Bhagwa Dhwaj
"Strike at the trunk and the branches will fall off themselves... Listen but to my counsel and I shall plant the Maratha [saffron] banner on the walls of Attock."
- Baji Rao I to Chhatrapati Shahu (1720s)
The swallow-tailed flag in saffron has been used since time immemorial to signify what is holy. It has been used in temples.
Due to the dharmic importance of this flag, it became the symbol for Indian resistance to both Islamist and European imperialism. Hindu-dominated dynasties adopted it as their official banner and planted it on their forts and elsewhere in their areas of control. It became the flag of liberation, and so it was used by some freedom fighters in the Indian Freedom Struggle, such as by Nana Sahib at Kanpur in 1857 and then by Vasidev Balwant Phadke in and around Pune from 1870s-1880s. It was then used in 1900s by the Hindu Mahasabha and RSS.
The flag's popular variants among religions and sects are the Nishan Sahib (official Sikh Dharm flag), Ananda Marga's flag, Arya Samaj's flag, Ravidas Panth's flag, and Valmiki Panth's flag. Its popular variants among political parties include the Bajrang Dal's official flag, Hindu Mahasabha's official flag, RSS' official flag, and Shiv Sena's official flag. Among nations, its popular variant is Nepal's flag.
| Name | Emphasis | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bhagwa Dhwaj | Saffron color, modern usage | Specific |
| Dharm Dhwaj | Symbol of righteousness | Specific |
| Dhwaj | Classical Sanskrit term for banner/flag | Generic |
| Geruwa | Colloquial "saffron" in Marathi, Hindavi usage | Generic |
| Indra‑dhwaj | Ancient Vedic/royal standard | Specific |
| Jhandā | Colloquial "flag" | Generic |
| Kesariya / Kesari Patākā | Color‑based vernacular term | Specific |
| Ketu | Emblem or crest | Generic |
| Nishān | Sacred sign or standard | Generic |
| Patākā | Banner or pennant | Generic |