Interpretation about Our motherland flag

The National flag is a symbol of our motherland, the independence and the unity of our people and is a part of the constitution of the democratic socialist republic of Sri Lanka. It take our minds back to the last king of Kandy whose Royal Standard had a lion in yellow holding a sword in it’s right forepaw and was on a crimson background.

The lion,it may be deduced, stands for the mythical beginning of the Sinhalese from a lion, as record in traditional history and the motifs of the bo-leaves at the four corners of the flag represent the religion of the majority,Buddhism. The two stripes of green and saffron represent minority communities and given an added strength to this symbol of sovereignty.

In describing the National flag Rev. Kotugoda Dhammawasa states that the sword held upright denotes righteousness and the positioning of the lion’s tail on level with the head and the shape of the tail symbolizes the rulers treatment of all citizens alike in ruling the country. The lion’s head stands for the King or the ruler while the lion in yellow denotes the desire for peace. The crimson background is symbolic of national pride. Yellow represent the desire and love for peace.

The flag is decorated with four leaves of the venerated do-tree. The four bo-leaves at the four corner refer to “Metha”,”Karuna”,”Muditha”,”Upeksha” viz : Love, Compassion, Sympathy and Equanimity on which emphasis is laid in Buddhism.

The shape of the flag is rectangular and the ratio of the width to the length is one is to two. The picture of the lion is so positioned that it faces the two vertical green and saffron stripes. The four yellow bo-leaves at the four corners of the flag and the lion are outlined in black. Each of the two vertical stripes has a width which is in proportion of one is to seven of the length of the flag excluding the vertical yellow border on the outside of the green strip. The size of these strips in relation to the entire flag is in the proportion 1:1:5. A yellow border runs round the flag.

The National flag is displayed on days of National importance, such as the National Day and on such other days as are prescribed by the Government and at all State functions.

History

shows the flag of Kandy, the Lion flag, "which was used as the national flag of Ceylon prior to 1815 when it became a British colony". It is the right part of the current Sri Lankan flag, but there are no leaves in the corners, but "finials derived from the spire on top of a Buddhist temple".

1948 Flag