Also called: Jhanda · झंडा · Dhwaja · Pataka · dhvaja-stambha · ध्वजस्तम्भ · flag-staff · victory banner

Where on the hand: Strongest rising to the Mount of the Sun; also beside the Fate line, at the base of the index finger on Guru Parvat, and near the Life line. The strong variant rises from the Mercury line or Mercury mount and terminates on the Sun mount.

What it looks like: A straight vertical line (the staff) with, attached to its upper portion on one side, a closed triangular or quadrilateral figure (the banner) — a triangle whose base lies along the staff and whose apex points away, or a small four-sided figure. The strong form has two triangles sitting adjacent or merged on the staff. The recognised strong variant: one or two adjacent/merged triangles standing on an independent straight line rising from the Mercury line or mount and terminating on the Mount of the Sun.

Victory, renown, impeccable character, spiritual attainment and renunciation, family honour, glory, and — a recurring specific — a trouble-free old age. Modern Indian readings associate it with military officers, politicians and government rank.

Western reading: Dale: the flag-bearer 'will be a philosopher and a great thinker' (figs. 8, 9, 13).

Read with care: Source withdrawn: “Rāvaṇa Saṃhitā” cannot be substantiated as a text containing palmistry. There is no critical edition and no manuscript-catalogue entry; the name attaches to an Ayurvedic Arka-kalpa work, a tantric Ḍāmara-type compilation, and modern Hindi trade volumes — none with an attested hasta-rekhā section.

will be a philosopher and a great thinkerMrs. J. B. Dale, Indian Palmistry

riches and power… a great ruler or prime ministerMrs. J. B. Dale, Indian Palmistry, fig. 13 (wheel and flag together)