War in Ancient India c14.30

c14.30

It is interesting that different designs of flags and banners have been wonderfully carved in wood and stone and are carefully preserved at Sānchi, Bhuvaneśvara and Ajanta caves. A look at the wood cuts Nos. 164 and 165 of Cunningham’s Bhilsa Topes (p. 215) will demonstrate a beautiful carving of a flag as an oblong piece of cloth with or without diagonal stripes. A number of flag staffs are also seen. The use of flags meant also the use of the staffs on whose top the flag was generally let flown. The staffs were made of different wood, with a bias in favour of bamboo.