Emblem of Tamil Nadu - Revision history

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2026-02-10T10:55:29Z

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← Older revision		Revision as of 16:25, 10 February 2026
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	{{~~more citations needed~~\|~~date=July 2020~~}}		{{Short description\|none}}
	{{Use dmy dates\|date=July 2020}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=July 2020}}
	{{Use Indian English\|date=July 2020}}		{{Use Indian English\|date=July 2020}}
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	\| name = Emblem of Tamil Nadu		\| name = Emblem of Tamil Nadu
	\| image = File:TamilNadu_Logo.svg		\| image = File:TamilNadu_Logo.svg
	\| image_width = ~~200~~		\| image_width =
	\| middle =		\| middle =
	\| middle_width =		\| middle_width =
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	\| crest =		\| crest =
	\| torse =		\| torse =
	\| shield = [[~~Srivilliputhur Andal temple\|Srivilliputhur~~ Temple]]		\| shield = [[Meenakshi Temple]]
	\| supporters =		\| supporters =
	\| compartment =		\| compartment =
	\| motto = ''~~வாய்மையே வெல்லும்~~'' ~~<br/>~~ ("Truth ~~Alone Triumphs") <br/> (from the "[[Mundaka Upanishad]]", a part of [[Hindu]] [[Vedas]]~~)		\| motto = ''[[Satyameva Jayate\|Vaymaiye vellum]]'' (Truth alone triumphs)
	\| orders =		\| orders =
	\| other_elements =		\| other_elements =
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	}}		}}

	The '''Emblem of Tamil Nadu''' is the official state emblem of [[Tamil Nadu]] ~~and~~ is used as the ~~official state symbol~~ of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].		The '''Emblem of Tamil Nadu''' is the official state emblem of the [[States and union territories of India\|Indian state]] of [[Tamil Nadu]]. It is used as the seal of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].

	It consists of the [[Lion Capital of Ashoka]] without the bell lotus foundation ~~and~~ flanked on either side by an [[Flag of India\|Indian flag]]~~. Behind the capital, is the~~ image of a ''[[~~Gopuram~~]]'' or [[Hindu ~~temple\|~~temple]] ~~tower based on~~ the [[~~Srivilliputhur Andal temple~~\|~~Srivilliputhur Temple~~]].<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/Which-Tamil-Nadu-temple-is-the-state-emblem/articleshow/55285143.cms\|title=Which Tamil Nadu temple is the state emblem? \| Madurai News - Times of India}}</ref>		Designed in 1949 by R. Krishna Rao, the emblem consists of the [[Lion Capital of Ashoka]] without the bell lotus foundation, flanked on either side by the [[Flag of India\|Indian flag]] with an image of a ''[[gopuram]]'' of a [[Hindu temple]] in the background. The round emblem is flanked by the words ''Tamilnadu arasu'' (Government of Tamil Nadu) and ''Vaymaiye vellum'' (truth alone triumphs) in [[Tamil language\|Tamil]].

	==~~Designing~~==		== Designer ==
	The state emblem was designed in 1949 by ~~artist~~ R. Krishna Rao ~~who was a native of~~ Madurai.<ref name="~~madrasmusings_vol21no6~~">{{cite ~~news~~ \| url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/Which-Tamil-Nadu-temple-is-the-state-emblem/articleshow/55285143.cms\| title=Which Tamil Nadu temple is the state emblem? \| date=7 November 2016 ~~\| agency=TOI~~ \| access-date=20 January 2018 \| author=Swaroop, Vishnu \| location=Madurai}}</ref> ~~Krishna~~ Rao was ~~honoured with awards and titles for his contribution to~~ the ~~state.<ref name="madrasmusings_vol21no6" /> A student~~ of ~~the~~ Government College of Fine Arts ~~and Crafts~~ in Chennai, ~~who went on to become the principal of the college later, Rao~~ was approached to design the emblem in 1948~~, when he was a professor~~ of ~~applied arts in the college~~.		The state emblem was designed in 1949 by R. Krishna Rao from [[Madurai]].<ref name="TOI">{{cite web \| url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/Which-Tamil-Nadu-temple-is-the-state-emblem/articleshow/55285143.cms\| title=Which Tamil Nadu temple is the state emblem? \| date=7 November 2016 \| access-date=20 January 2018 \| author=Swaroop, Vishnu \| location=[[Madurai]] \|work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> Rao, who was a professor of the [[Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai\|Government College of Fine Arts]] in [[Chennai]], was approached to design the emblem in 1948.<ref name="TNPSC">{{cite web \|date=19 December 2023 \|title=Symbols of Tamil Nadu \|url=https://www.tnpscthervupettagam.com/articles-detail/symbols-of-tamil-nadu \|access-date=17 August 2025 \|work=[[TNPSC]]}}</ref>

	~~Around the rim~~ of ~~the seal runs an inscription in Tamil script, one at the top தமிழ் நாடு அரசு ("~~Tamil Nadu Arasu" which translates to "Government of Tamil Nadu") and other at the bottom வாய்மையே வெல்லும் ("Vaymaiye Vellum" which translates to "Truth Alone Triumphs" also commonly known as "[[Satyameva Jayate]]" in Sanskrit). ~~It is the only [[List~~ of ~~Indian state emblems\|state emblem]] that has the~~ [[~~Flag~~ of ~~India\|Indian Flag]] and [[Hindu temple~~]] ~~[[Gopuram\|tower~~]] ~~on its seal.~~		== Design ==
			[[File:Flag of Tamil Nadu.svg\|thumb\|Seal of [[Government of Tamil Nadu]]]]

	~~== Deception ==~~		The round seal consists of the [[Lion Capital of Ashoka]] without the bell lotus foundation, flanked on either side by the [[Flag of India\|Indian flag]]. Behind the capital is an image of a ''[[gopuram]]'' of a [[Hindu temple]]. Around the rim of the seal runs two inscriptions in [[Tamil language\|Tamil]] [[Tamil script\|script]]. In the top is mentioned தமிழ் நாடு அரசு ("Tamil Nadu arasu" which translates to "[[Government of Tamil Nadu]]") and the other at the bottom states வாய்மையே வெல்லும் ("Vaymaiye vellum" which translates to "[[Satyameva Jayate\|Truth alone triumphs]]"). It is the only Indian [[List of Indian state emblems\|state emblem]] that has the Indian flag and a temple tower on its seal.<ref name="TOI"/> The image of the Gopuram is based on the west tower of the Madurai [[Meenakshi Temple]].<ref name="TOI"/><ref>{{cite web \|last=B.A \|first=Pon Vasanth \|date=14 April 2022 \|title=A tower that is emblematic of the State \|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/the-temple-that-found-a-place-in-tamil-nadus-emblem/article65320415.ece \|access-date=17 August 2025 \|work=[[The Hindu]] \|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
	~~Although~~ the ~~gopuram in the emblem is generic and specific references~~ of ~~Srivilliputhur Andal temple tower (gopuram) came to be known as~~ the ~~state emblem~~, ~~even in government records due to the TKC-Reddy episode. But R Krishna Rao, the artist who created it said he had~~ the [[~~Meenakshi Temple~~\|~~Madurai Meenakshi Temple~~]]'~~s west~~ 'gopuram' ~~in mind while designing~~ a ~~generic `gopuram' for~~ the ~~emblem~~. ~~A monograph on Rao, published by~~ the ~~Lalit Kala Akademi quotes him as saying,~~ "~~Hailing from Madurai, it was~~ only ~~proper~~ that ~~I should incorporate~~ the ~~Madurai~~ temple ~~in the state government's emblem~~."

	~~Rao's student G Chandrashekaran, also a former principal~~ of the ~~college, feels~~ the ~~theory~~ of Madurai ~~temple being the inspiration may not be off the mark~~. "~~It could be said~~ that ~~the inspiration for designing the emblem came from the Madurai temple, as Krishna Rao had done several water colours~~ of the ~~structure~~. ~~There are no records of him having painted~~ the ~~Srivilliputhur~~ temple."

	~~K Kamala, Krishna Rao's daughter and an artist herself, says that her father regretted~~ the ~~gopuram being wrongly identified all the time~~. "He always asked me to tell people that it was the Madurai gopuram and not of Srivilliputhur", says Kamala, adding that she got to see the original painting at the Government College of Fine Arts and Crafts in Chennai in 2009. ~~"The features of the gopuram can be clearly seen in the original painting, and one could see very well that it is the Madurai gopuram~~. ~~My father had painted the figurines~~ of ~~Siva and Parvati on the Rishaba vahanam, seen in the gopuram in the Madurai temple~~. ~~That was a clear sign," she says~~.		The [[Government of Tamil Nadu]] uses the emblem placed onto a white background as its official seal.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.worldstatesmen.org/India_states.html\|title=States of India since 1947\|work=World statesman\|access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.vexilla-mundi.com/india_governments.html\|title=Governments in India\|work=Vexilla Mundi\|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref>

	~~Efforts to trace the original painting which is supposed to have been incorporated into the state emblem were futile~~.

	==Historical emblems==		==Historical emblems==
	<gallery>		<gallery>
	File:~~Indian Embassy in London wall plaque~~ (4).~~jpg~~\|Emblem of [[Madras Presidency]] of [[British Raj\|British India]]		File:Badge of British Madras (Presidency of Fort St. George).png\|Emblem of [[Madras Presidency]] of [[British Raj\|British India]]
	~~</gallery>~~

	~~==Government banner==~~
	The [[Government of Tamil Nadu]] can be represented by an image of the emblem of the state placed onto a white background.<ref>[https://www.worldstatesmen.org/India_states.html States of India since 1947]</ref><ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.vexilla-mundi.com/india_governments.html\|title=Vexilla Mundi}}</ref> A flag was proposed in 1970 but wan not formally adopted.

	~~<gallery>~~
	File:..Tamil Nadu Flag(INDIA).png\|Banner of Tamil Nadu <ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.dreamstime.com/tamil-nadu-state-india-flag-textile-cloth-fabric-waving-top-sunrise-mist-fog-tamil-nadu-state-india-flag-textile-image127909992\|title = Tamil Nadu State of India Flag Textile Cloth Fabric Waving on the Top Sunrise Mist Fog Stock Illustration - Illustration of celebration, patriotic: 127909992}}</ref>
	~~File:Flag of Tamil Nadu (proposed).svg\|Former flag proposal~~
	</gallery>		</gallery>

	==See also==		==See also==
	* [[List of Tamil Nadu state symbols]]
	* [[Flag of Tamil Nadu]]		* [[Flag of Tamil Nadu]]
	* [[Tamil Thai Valthu]]
	* [[National Emblem of India]]		* [[National Emblem of India]]
	* [[List of Indian state emblems]]		* [[List of Indian state emblems]]
			* [[List of Tamil Nadu state symbols]]
			* [[Tamil Thai Valthu (Tamil Nadu)\|Tamil Thai Valthu]]

	==References==		==References==
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	[[Category:Government of Tamil Nadu]]		[[Category:Government of Tamil Nadu]]
	[[Category:Indian state seals\|Tamil Nadu]]		[[Category:Indian state seals\|Tamil Nadu]]
	[[Category:~~Coats~~ of arms with lions\|Tamil Nadu]]		[[Category:Indian coats of arms with lions\|Tamil Nadu]]
	[[Category:Coats of arms with buildings\|Tamil Nadu]]		[[Category:Coats of arms with buildings\|Tamil Nadu]]
	[[Category:Coats of arms with flags\|Tamil Nadu]]		[[Category:Coats of arms with flags\|Tamil Nadu]]
	[[Category:Coats of arms with the dharmachakra\|Tamil Nadu]]		[[Category:Coats of arms with the dharmachakra\|Tamil Nadu]]

>Tayi Arajakate: Reverted 1 edit by Mx. Clarks (talk) to last revision by Cordyceps-Zombie

2021-10-11T05:52:35Z

Reverted 1 edit by Mx. Clarks (talk) to last revision by Cordyceps-Zombie

New page

{{more citations needed|date=July 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox coat of arms
| name = Emblem of Tamil Nadu
| image = File:TamilNadu_Logo.svg
| image_width = 200
| middle =
| middle_width =
| middle_caption =
| lesser =
| lesser_width =
| lesser_caption =
| armiger = [[Government of Tamil Nadu]]
| year_adopted = 1949
| crest =
| torse =
| shield = [[Srivilliputhur Andal temple|Srivilliputhur Temple]]
| supporters =
| compartment =
| motto = ''வாய்மையே வெல்லும்'' <br/> ("Truth Alone Triumphs") <br/> (from the "[[Mundaka Upanishad]]", a part of [[Hindu]] [[Vedas]])
| orders =
| other_elements =
| earlier_versions =
| use =
}}

The '''Emblem of Tamil Nadu''' is the official state emblem of [[Tamil Nadu]] and is used as the official state symbol of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].

It consists of the [[Lion Capital of Ashoka]] without the bell lotus foundation and flanked on either side by an [[Flag of India|Indian flag]]. Behind the capital, is the image of a ''[[Gopuram]]'' or [[Hindu temple|temple]] tower based on the [[Srivilliputhur Andal temple|Srivilliputhur Temple]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/Which-Tamil-Nadu-temple-is-the-state-emblem/articleshow/55285143.cms|title=Which Tamil Nadu temple is the state emblem? | Madurai News - Times of India}}</ref>

==Designing==
The state emblem was designed in 1949 by artist R. Krishna Rao who was a native of Madurai.<ref name="madrasmusings_vol21no6">{{cite news | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/Which-Tamil-Nadu-temple-is-the-state-emblem/articleshow/55285143.cms| title=Which Tamil Nadu temple is the state emblem? | date=7 November 2016 | agency=TOI | access-date=20 January 2018 | author=Swaroop, Vishnu | location=Madurai}}</ref> Krishna Rao was honoured with awards and titles for his contribution to the state.<ref name="madrasmusings_vol21no6" /> A student of the Government College of Fine Arts and Crafts in Chennai, who went on to become the principal of the college later, Rao was approached to design the emblem in 1948, when he was a professor of applied arts in the college.

Around the rim of the seal runs an inscription in Tamil script, one at the top தமிழ் நாடு அரசு ("Tamil Nadu Arasu" which translates to "Government of Tamil Nadu") and other at the bottom வாய்மையே வெல்லும் ("Vaymaiye Vellum" which translates to "Truth Alone Triumphs" also commonly known as "[[Satyameva Jayate]]" in Sanskrit). It is the only [[List of Indian state emblems|state emblem]] that has the [[Flag of India|Indian Flag]] and [[Hindu temple]] [[Gopuram|tower]] on its seal.

== Deception ==
Although the gopuram in the emblem is generic and specific references of Srivilliputhur Andal temple tower (gopuram) came to be known as the state emblem, even in government records due to the TKC-Reddy episode. But R Krishna Rao, the artist who created it said he had the [[Meenakshi Temple|Madurai Meenakshi Temple]]'s west 'gopuram' in mind while designing a generic `gopuram' for the emblem. A monograph on Rao, published by the Lalit Kala Akademi quotes him as saying, "Hailing from Madurai, it was only proper that I should incorporate the Madurai temple in the state government's emblem."

Rao's student G Chandrashekaran, also a former principal of the college, feels the theory of Madurai temple being the inspiration may not be off the mark. "It could be said that the inspiration for designing the emblem came from the Madurai temple, as Krishna Rao had done several water colours of the structure. There are no records of him having painted the Srivilliputhur temple."

K Kamala, Krishna Rao's daughter and an artist herself, says that her father regretted the gopuram being wrongly identified all the time. "He always asked me to tell people that it was the Madurai gopuram and not of Srivilliputhur", says Kamala, adding that she got to see the original painting at the Government College of Fine Arts and Crafts in Chennai in 2009. "The features of the gopuram can be clearly seen in the original painting, and one could see very well that it is the Madurai gopuram. My father had painted the figurines of Siva and Parvati on the Rishaba vahanam, seen in the gopuram in the Madurai temple. That was a clear sign," she says.

Efforts to trace the original painting which is supposed to have been incorporated into the state emblem were futile.

==Historical emblems==
<gallery>
File:Indian Embassy in London wall plaque (4).jpg|Emblem of [[Madras Presidency]] of [[British Raj|British India]]
</gallery>

==Government banner==
The [[Government of Tamil Nadu]] can be represented by an image of the emblem of the state placed onto a white background.<ref>[https://www.worldstatesmen.org/India_states.html States of India since 1947]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vexilla-mundi.com/india_governments.html|title=Vexilla Mundi}}</ref> A flag was proposed in 1970 but wan not formally adopted.

<gallery>
File:..Tamil Nadu Flag(INDIA).png|Banner of Tamil Nadu <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dreamstime.com/tamil-nadu-state-india-flag-textile-cloth-fabric-waving-top-sunrise-mist-fog-tamil-nadu-state-india-flag-textile-image127909992|title = Tamil Nadu State of India Flag Textile Cloth Fabric Waving on the Top Sunrise Mist Fog Stock Illustration - Illustration of celebration, patriotic: 127909992}}</ref>
File:Flag of Tamil Nadu (proposed).svg|Former flag proposal
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[List of Tamil Nadu state symbols]]
* [[Flag of Tamil Nadu]]
* [[Tamil Thai Valthu]]
* [[National Emblem of India]]
* [[List of Indian state emblems]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Indian state emblems}}

[[Category:Government of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Indian state seals|Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Coats of arms with lions|Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Coats of arms with buildings|Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Coats of arms with flags|Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Coats of arms with the dharmachakra|Tamil Nadu]]