Q1.
In the map given on next page, you may notice different symbols alongside the names of the kingdoms. What do these symbols represent? Think about how they highlight the unique identities of the kingdoms.
Answer
They are the royal emblems of the three kingdoms, drawn on flags planted on each kingdom's territory. Each emblem is that dynasty's identity mark — its badge on coins, banners, seals and inscriptions.
| Kingdom | Symbol on the flag (Fig. 6.14) | Capital shown | What the emblem suggests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chola | A tiger, leaping, on a red flag | Uraiyūr | Power, courage, the strongest hunter of the forest — a fitting badge for the dynasty that “established his supremacy” over the other two |
| Chera | A bow (with arrow) on a yellow flag | Vanji (Karur) | Skill and reach — and note that the same bow appears on the Chera coin in Fig. 6.18 on page 133 |
| Pānḍya | A pair of fish on a yellow flag | Madurai | The sea — the Pānḍyas were “an important naval power” and famous for their pearls |
How the symbols highlight each kingdom's identity:
- They are instantly recognisable — a soldier, a trader or a villager who could not read still knew whose banner was flying.
- They fit each kingdom's strength and geography: the fish for a coastal, sea-going power; the tiger for a land power on the fertile Kāveri; the bow for the hill-and-forest west.
- They gave the dynasty a continuous identity across centuries, long after individual kings were forgotten — which is exactly why a modern map-maker can still use them.
- They mark rivalry: three separate emblems on one small map are a picture of three kingdoms that “often competed with each other for control over the South”.
Did you know? These emblems outlived the kingdoms. A pair of fish and a bow still appear in the emblems and temple art of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and the tiger became a lasting royal badge of the later Cholas.