Last modified: 2004-12-18 by rob raeside
Keywords: india | princely states |
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As far as I have learned from reading, the princely flags are
banned. State flags for the modern Indian states do not exist save
for Jammu and Kashmir. Even use of the national flag of India is
restricted. If I recall, Whitney Smith told me that the average
Indian citizen may only fly the national flag on certain prescribed
holidays. Use on other days is a civil offence.
Don
Healey, 1 July 1996
Now, the current usage: The "ex-princely" families still
use the flags, although the central government doesn't like it (the
provincial governments, especially in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and
Gujarat look gleefully the other way). Most of the residences of the
ex-rulers still fly the State flag, for example Gwalior or Jaipur,
those rulers who still own their "houses" in New Delhi
(sort of "high commisions" until 1950 or so, when some
[Hyderabad] were taken as government ministry buildings [Hyderabad
House became the Railway Ministry]) still fly the flag (Alwar comes
in particular to mind here). Even some of the rulers (well,
ex-rulers) fly their flags over their own private houses in Delhi
(H.H. Dhrangadhgra flew a gigantic Dhrangadhra State flag over
his house, two blocks from the Chinese embassy!).
None of this
is legal, as such, but little of it is restrained. As the "pre-1947
generation" passes, this practice is falling into abeyence (and
the pre-47 flags fall apart in the Indian climate!). Also, in some
cases, the State flags have been used by members of the royal houses
standing for election to parliament (as in the recently-concluded
elections). (I'm trying to get together some postings on the
political party flags used in that contest.
Ed Haynes, 1
July 1996
In Murray's Handbook for travellers in India (&c) there is a curious passage (at least to me): 'The Nizam succeeded his grandfather in 1967 (!)'... Does anybody know what his position then was? I don't suppose he had (has) the right to hoist his own flag?
Jarig Bakker, 13 November 1998
In 1956 the Nizam officially became a private citizen of India (as did all the princes). Unofficially many of the princes continued to hold court, maintain ceremonial bodyguards, and fly their flags. In some cases this provides valuable tourist revenue for India. I believe the official position of the government of India is to frown on continuing vestiges of the princely states, but in practice I think the government is hoping that attrition (e.g. the passing of the 1947 generation -- both the princes and the people who validate their existence) will solve the problem. Considering that many of these states existed for centuries, it may take more than a generation to