Last modified: 2021-05-29 by ian macdonald
Keywords: indian princely state | jaipur | sun |
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![[Jaipur]](../images/i/in-jaipu.gif)
image by Jorge Candeias
![[Jaipur - flag of 1877]](../images/i/in-ja877.gif)
image by Jorge Candeias
Jaipur - also Jeypore. Former Indian state, East Rajputana, NW India, now in Rajasthan state; 15.610 square miles, capital: Jaipur. Founded in 12th century (probably 1128) by Rajput chief from Gwalior; furnished famous generals to Mogul emperors; came under British protection 1818; title: maharaja.
Jarig Bakker, 11 November 1998
Ziggioto (1998) reports "The most ancient
flag of Jaipur (or Jeypore), capital of the present state of Rajasthan, was a
triangular white standard with the figure of the "kuchnar"-tree (the Bauhinia
variegata) , which figured on the flag of Dasaratha, the father of Rama (sec.
VII). Man Singh had in 1630 a five-colored flag (pancaranga). It was triangular,
colored red - white - yellow - green - blue. The five colors celebrated the
victory over five Pathan chiefs. The founder of Faipur, Jai Singh II
(1699-1744), carried a similar banner, but colored red - yellow - white - green
- blue; moreover he had a triangular flag with the same colors, but smaller. In
1818 Mohan Singh (1816-'19) retook Man Singh's flag, but without the knot at the
end. In 1877 Ram Singh (1835-'80), on the occasion of the Assembly of princes,
who attended the the coronation of Queen Victoria (as Empress of India), had a
five-striped flag red - green - white - blue - yellow, with in the center of the
two first stripes a radiant yellow sun (alluding to the solar descent of the
Kachhwaha princes). That flag lasted till 1922, when the Pancaranga became a
flag like the one used by Jai Singh, but in rectangular form, which lasted
till 1946."
Jarig Bakker, 13 May 2002
According to Filcher (1984), "Drapeau et
Armoiries des Etats Princiers de l'Empire des Indies", a red over green
bicolor with 5-color canton came into use after Indian independence [if my weak
attempt at reading French is correct]... "A la suite de l'Independance de
l'UNION INDIENNE, le drapeau fut change et se constitua en deux bandes
horizontales d'egale largeur avec sur celle superieure en canton, les cinque
couleurs: rouge, jaune, bleu, blanc et vert, suivie d'un quartier rouge,
l'inferieure de couleur vert..." [note: accent marks missing in my
transcription]
According to a website on the history of the Rajasthan legislature at
http://rajassembly.nic.in/leg-raj.htm Jaipur did continue its existence as a
distinct entity for a short while after joining India in 1947, so it seems at
least plausible that this flag was indeed used for awhile after Indian
independence.
Ned Smith, 14 May 2002
All over the city of Jaipur there are panchrangas, the horizontal five-color-flags used by the rajputs, hoisted in different shapes, some with edges of golden fringes, and in different sequences of colors. The colors however are those, which are depicted above.
![[Jaipur]](../images/i/in-jaipu2.gif)
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 28 May 2010
On top of the city-palace nowadays there is hoisted a rectangular version of the
panchranga in the following order: red over yellow over white over green over
blue (according to your FIAV –Code it is R_Y_W_G+_B+). This can be proved by own
photos and photos in current picture-postcards. In the Jaipur Mail-Museum, at
the backdoor of the GPO there is a light blue pillar-box, showing a different
order of colors. It is possible, that every Maharaja of Jaipur preferred and
hoisted a favourite order of colors. The stripes are not separated by black
lines. It is remarkable, that the strips of yellow and white, which are
corresponding with metal-colours gold and silver according to European heraldry,
are direct neighbours within the flag.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 13 April 2005
A different flag for the State of Jaipur is shown at
http://www.uq.net.au/%7Ezzhsoszy/ips/j/jaipur.html, where the stripes are
red-yellow-white-green(or possibly blue)-black. The same flag is shown on the
coat of arms on the same page.
Valentin Poposki, 5 November 2006
There are several websites showing actual pictures (
http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2490432870010442789FhlQNN ,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/86394399@N00/421238352/ and
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/dmAgcqdCQtNIjEbEB4i9nA ) of the flag of
Jaipur, and the order of colors from top to bottom is: red, yellow, white,
green, blue.
Esteban Rivera, 25 October 2009
![[Maharani of Jaipur]](../images/i/in_jaipur_m.jpg)
image by Thanh-Tâm Lê, 28 December 2013
A few days ago, French public television channel France 2 broadcast a
programme about Gayatri Devi, the former Maharani of Jaipur. Towards the end, a
flag was shown floating over her Lily Pool residence. I uploaded a few snapshots
here:
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/ov4kyb4ame1ma/Jaipur%20UFEs. The whole
programme can be watched online for a few more days:
http://pluzz.francetv.fr/videos/secrets_d_histoire_,94013096.html and the
flag can be seen for a few seconds, starting from 1:25:43.
Does anyone
here know what this flag stood for? In the comments, it is referred to as a flag
of arms of Jaipur.
Thanh-Tâm Lê, 28 December 2013
The dark figure in the fly end seems to be a Garuda. The canton displays a
sun, which might signify, that the Rajas in Jaipur belonged to a Suurya Clan
(there are suurya (sun), chandra (moon) and agni (fire) clans). The white animal
seems to be a horse with seven heads, probably being a variant of Suurya's
chariot being pulled by seven horses. And interesting, gaayatrii, together with
saavitrii and saraswatii are the three goddesses presiding at the Gaayatrii
Mantra, a prayer performed thrice a day and presiding each over one part of
Vedas and over one special fire sacrifice. The Mantra is dedicated to the
savitRi aspect of suurya, i.e. the sun before sunrise.
Klaus-Michael
Schneider, 30 December 2013
![[SHEKHAWATI FEDERATION ]](../misc/in(shek.gif)
This is the best map of the SHEKHAWATI FEDERATION - SHEKHAWATI NIZAMAT which I can come up with. The table of the federation can be found here. I have not been able to find an official map which pre-dates 1949. Shekhawati is situated in Northern Jaipur, Rajasthan, the map is based upon the modern Districts of Sikar (the largest), Jhunjhunu and the Kot - Putli Pargana of Jaipur proper.
You have heard of KHANDELA, (No 12 = Junior, No. 13 = Senior) the modern map
places it in a Tehsil of the same name in a compact block of territory, but
before 1949, it was spread over a wide area in 15 enclaves ( = 2/5ths shares)
for the Junior and 11 enclaves (3/5ths shares) for the Senior. Both had Khandela
Town as its capital, the Northern part = Junior, and the Southern part = Senior.
The map is the best indicator for those of you looking for Flags and
Coats of Arms of these 36 Thikanas and Jagirs. There is a problem with the
boundary between KHETRI and BISSAU, both at times have claimed the former
Territory of Jhunjhunu Kingdom. There is one territory without a number,
situated South of 17, 18, 19 along the Sikar border, this should be marked 35 =
TAIEN.
John D McMeekin, 8 December 2013
All the 34 Shekhawati States (subject to Jaipur, India) had flags:
Alsisar
Arooka
Bhagatpura
Bissau
Chowkari
Danta Jagir
Dundlod
Gangiasar
Heerwa
Jahota
Kasli Jagir
Khachariawas Thikana
Khandela
Khatu Jagir
Khetri
Khood
Mahansar
Malsisar
Mandawa
Mandrella
Mukundgarh/Bissau
Munduru Jagir
Nawalgarh
Pachar
Parsurampura
Piproli
Shahpura (Ex-Mohanpur)
Shyamgarh
Sigra
Sikar
Surajgarh
Taen
Udaipurwati