When the monarch left Ceylon…

By D.C. Ranatunga

Among my treasured possessions as a stamp collector is the souvenir sheet and the four stamps issued to mark the first anniversary of independence.

Having being under foreign domination for over 400 years since the Portuguese landed in 1505 followed by the Dutch in 1656 and the British (1796), Sri Lanka gained independence on 4 February 1948 – 65 years ago. However, even such a historic event was not commemorated with the release of a stamp. It was only a year later that a set of Independence Commemorative Stamps was issued.

The four stamps had some unique features. Until then the country’s name ‘Ceylon’ was printed in English only. These stamps had the name in Sinhala (Sri Lanka) and in Tamil as well.

Another ‘first’ was the elimination of the King of England from local stamps after 91 years symbolising that the country was no longer a colony in the British Empire.

The stamps carried traditional motifs. (This was the second occasion when such motifs were used, the first being the set of stamps to mark the inauguration of the new Constitution, in November 1947.

The stamps were of four denominations. Two (four cents and 15c) carried the identical design – the Lion Flag – while the other two (5c and 25c) had the picture of the first Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake. These two were of the same size but the colours were different – the five cents stamp being in green and the 25 cents one in blue. In the case of other two, the 15c stamp was slightly bigger.

The colourful folder carried the details of the stamps and of the cover designs.

The front cover was an artist’s impression of the Assembly Hall at Independence Square where the official independence ceremony was held. The Hall was specially constructed from the framework of a large hangar and its iron shell was gaily decorated with traditional motifs depicting the ancient and medieval Sinhalese art.

The beautiful Kandyan ‘reli paalam’ adorned the ceiling and the sides while the dais at the far end took the shape and ornament on the lines of what was used by the kings of Anuradhapura. A ‘makara thorana’ greeted the visitors at the main entrance. On either side of the pathway to the Hall were two tall columns each with a sculpted lion on top. The flagstaff had the national flag flying. (This was hoisted by the Prime Minister at the appointed hour signifying the dawn of Independence). The outer cover displayed the Mace of the House of Representatives, which is the symbol of the Speaker’s authority while the House is in session. It was gifted by the British House of Commons on 11 January 1949 to mark Sri Lanka’s attainment of independence.

The Mace had been designed following ancient art of Sri Lanka. Its pole is of ebony with ornamentation in silver, gold and sapphires. The lion is featured prominently in gold on the silver globe resting on an octagonal crystal terminal on a lotus. Intricate designs enhance the richness of the mace.

The Lion Flag featured in the stamps was the one hoisted by Prime Minister Senanayake on 12 February 1948 at the Maha Maluwa, Kandy which was identical to the one hauled down 133 years earlier, on 2 March 1815 at the same spot after the British took over the Kandyan kingdom. It had been taken to England and was found in Chelsea Hospital. It was identified as the flag used by the last King of Kandy, Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe (1798-1815). The Duke of Gloucester represented the British monarch at the Independence celebrations.

Meanwhile, a Parliamentary Committee comprising of S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, G.G. Ponnambalam, T.B. Jayah, Colonel J.L. Kotelawala, Dr. L.A. Rajapakse, S. Nadesan and J.R. Jayewardene (Members of the First Parliament) had been appointed to look into the question of a National Flag.

J.R. Jayewardene later wrote: “The investigations of the Committee revealed the early existence and use of the Lion Flag. The Heraldic Lion, it appeared, had been used in ancient sculpture, pottery and carvings. The Sanchi Stupa and the Dambulla frescoes contained the earlier representation of this symbol; the Lion Flag flew over the capital city of Jayawardhana Pura (modern Kotte) on the occasion of the coronation of King Pararamabahu VI, in 1415 A.D.; it was carried at the military pageant held by the Dutch in Colombo at the funeral obsequies to do honour to the memory of King Raja Singha II in 1687, as reported by a Belgian physician who watched the solemn pageant.” (The Sunday Observer 3 February 1985).