After more than sixty years since gaining Independence, on 4 February, 1948, the Sri Lankan nation is now getting ready to celebrate the 69th anniversary of independence on 4 February. On that great day of victory the freedom flag was raised, adorning the lion with the sword. The 2,000-year-old lion flag is the flag of a heroic and fearless people. It is a genuine symbol of unity, harmony and friendship of the whole island nation, the Sinhalese, Tamils, and Muslims. Over 2,600 years ago, the Buddha had referred in the Dhajagga Sutra the use of flags. On that first day of independence, many who thronged at the venue of celebration witnessed the colourful ceremony of the leonine flag which had been used by King Dutugemunu and adopted by Lanka’s subsequent Kings and Queens, and which was used by our last King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe as his royal standard went up majestically on the flag staff at Independence Square, heralding the birth of freedom, of yet another Asian nation.
Folklore reveals that when Vijaya, the first King of the Sinhala people arrived in Sri Lanka in 486 BC he brought with him a flag with the symbol of a lion. Since then the symbol of the lion has played a significant role in the history of Sri Lanka. The flag was used by many monarchs who reigned after Vijaya and it is disclosed that King Dutugemunu’s lion flag had the moon and the sun as symbols with the leonine adornment. When King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe’s reign was brought to an end by the British in 1815, they replaced the lion flag with the Union Jack as the national flag of Sri Lanka.
Illustrated
The lion flag is considered as one of the oldest national flags in the world. Historically, the lion flag of King Dutugemunu is illustrated in cave number 2 of the golden rock temple in Dambulla, the Rangiri Dhambulu Viharaya. In 1815, the replaced lion flag was taken to England and kept at the Royal Military Hospital in Chelsea. As recorded in the national chronicles, the Mahavamsa and the Chulavamsa, the flag with the lion symbol was used by King Vijaya up to the reign of King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe.
In one of the stone carvings of the archaeological remnants at the Sanchi Stupa, built during the reign of King Asoka, depicts the retinue of Prince Vijaya with his group of companions, landing in Sri Lanka and one of them carrying the lion flag. It is revealed that even in the 15th century, King Parakramabahu of Kotte continued to use this ancient lion flag. With the dawn of independence all communities accepted the lion flag and decided to retain it as the island’s national flag with the addition of two vertical stripes of saffron and green to represent the Tamil and Muslim communities.
It is believed, the heraldic lion standing smartly, holding a sword upright with its right paw stands for justice and righteousness. Bordering this is a rectangular line with four Bo-leaves at the four corners, symbolising, metta - compassion, karuna - kindness, mudita - joy in others’ prosperity and upeksha - equanimity, the four Brahma Viharana or the highest standards of harmonious living, and it was the flag which fluttered from the flagstaff in front of the Sacred Dalada Mandiraya in Mahanuwara, during the era of the Kings of Lanka. On that fateful day, when the British had unfurled the Union Jack, the patriotic prelate, Ven. Variyapola Sumangala Thera brought down the flag of the imperialists and tried to hoist the lion flag in its place. For this patriotic deed the Ven. Sumangala Thera was tried for treason. To bring back the lion flag from Chelsea, England, E.W. Perera a member of the Legislative Council left nothing unturned until the British authorities returned to Sri Lanka what was her rightful and legitimate possession.
Oppression
Many consider the lion flag as a symbol of heroism. The lion, with the sword raised with its right paw denotes the onward march of the people without any fear of enemies. The colour yellow denotes righteousness and peace. The red in the background denotes the defeating of the evil forces of oppression. The nation and the people guided by the message of the flag will never resort to provoke others. The four Bo-leaves on the four corners indicate the truism of non aggression. The people of the lion flag never regress from their onward march until victory is achieved.
Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake who raised the lion flag on that grand day of national celebration named an advisory committee for the formulation of a national flag. The committee included S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike as Chairman, Sir John Kotelawala, J.R. Jayewardene, T.B. Jayah, Dr. L.A. Rajapakse, G.G. Ponnambalam, Senator S. Nadesan and Dr. Senarath Paranavithana (Secretary).
The above committee was not able to formulate the national flag before the day of independence, 4 February 1948. Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake also unfurled the lion flag at the Paththirippuwa during the independence celebrations held in Kandy on February 12 1948. The national flag recommended by the above committee was presented to Parliament by D.S. Senanayake on March 12 1951, and was adopted. It had two stripes one green and the other yellow. Each of these stripes had to be equal to one seventh the size of the flag. The above committee accepted the lion flag with a modification, adding two vertical stripes of saffron and green for the minority communities.
The lion flag today, gives the message of peace and harmony. Gold represents intelligence, peace, non violence and truth. Crimson represents immortality. The four Bo leaves represent loving kindness, compassion, enjoying the joy of others’ and equanimity. The lion signifies heroism, strength and discipline of the nation. Head-ruler denotes the shape of a crown, Eye-watches the ruler’s performance, the tongue - that the ruler’s statements should be honest and truthful. Head and tail; equality between ruler and citizen, Hairy heaps- denotes strength, the sword is an indication that the country should be ruled righteously meting out justice to all.
Today, our identity as a nation is symbolised by the lion flag where it always flies freely uniting all races, and religions in our Motherland.