View source for Flag of Sikkim

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
[[Image:Indian state flag of Sikkim (proposed).png|thumb|Elevated proposed Indian state flag for Sikkim (Unofficial).]]

At present there is no official flag of [[Sikkim]], a state in [[India]]. The independent [[Kingdom of Sikkim]] did have a national flag until it became a state of India in 1975.

==Kingdom of Sikkim (1877–1975)==

The [[Kingdom of Sikkim]] had used several flags during its history. They all contained a [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] ''[[khorlo]]'' [[prayer wheel]] with the ''[[gankyil]]'' as the central element.<ref>https://fotw.info/flags/in-sk.html</ref>

Until 1967, the previous flag showed a very complex design with a fanciful border and [[ashtamangala|religious pictograms]] surrounding the khorlo.

A more simple design was adopted in 1967 because of the difficulty in duplication of the complex flag. The border became solid red, the pictograms were removed and the wheel was redesigned.

With the [[1975 Sikkimese monarchy referendum|admission]] of [[Sikkim]] to the [[Republic of India]] and with the [[History of Sikkim#Independent monarchy|abolition of the monarchy]], the flag lost its official status in 1975.<ref>https://www.worldstatesmen.org/India.htm#Sikkim</ref>

{{Gallery
|title=
|width=230 | height=160 | lines=2
|align=center
|footer=
|File:Royal flag of Sikkim.svg|Reconstruction of the Sikkimese royal flag from 1877 to 1975
|File:Flag of Sikkim (1877-1914; 1962-1967).svg|Reconstruction of the Sikkimese flag from 1877 to 1914 and from 1962 to 1967
|File:Flag of Sikkim (1914-1962).svg|Reconstruction of the Sikkimese flag from 1914 to 1962
|Flag of Sikkim (1967-1975).svg|Flag of Sikkim used between 1967 and 1975
}}

== State of India (1975–present) ==
The [[Government of Sikkim]] can be represented by a banner that depicts the emblem of the state on a white background.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Vexilla Mundi|url=http://www.vexilla-mundi.com/india_governments.html|access-date=2021-02-10|website=www.vexilla-mundi.com}}</ref>
[[File:Flag of the Government of Sikkim.svg|center|thumb|Government banner of Sikkim]]

==See also==
* [[Emblem of Sikkim]]
* [[Flag of India|National flag of India]]
* [[List of Indian state flags]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Flags of Sikkim}}
*{{FOTW|id=in-sk|title=Sikkim}}
*[http://www.flaggenlexikon.de/fsikkim.htm Flag and seal of Sikkim at flaggenlexikon.de]

{{Asia topic|Flag of|title=Flags of Asia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sikkim, Flag of}}
[[Category:National symbols of Sikkim| ]]
[[Category:History of Sikkim|Flag]]
[[Category:Flags of India]]
[[Category:Flags introduced in 1967]]
[[Category:1967 establishments in Asia]]
[[Category:Flags of indigenous peoples|Sikkim]]

{{India-hist-stub}}
{{asia-flag-stub}}