# List of Tamil Nadu state symbols

This is a list of state symbols of the State of Tamil Nadu in India.

## State Symbols

| Title | Symbol | Notes |
| State Emblem | Tamiḻnāṭṭiṉ Ciṉṉam தமிழ்நாட்டின் சின்னம் Emblem of Tamil Nadu | The state emblem was designed in 1949 by artist R. Krishna Rao who was a native of Madurai. Krishna Rao was honoured with awards and titles for his contribution to the state. 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. It consists of the Lion Capital of Ashoka without the bell lotus foundation and flanked on either side by an Indian flag. Behind the capital, is the image of a Gopuram or Hindu temple tower based on the Srivalliputhur Temple. 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 the 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 state emblem that has the Indian Flag and Hindu temple tower on its seal. |
| State Motto | Vāymaiyē Vellum வாய்மையே வெல்லும் Truth Alone Triumphs | Vaaymaiyae Vellum is a quote taken from the Mundaka Upanishad, the concluding part of the sacred Hindu Vedas is the Sanskrit to Tamil language translation of Satyameva Jayate, the National Motto of the Republic of India. |
| State Anthem | Tamiḻttāy Vāḻttu - Nīrāruṅ kaṭaluṭutta nilamaṭantaik keḻiloḻukum தமிழ்த்தாய் வாழ்த்து - நீராருங் கடலுடுத்த நிலமடந்தைக் கெழிலொழுகும் Invocation to Mother Tamil - Water washes the land above the sea | Tamiḻttāy Vāḻttu is the state anthem of Tamil Nadu. It was written by Manonmaniam Sundaranar and composed by M. S. Viswanathan. The Government of Tamil Nadu issued an order to sing or play the anthem in the official functions of the government, and those functions organised by educational institutions and public establishments have started with this song and ended with the Indian National Anthem. The song is sung daily in schools all over Tamil Nadu during the assembly in the morning. It was adopted by Tamil Nadu as the state anthem on 23 November 1970. |
| State Day | Tamil Nadu Dhinam தமிழ்நாடு தினம் Tamil Nadu Day | Tamil Nadu Dhinam is celebrated in the state of Tamil Nadu to commemorate the formation of the state on 1 November 1956. |
| State Language | Tamiḻ தமிழ் Tamil | Tamil is the official language of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Tamil is one of the longest-surviving classical languages in the world. |
| State Animal | Nilgiri Varaiyaadu நீலகிரி வரையாடு Nilgiri Tahr Nilgiritragus hylocrius | Nilgiri Varaiyaadu is an ungulate that is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills and the southern portion of the Western and Eastern Ghats in the states of Tamil Nadu. It is the only species in the genus Nilgiritragus and is closely related to the sheep of the genus Ovis. |
| State Bird | Maragadhappuraa மரகதப்புறா Common Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica | Maragadhappuraa is a widespread resident breeding pigeon native to the tropical and subtropical parts of the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The dove is also known by the names of green dove and green-winged pigeon. |
| State Insect | Tamil Maravan தமிழ் மறவன் Tamil Yeoman Cirrochroa thais | Tamil Maravan is a species of nymphalidae butterfly found in tropical forest areas of India. |
| State Flower | Chengaandhal செங்காந்தள் Flame Lily Gloriosa superba | Chengaandhal is a species of flowering plant in the family of colchicaceae flowers. |
| State Fruit | Palaapalam பலாப்பழம் Jackfruit Artocarpus heterophyllus | Palaapalam species of tree in the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family (Moraceae) tree. |
| State Tree | Panai Maram பனை மரம் Palm Tree Borassus flabellifer | Panai Maram is a genus of five species of fan palms, native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia and Papua New Guinea. |
| State Sport | Kapaṭi கபடி Kabaddi | Kapaṭi is a contact team sport. Played between two teams of seven players. The objective of the game is for a single player on offense, referred to as a "raider", to run into the opposing team's half of the court, touch out as many of their players and return to their own half of the court, all without being tackled by the defenders in 30 seconds. Points are scored for each player tagged by the raider, while the opposing team earns a point for stopping the raider. Players are taken out of the game if they are touched or tackled, but are brought back in for each point scored by their team from a tag or a tackle. |
| State Dance Form | Paratanāṭṭiyam பரதநாட்டியம் Bharathanatyam | Paratanāṭṭiyam is an Indian classical dance form that originated in Tamil Nadu. It is one of eight Indian classical dance forms recognized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, and expresses South Indian religious themes and spiritual ideas, particularly of Shaivism and in general of Hinduism. |