This Week In Vexillology #49

BOOM!  That sound you just heard was your mind blowing because This Week In Vexillology, we're looking at the only national flag (don't start, Ohio!) that's not rectangular or square.  That's right, we're heading up high in the Himalayas to Nepal:

Adopted on December 16th, 1962 for national and civil usage, the design is a combination of two separate pennants that had been used for the previous two centuries that became a double pennant in the 19th Century and borrows from a basic design that's been around for more than 2,000 years.


Interesting enough though, there's subtle distinctions between Wikipedia (the font of all knowledge) and my handy-dandy reference guide about what the symbols actually mean.   Reference guide says that the blue border denotes peace, while Wikipedia says: "The blue border symbolizes the peace and harmony that has been prevalent in the country since the age of Gautama Buddha, who was born in Nepal."

Handy-dandy reference guide says that red is the color of the rhododendron, Nepal's national flower, while Wikipedia says: The crimson red is Nepal's national colour, and it indicates the brave spirits of the Nepalese people.  Wikipedia also added:

The two triangles symbolize the Himalaya Mountains and could also represent the two major religions, Hinduism and Buddhism.^[1] The red triangular flag has been a Hindu symbol of victory since the time of Ramayana and Mahabharata. The depiction of celestial bodies represents permanence, the hope that Nepal will last as long as the sun and the moon. The moon symbolizes that the Nepalese are soothing and calm, while the sun symbolizes fierce resolve. The moon also symbolizes the shades and the cool weather of the Himalayas, whereas the sun symbolizes the heat and the high temperature at the lower part (Tarai) of Nepal. Another interpretation: The flag's shape symbolizes a Nepalese pagoda. Putting a mirror at the side of the flag closest to the flagpole will generate an image of a pagoda

The handy-dandy reference guide didn't go into quite as much detail on everything else.   The crescent moon represents the royal house, while the sun represents the Rana family, who were the hereditary Prime Ministers up until 1961.

This is kind of interesting, to be honest and leaves me a little confused on what to believe.  While it seems like (and maybe this is a stretch, maybe it's not) that the Wikipedia entry might just have been written by a person who's from Nepal and very proud of their flag, I can't argue with the interpretation either.   It makes sense and it fits and what the heck, I'm not Nepalese.  What do I know?  What will be interesting to see is if this flag sticks around for the long term-  Nepal is in something of a political transition right now, having abolished its monarchy in 2006 so stay tuned, I guess.  (I wouldn't want to change this flag.  It's unique!)

So ladies and gents, give it up for Nepal- and remember until next time keep your flags flying FREAK or otherwise!