The saffron flag (Bhagawa Dhwaja in Hindi) is the official flag of Hinduism. It looks like two tilted triangles meeting each other in the mid. Sometimes, it is embossed in a golden border though not necessarily. It is fixed at the top of a wooden or metal stick. It is also called Jaripataka in Marathi. The flag was used as an official flag of the Maratha Kingdom in India. It has also been used as an official flag in many Hindu kingdoms with different emblems like sun, wheel, om, or images of Hindu gods printed on it.

The saffron flag is one of the most important symbols for Hindus. The saffron color symbolizes sacrifice and/or denouncement. The sacrifice is of great importance in Hinduism. The sacrifice for your nation, family, religion, humanity is a necessary virtue in a man’s life. Hence, the saffron-colored flag might have been used by ancient Hindus.

Hindus hoist it during many religious processions. Some Hindus hoist it on the top of their homes.

The one more reason behind it might be that as India was once inhabited by a large number of jungles and lush green trees, the saffron-colored flag could be recognized from a far distance also. Every Hindu temple has a saffron flag on its apex or a nearby tree. Therefore, it helps recognize the human presence nearby from a distance. The red color is also recognized from a distance but red attracts danger also. Therefore, it is wiser to use saffron color in the jungle.

It is also the official flag of Sikhs. The background color of the flag on which the Sikh emblem is printed is saffron.

It is the official flag of Shiv Sena, a political party in Maharashtra. RSS and many other Hindu organizations also use it as their official flag.