Flags of the Kingdom of Kandy
National flag
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The Kingdom of Kandy used a variety of flags at both national and provincial level. The kingdom succeeded from the Kotte Kingdom in around 1469, continued the use of the heraldic emblems of Kotte.
| |
| Use | National flag   |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 2:3 |
| Relinquished | 1815 |
| Civil Standard of the Kandyan Monarch | |
 | |
| Use | Civil flag and naval ensign  |
| Proportion | 2:3 |
| Relinquished | 1815 |
| Design | The Sinhalese Royal Standard: a banner bearing the device of a lion holding a sword in its right paw |
National flags
Royal flags
The royal family and their flags took pre-eminence over all.
Sri Rajadhi Rajasinha (1782–1798)
An earlier version of the Royal Standard carried by the envoys of the king to the Dutch Governor in 1785
Sri Vikrama Rajasinha (1798–1815)
The flag of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha (1798–1815), the only flag of a Sri Lankan monarch so far known to be in existence. A fragment of a manuscript on flags in the library of the Malwathu Maha Viharaya records: "The Sinhalese royal standard: a banner bearing the device of a lion holding a sword in its right paw. This was the flag of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, (1798-1815) who became the Sinhalese King."[1] This flag was lost when it had been picked up from the battle ground at Hanwella Fort in 1803 by British Capt. William Pollock when Sri Vikrama Rajasinha and his forces had to retreat during the Battle of Hanwella of the First Kandyan War.[2]
This flag was rediscovered in 1908 by E. W. Perera, along with two other Sinhalese flags, at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London. At the time Perera found the flag, he had to repair it and prepare a sketch for publication as it was already in a very bad state of preservation and unsuitable for photography. In 1916 E. W. Perera reproduces a sketch of the flag, without colours, in plate No. 100 in his well-known monograph, Sinhalese Banners and Standards published in 1916.[2][3]
Edward W. Perera writes about this flag:
By rare good fortune, as stated in the Introduction, the writer discovered three Sinhalese banners at the Chelsea Hospital in 1908, two of them being representations of the royal standard. The design on one of them was completely faded, but the identity of the flag was made clear by a drawing in water colour hung upon the wall- gu., a lion pass. or, holding in the dexter paw a chowry of the last...
The other was the banner of the last King of Kandy, Sri Wikkrama Rája Sinha (1798-1815), who surrendered in 1815 at the fall of Kandy. Together with the eagles of Napoleon, it was deposited at Whitehall Chapel, thence removed to the United Service Museum, and later to the Chelsea Hospital. This flag has since been renovated, and the emblem is clearly discernible, a lion passant holding a sword in its right paw, as described in the Malwatte manuscript. For the capture of Kandy, in 1815, Sir Robert Brownrigg, Bart, was granted by royal letters patent, as an honourable augmentation, the flag of the Kandyan monarch.[1]
This flag had been in possession of a doctor in Colombo until June 1990 with his sudden death his wife, a Swiss lady, left the island for permanent settlement in Switzerland taking the flag with her.
Senarath Panawatta, a former curator of the Kandy National Museum, later confirmed the authenticity of this flag as an original artifact. Panawatta identified it as the civil standard of the Kandyan kings, a flag that continued to be used during the reign of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha. He also clarified that this flag is distinct from the Sinhalese Royal Flag, which serves as the basis for the modern national flag of Sri Lanka, now modified with the addition of two stripes.[2]
Civil Standard of the Kandyan Monarch
Photograph of the Royal Standard of the Kandyan kings
Disavani and Rata flags
The Kandyan kingdom was divided into 21 provinces, 12 Disavanis and 9 Ratas. Ratas were smaller administrative divisions in close proximity to the central government and governed by a Rate Mahatmaya, while Disavanis were larger, further away and governed by a Dissava (governor), acting as a representative of the king.[4] Each disavani and rata was divided into Korales and the Korales in turn were divided into Pattu (singular, pattuva). Each pattuva consisted of a large number of villages which varied in extant and composition.[5]
Each Disavani was entitled to have a distinct flag and each Disava was preceded by his particular flag while he was travelling in his disavani symbolizing their power and authority. Rate Mahatmaya had vastly lessor power and authority including that of not having the right to a flag.[6][7]
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maha Disavani[8] | |||
 | - 19th century | Flag of the Satara Korales[N 1] | Ira Handa Maha Kodiya (Sun and Moon Flag) Sun, moon and stars, on a white field[9][10][11] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of the Sat Korales[N 2] | Siṇhayâ Maha Kodiya (Lion Flag)[10][11] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Uva | Haṇsayâ Maha Kodiya (Swan Flag)[10][11] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Sabaragamuwa | (Muthudal) Kaha Paṭa Redi Maha Kodiya (Yellow Silk Flag)[10][11] |
| Sulu Disavani | |||
 | - 19th century | Flag of Matale | Sudu Maha Kodiya (White Flag)[10][11] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of the Tun Korales[N 3] | Bhéruṇḍaya Pakshiya Maha Kodiya (Flag) A Bhéruṇḍa (double headed eagle), a spread eagle[9][10][11] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Valapane | Mayura Maha Kodiya (Peacock Flag)[10][11] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Udapalata | Neḷum-mal Maha Kodiya (Lotus Flag)[10][11] |
.png) | - 19th century | Flag of Nuvarakalaviya | Gajasiṇha Maha Kodiya (Gajasimha Flag)[10][11] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Vellassa | Kotiyá Maha Kodiya (Tiger/Leopard Flag)[10][11] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Bintanna | Girawá Maha Kodiya (Parrot Flag)[10][11] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Tamankaduva | Valahá Maha Kodiya (Bear Flag)[10][11] |
| Rata[12] | |||
 | - 19th century | Flag of Udunuwara | Kindura Maha Kodiya (Kinnara Flag)[10][13] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Yatinuwara | Gurula Maha Kodiya (Garuda Flag)[10][14] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Tumpane | Nelum-mal Maha Kodiya (Lotus Flag)[10][15] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Harispattuva Rata | Aliya(?) Maha Kodiya (Two Elephant Fronting Flag)[10][16] |
| - 19th century | Flag of Dumbara Rata | Sinhasane Kodiya (Lion Flag)[10][17] | |
| - 19th century | Flag of Hevaheta Rata | Ravana Kodiya (Ravana Flag)[10][18] | |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Kotmale Rata | Sudu Pata Kodiya (White Flag)[10][19] |
| - 19th century | Flag of Meemure Rata | No information or reference[19] | |
| - 19th century | Flag of Uda Bulathgama[N 4] | No information or reference[10] | |
| - 19th century | Flag of Patha Bulathgama[N 5] | No information or reference[10] | |
Government flags
The Kandyan Government had their own flags to denote its official positions and departments.[20]
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | - 19th century | Banner of Maha Lekam Department | Ethkandalihiniya Kodiya (Roc Banner)[21] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Nanayakkara Department[N 6] | Nil Pata Kodiya (Light Blue Flag)[22] |
| - 19th Century | Flag of Maha Lekam[N 7] | Lekammitiya ha Panhinda Kodiya (Palm Leaf Register and Writing Style Flag)[10][23] | |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Suduharakpattiye Nilame[N 8] | Gavaya Kodiya (Yak/Ox Flag)[24] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Batwadana Nilame/Rala[N 9] | Diyakava Kodiya (Indian Cormorant Flag)[24] |
Military flags
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | - 19th Century | Flag of the Secretary of Atapattuwa Department[N 10] | Davundaya/Davunde Kodiya (Drum Banner)[22] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Aspantiye Nilame[N 11] | Aspa Kodiya (Horse Flag)[25] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Gajanayaka Nilame[N 12] | Hastiya Maha Kodiya (Elephant Flag)[10][26] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Tamboru Purampettukara Nilame[N 13] | Tamboru Purampettukara Kodiya (Drum-Pipe Flag)[27] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Kodithuwakku Lekam[N 14] | Kodithuwakkuwa bendi Kodiya (Gingall Flag)[10][28] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Ran Ayudage Maduve Lekam[N 15] | Nil Pata Kodiya (Blue Flag)[29] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Paidakara Lekam[N 16] | Rathu Pata Kodiya (Red Flag)[30] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Wedikkara Lekam[N 17] | Rathu Pata Kodiya (Red Flag)[30] |
 | - 19th century | Flag of Wadanatuwakkukara Lekam[N 18] | Sudu Pata Kodiya (White Flag)[30] |
| - 19th Century | Flag of Sudaliya-Maruwalliya[N 19] | Sudaliya-Maruvalliya Kodiya (Fencer-Gladiator Flag)[31] |
Other flags
We also know that hereditary clans and castes had flags, and that temples and monasteries displayed special banners of their own.[20]
See also
Notes
- Four Korales
- Seven Korales
- Three Korales
- Upper Bulathgama
- Lower Bulathgama
- Genealogist who kept records of the men of noble birth and (military records?)
- Chief Secretary and the archivist of the palace
- Chief of the royal herd of white cattle
- Chief in charge of the royal kitchen
- Officer in charge of the royal body guard/army
- Officer in charge of the royal stables
- Officer in charge of the royal elephants
- Commander of the trumpeters and drummers
- Commander of the royal gingalls
- (Officer in charge of the Royal Golden Arms)
- Officer in charge of the Royal Messenger office
- Captain of the royal musketeers
- Officer in charge of the sharpshooters
