self-determination, and spiritual values-a collective memory and identity marker for Tamils both on the island and across the diaspora. In recent decades, and especially in post-independence Sri Lanka, the replacement or suppression of the Jaffna Kingdom’s flag has been bound up with broader projects of cultural marginalization, ethnic homogenization, and state-led narratives that exclude or overwrite Tamil contributions and historical legitimacy.

This report marshals historical evidence, legal and cultural analysis, and international heritage frameworks to argue that sidelining the Jaffna Kingdom’s ancient flag amounts to an erasure of Tamil identity-an act interpretable as cultural, and even ethnic, genocide. It makes the case for urgent advocacy: that Tamil communities, in Sri Lanka and worldwide, must demand the reinstatement of the original Jaffna Kingdom flag as a public emblem of historical justice and cultural flourishing, and must reject modern flags or symbols imposed in its stead.

Historical Origins of the Jaffna Kingdom Flag

Ancient Roots and Dynastic Emblems

The Jaffna Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of Aryacakravarti, was established in the thirteenth century and flourished in northern Sri Lanka until the Portuguese conquest in 1619¹. Its history, however, is rooted much deeper: archaeological and epigraphic evidence points to an organized Tamil polity in the northern peninsula since the Sangam period (3rd century BCE-4th century CE), as attested by Brahmi inscriptions, coin finds, and literary sources.

The royal flag, known as the Nandi Kodi, emerges synchronously with the consolidation of the Aryacakravarti dynasty by the mid-1200s. Its iconography-comprising a couchant bull (Nandi), crescent moon enclosing the sun, parasol, and sacred conch-signals both the kingdom’s Hindu lineage and its deep connections to pan-Tamil and South Indian traditions ². The flag was not just a battlefield standard but a public, ceremonial, and spiritual emblem confirmed in coins, inscriptions, and court chronicles³⁴.

Political Context and Foreign Relations

The Aryacakravarti rulers of Jaffna claimed descent variously from mytho-historical Pandyan, Chola, and Eastern Ganga dynasties, and styled themselves as Setukavalan-custodians of the Rameswaram temple (Setu) and the symbolic bridge between Tamilakam (southern India) and Eelam (Sri Lanka)⁴. Thus, the Jaffna flag’s motifs reference not only localized sovereignty but also transregional Hindu and Tamil identity, invoking the support of deities and the legitimacy of pan-Tamil kingship.

During its apex (13th-15th centuries), the kingdom retained commercial and political alliances with Thanjavur, the Eastern Ganga dynasty, and Kandyan polities, as reflected in common heraldic symbols and shared religious festivals²⁵. Its cultural efflorescence saw the construction of temples, the flourishing of Tamil-Sanskrit scholarship, and the minting of Setu coins each bearing Nandi and other flag symbols.

Symbolism of the Jaffna Kingdom Flag

The Jaffna Kingdom’s royal banner is a sophisticated tapestry of iconography, each symbol charged with sacred, political, and ethnic meaning.

Table: Key Features of the Jaffna Kingdom Flag and Their Meanings

Symbol/Feature	Iconography & Description	Meaning in Tamil, Hindu, and Royal Contexts
Nandi (Bull)	Sacred, couchant bull facing left	Embodiment of Dharma, guardianship, steadfastness, Saivite devotion; emblem of Tamil kingship and Shaivism⁶
Crescent Moon & Sun	Crescent enclosing golden sun	Cycle of time, immortality, cosmic order (Chandra/Surya); continuity of Tamil civilization⁷
White Parasol	Parasol with gold tassels/pearls	Royalty, divine protection, sovereignty; authority over land and people⁴
Sacred Conch Shell	Conch shell, spiral open to right	Ritual power, victory, sound of Dharma; sovereignty, sacred kingship⁴
Saffron Field	Field of deep saffron or yellow	Purity, sacrifice, spiritual ascendance; Tamil martial pride
Legend “Cetu”	“Cetu” inscribed in Tamil on banner	Reference to Rama’s Setu, linkage to Rameswaram, divine origin myth and Aryacakravarti title⁴
Tulasi Garland	Floral garland sometimes borders arms	Purity, auspiciousness, devotion in Vedic/Hindu ritual

Each of these features carries an additional layer of resonance for Tamils, making the flag not only a political statement but a compendium of civilizational pride, martial resilience, and religious identity.

Nandi: The Sacred Bull of Shaivism and Tamil Kingship

The Nandi is central-iconographically and spiritually. In Hindu tradition, Nandi is the vahana (mount and guardian) of Shiva, the supreme deity in Saivism, which was and remains the principal religious tradition among Northern Tamils⁸. The bull stands for righteousness (dharma), fidelity, protection, and inner strength. By placing Nandi at the heart of their flag, the Jaffna kings united their political authority with the patronage of Shiva and signaled their role as custodians of the Tamil-Saivite order.

Nandi has served as the emblem of Tamil Shaiva monarchs since the Pallava dynasty, and is prominent in the flags of many South Indian rulers². Hindu myth credits Rama with granting Nandi and the parasol to the progenitors of the Aryacakravarti, reinforcing the divine sanction for the Jaffna flag⁴.

Crescent Moon and Sun: Eternity, Cyclicality, and Sovereignty

The crescent enclosing the golden sun, placed above Nandi, conveys layers of meaning. In Tamil culture and Hinduism, the moon represents regeneration and tranquility, while the sun stands for life and sovereignty. Their union-especially with the moon encircling the sun-is a symbol of eternity, the constant renewal of royal and spiritual order, and the non-diminishing presence of Saivite truth⁷. This motif echoes similar usages among dynasties such as the Cholas and Eastern Gangas, underscoring deep-rooted cultural links across Tamilakam and Eelam⁹.

Parasol and Conch Shell: Kingship, Protection, and Ritual Purity

The white parasol with golden tassels and pearls is a traditional sign of royalty in South Asian courts, signaling the king’s sheltering authority over subject peoples and proximity to the gods⁴. In Hindu iconography, it denotes honor, auspiciousness, and the direct grant of divine kingship.

The sacred conch shell, spiral opening to the right, embodies ritual power, victory, and the sound that marks the beginning of cosmic and martial undertakings. Its presence above Nandi and below the parasol evokes the king’s task as upholder of both dharma and Tamil cultural continuity⁴.

Colors, Legends, and Ritual Use

The saffron or yellow field affirms the flag’s martial and spiritual purity, connecting the kingdom’s authority with the color associated with Saivism, asceticism, and the warrior ethos. The inscription “Cetu” is a mark of political and mythological aspiration, linking the Aryacakravarti dynasty to Rama’s Setu (Adam’s Bridge), the bridge of legend connecting Tamil India to Sri Lanka⁴.

Comparative Analysis: Jaffna and Eastern Ganga Dynasty Flags

The parallels between the Jaffna flag and those of the Eastern Ganga dynasty in Kalinga (Odisha), and related South Indian dynasties, are well-documented²⁵. The bull, crescent, sun, conch, and parasol recur as emblems of both dynastic legitimacy and continuity of Tamil civilization from India to Eelam.

Historical treatises note that Setu coins of the Aryacakravarti kings, as well as Ganga fanams, bear strikingly similar motifs-attesting to cross-Bay maritime, religious, and political linkages³. These icons occur not merely as ornamental devices but as visual constitutions of a shared cultural imagination, confirming the Jaffna flag’s ancientness, legitimacy, and international heritage value.

Surviving Depictions: Coins, Inscriptions, and Art

The survival of the Jaffna flag and its symbols in tangible forms is well-attested. Copper coins minted by the Aryacakravarti bear the couchant bull, crescent, sun, and conch, serving as both currency and portable standards of Tamil statehood³. Inscriptions from royal courts refer to the flag’s elements, and courtly documents, armorial crests, and coats of arms reproduce the Nandi, parasol, and other symbols in official seals and emblems⁴.

Further, bardic traditions, palm-leaf manuscripts, and temple art across Jaffna and Southern India preserve artistic representations of the flag, often woven into narratives of divine kingship and Tamil resistance against foreign incursions¹⁰.

Legal, Political, and Cultural Status of the Jaffna Kingdom Flag

Historical Suppression and Colonial Erasure

The systematic suppression of the ancient Jaffna flag began with the Portuguese conquest. Following their victory in 1619, the Portuguese destroyed nearly every Hindu temple, including the Saraswathy Mahal library, and targeted all symbols of Tamil sovereignty-including the royal flag itself¹. Successive colonial regimes (Dutch, British) maintained this erasure, substituting their own banners, symbols, and administrative devices, and re-casting the Tamil territory as a colonial periphery¹¹.

After independence, the state-sanctioned flag of Sri Lanka (lion flag) was hoisted in Jaffna, while Tamil banners, including the Nandi flag, were systematically demoted, marginalized, or even criminalized in some public settings¹².

Revival Movements and Cultural Resistance

Recent decades have seen attempts to revive the Jaffna flag as a symbol of Tamil self-respect and resistance. Activists such as Sinnadurai Dhanapalaa have led campaigns to raise the Nandi flag at temples, festivals, and cultural events in both Sri Lanka and diaspora settings, emphasizing its non-sectarian, cultural, and unifying meanings⁶. The re-adoption of the flag by the Jaffna Royal Family in 2005-affirmed by local historians-signaled a new effort to restore it as an official symbol of Tamil heritage⁴.

Revival efforts are often entwined with broader campaigns to reclaim Tamil space, language, and commemorative sites that have been under threat from the state, Sinhala nationalist actors, and international indifference¹¹.

Modern Replacement Flags and Controversies

In place of the ancient flag, various new banners have been promoted in Jaffna and the wider North-East, including the Sri Lankan national flag and (at times) flags associated with state-backed institutions or external parties (e.g., India-sponsored cultural centers)¹². Tamil activists have objected, pointing out that such substitutions not only marginalize authentic Tamil heritage but also perpetuate the erasure of historical memory and collective rights.

Relevant here are recent protests over top-down name changes (e.g., Jaffna Cultural Centre replaced with Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre), igniting outrage as acts of erasure and imposition by outside authorities. Likewise, the use of black flags and other forms of visible protest on Sri Lankan Independence Day dramatizes the ongoing refusal of the lion flag by Tamils as a marker of their contemporary political subjugation and cultural exclusion¹³.

The Jaffna Flag and the Question of Tamil Identity

Centrality to Tamil Heritage and Nationhood

The Jaffna Kingdom flag is not simply a badge of a lost monarchy. It is a meta-symbol, a condensation of centuries of collective experience-political, religious, and aesthetic. For Tamils, its restoration is the restoration of memory, dignity, and historical legitimacy.

With Nandi as its central symbol, the flag encapsulates the Saivite Hindu faith that has defined Tamil social and spiritual life for millennia. Its recurring invocation at major festivals, rituals, and in daily prayer cycles weaves the flag into the very texture of Tamil culture, making its suppression a violent breach of communal continuity⁸.

The Flag as a Site of Collective Trauma and Resistance

The denial, denigration, or replacement of the Jaffna flag and its associated heritage is inseparably linked with other forms of cultural genocide: the destruction of temples and libraries, the criminalization and surveillance of Tamil commemorative activities, and the elimination or rewriting of public spaces-e.g., through Sinhalization, land grabs, and forced settlement schemes¹¹¹⁴.

Across Tamil Eelam, as well as in diaspora memorialization, the flag serves as a rallying point for political and cultural mobilization against state-led and international policies that marginalize or deny Tamil nationhood. It is, in other words, both a record of suffering and an instrument of resistance.

Flag Erasure as Ethnic and Cultural Genocide

Definitions and Frameworks

From the standpoint of international law and cultural studies, the term “genocide” extends beyond physical destruction to include acts intended to destroy the collective identity and culture of a group-so-called "cultural genocide"¹⁵. The destruction or modification of symbols, monuments, languages, and rituals can have as much impact on group survival as demographic violence.

Legal authorities (Hague Convention, UNESCO conventions, Geneva Conventions) and scholarly analyses increasingly recognize that attacks on cultural symbols-especially those central to a group’s collective memory and identity-constitute international crimes, and warrant redress and prevention¹⁶.

Flag Suppression in Tamil Eelam: Evidence of Deliberate Erasure

In the context of Sri Lanka, the removal and replacement of the Jaffna Kingdom flag have been coordinated with decades of policy intent on subordinating, compartmentalizing, or denying Tamil identity¹⁷¹⁸. This takes shape through:

· Destruction or transformation of Tamil monuments, flags, and toponyms.

· Imposition of state or majority flags and symbols in the North-East.

· Suppression or criminalization of public displays of Tamil banners in schools, temples, or civic spaces.

· Silencing of rituals, festivals, commemorations, and even digital representations of the ancient flag.

· Demolition and “peace monument” replacement of memorials to purportedly unify or erase painful histories.

Each act has been experienced by Tamils as a denial of their historical presence, political aspirations, and right to memory-a process well-documented in survivor testimonies, activist writings, and international human rights advocacy.

Consequences and the Ongoing Struggle

The results of these policies are alienation, demoralization, and cultural atrophy among Tamils in Jaffna and the wider diaspora. Replacement flags-with or without state coercion-function as signals of defeat and exclusion. Public spaces and collective celebrations are emptied of authentic warmth and belonging. Only small, often clandestine, acts of flag revival-at funerals, in diaspora protests, at online gatherings-bear witness to a living, but embattled, sense of Tamil identity.

International Law on Cultural Heritage and Flag Protection

Legal Standards and Precedent

International cultural heritage law, rooted in conventions such as the 1954 Hague Convention, 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention, and protocols of the Geneva Conventions, upholds the protection of the monuments, emblems, and intangible practices that constitute the heritage of peoples¹⁹¹⁶. Such treaties obligate states to respect and protect the cultural property of all communities, especially in situations of conflict or occupation.

The intentional destruction, alteration, or “peaceful” erasure of community symbols-such as flags-can be prosecuted as war crimes or cultural genocide under the Rome Statute of the ICC and relevant national and international law.

Further, international doctrine has developed to protect rights to language, symbols, and ritual practice as aspects of indigenous and minority group rights (see UN declarations on the rights of indigenous peoples and minorities). Tamils’ right to their ancient flag and its public display is therefore a matter of international concern, not simply an internal or ornamental issue.

Contemporary Movements: Advocacy, Diaspora, and Digital Resistance

Tamil Community Responses and Diaspora Mobilization

Across the Tamil world, the flag continues to inspire campaigns of remembrance and resistance. In the North-East, local activists, students, and bereaved families use the ancient and Nandi flags as visible statements of refusal to assimilate or forget¹⁴. Black flag protests and commemorative rituals mark both historic defeats and moments of hope, dramatizing the non-acceptance of state narratives.

In the diaspora-in Canada, the UK, Australia, Switzerland, South Africa, and beyond-Tamil organizations have flown the Nandi flag at festivals, memorials, political rallies, and even international forums such as the United Nations. These acts are supported by digital campaigns, online petitions, and social media awareness projects aiming to educate global audiences about the stakes of flag erasure⁶²⁰.

Community-led projects also include educational events highlighting the symbolism and history of the flag, urging new generations to internalize its significance amid changing cultural and political landscapes²¹.

Digital Activism and Social Media Deterritorization

Social media has played a critical role in disrupting state-imposed narratives and circulating images, explanations, and stories about the Jaffna Kingdom flag¹¹. Twitter hashtags, YouTube documentaries, and Instagram campaigns ensure that the flag’s absence from the public spaces of Jaffna is only partial-a “digital palimpsest” where memory survives, even when local authorities attempt erasure.

Such digital activism also networks translocal and transgenerational Tamils, encouraging the study, display, and defense of the Jaffna flag from the most grassroots to the most official settings.

Advocacy Strategies for Flag Reinstatement

Given the ongoing danger of heritage erasure, the Tamil community-at home and worldwide-must escalate campaigns to reclaim the Jaffna flag and resist all forms of replacement or marginalization.

Recommended Actions

· Public Reinstatement: Lobby local, religious, and educational authorities to restore the Nandi flag as the emblem flown in temples, schools, councils, and public spaces throughout the Tamil homeland.

· Legal Pressure: Utilize international legal instruments (UNESCO, ICOMOS, Hague) to demand state adherence to cultural heritage standards protecting minority and indigenous symbols.

· Community Education: Organize workshops, digital toolkits, and curricular materials on flag history, meaning, and rights, particularly aimed at young and diaspora Tamils²⁰.

· Diaspora Coordination: Foster networks across global Tamil organizations to amplify flag-based advocacy on world cultural days, UN events, and in lobbying foreign governments.

· Memorialization and Art: Encourage use of the flag in art, fashion, and popular culture to naturalize its presence amid competitive symbols, and resist attempts to paint it as “divisive.”

· Documentation and Research: Continue and expand documentation of surviving flag depictions, oral histories, and case studies of successful reinstatement for future legal, educational, and advocacy use.

Countering Replacement/Erasure

· Reject State or Foreign-Affiliated Flags: Maintain public discourse on why only the Jaffna Kingdom/Nandi flag is legitimate, emphasizing its democratic and historical roots over imposed symbols, however well-intentioned.

· Expose “Peace Monument” Tactics: Publicize instances where “unity” or reconciliation is used to overwrite, not honor, the specific cultural loss entailed by flag erasure.

· Digital Campaigns: Target international media, heritage forums, and diaspora audiences with focused digital narratives about the flag’s significance and contemporary threats.

Conclusion and Call to Action

The flag of the Jaffna Kingdom is the heart-beat of Tamil identity, a centuries-old testament to sovereignty, spirituality, and cultural brilliance that has survived slavery, invasion, colonization, and genocide. Its replacement or neglect is not mere visual change, but an existential threat-a calculated attempt to erase a people’s right to memory, recognition, and the future.

Erasure of the Jaffna flag is recognized, by historical precedent and international law, as a form of cultural genocide. To accept newer flags, imposed banners, or a deracinated “unity” absent of memory is to participate in this erasure, however passively.

The Tamil community must demand, at every level and in every country, the restoration and celebration of the Jaffna Kingdom flag. Not only as a matter of sentimental nostalgia, but as a hard-won, world-recognized right to continue-against all odds-living as Tamils, remembering as Tamils, and hoping as Tamils.

Let us, therefore, rally under the Nandi Kodi-a standard of dharma, dignity, and endurance. Let no government, foreign or domestic, dictate the terms of our symbolism or rewrite the story of a people to satisfy present-day politics or majoritarian comfort. The destiny of the flag is the destiny of the Tamil nation.

Appendix: Further Notes on the Symbolism of Main Features

Nandi: In Saivite theology, Nandi not only guards the lord’s sanctum but also embodies the ideal devotee, gazing eternally at Shiva. In political context, the Jaffna kings’ Nandi asserted both religious legitimacy and a lineal bond to the ancient Tamil polity, bridging religious and ethnic meanings⁸.

Crescent Moon and Sun: Their embrace suggests harmony of opposites, the perpetual life-world cycle, and the unbroken line of Tamil kingship. Their presence in the Eastern Ganga emblem further signals the pan-Tamil, pan-South Asian dimensions of Jaffna identity.

Parasol: Its universal association with sovereignty in Buddhist, Hindu, and even colonial courts underscores the claim of the Jaffna dynasty to rule by divine right-a claim later denied by colonial, postcolonial, and majoritarian authorities.

Sacred Conch: Its sound was believed to dispel evil and inaugurate righteous warfare or auspicious acts; its position on the flag broadcasts the vibrancy and martial vitality of the Tamil people⁴.

“Cetu”: This legend (inscription) ties the Jaffna kingdom to mythic feats-the crossing of Rama from Tamilakam to Lanka-and foregrounds the island’s ancient role as both a recipient and a beacon of Tamil civilization.

By refusing erasure, by demanding the reestablishment of the Jaffna Kingdom flag, the Tamil people declare-before themselves and the world-that their history is not written by their conquerors, but is present, continuous, and living. Now is the time to raise the Nandi high, in dignity and justice, and to tell the world that the Tamils of Jaffna remember, and will not be erased.

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