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Pudukkottai

Indian Princely State

by Blas Delgado Ortiz

Source: Ziggiotto (1998).

See also:

The webpage describes Pudukkottai as an 11-guns state (restored 1884). The flag is 2:3, deep-green with the crest in silver at the hoist, except that the wreath has four hillocks, the swallow-tailed flag is deep-green and the Hanuman is in silver.

Ziggioto (1998) however has a c. 4x5 green flag with a lion passant holding a flagpole with a swallowtailed green flag with the god Hanuman carrying the top of the Himalaya on a platter all white (shown here).

The arms are: A shield quartered or; four bars fessewise, gules (2,3), four bars palewise, vert; all within a "Garter" bordured on both sides with an inscription. Above, the the Crown of Pudukkottai, or. Crest: On wreath of five segments, argent and vert; a lion passant guardant vert, holding a flag-staff vert, with a swallow-tailed flag attached argent, Hanuman emblazoned thereon, vert, and facing the hoist. Supporters: Lions rampant guardant, tongued, all proper, holding flags as in the crest. Motto: ... in vert on a riband argent, the reverse vert.
Jarig Bakker, 31 May 2002

Pudukkottai is situated northeast of Madurai, with a surface of 3.000 sqkm and 400.000 inhabitants. The state was founded by Ragunatha Raya Tondaiman in 1680. The Tondaiman always supported the English against the French and Tippu Sahib and were rewarded by the right to 11 gun-salutes.
The flag: on a green field a white leopard holding a flag with in the center the figure of the ape-god Hanuman in white (like on the crest of the arms).

The green color is from the standard of the Muslim nabob of Banganapalle with the famous sword named Dhu 'l-Faqar in white. A state separated from Mysore in 1790, nominally annexed by Hyderabad under British administration from 1831 until 1848. Represented 275 sq.miles and a population of 39,239. Formerly in the Madras Presidency, today in Andhra Pradesh. 9 guns.
Jarig Bakker, 15 June 2002

Dhu 'l-Faqar

Dhu 'l-Faqar is also spelled Zulfikar, and was widely shown on Ottoman flags, inter alia. See this page for reference.
Ivan Sache, 15 June 2002