The Coat of Arms of Ranka is the heraldic emblem of an estate (zamindari / taluqdari) in the Bihar & Jharkhand region (present-day Bihar / Jharkhand). It represents the lineage, authority and identity of the ruling house that held it.
Ranka was an estate in the Palamu region of present Jharkhand.
History of the Emblem
From the late 19th century onward, many thikanas, talukas, jagirs and great estates followed the princely states in adopting heraldic achievements. These emblems were displayed on gateways, palace facades, carriages, silver, letterheads and seals, and often echoed the arms of the parent state or clan, adapted with family-specific symbols.
Reading the Coat of Arms
A typical Indian royal coat of arms is made up of a few traditional elements:
- Shield (escutcheon) – the central field carrying the principal symbols of the house.
- Crest – the device placed above the shield, often a crown, a deity, a bird or an animal.
- Supporters – figures on either side of the shield, frequently horses, lions, tigers, elephants or mythical beasts.
- Motto scroll – a banner below the shield bearing a motto or invocation, usually in Sanskrit, Hindi, Persian or a regional language.
