The Garuda Flag too is another ancient flag of the Karawes of Sri Lanka. According to the ancient Sri Lankan poetic compilation, Thisara Sandesha, tTe Garuda flag was also used by King Parakramabahu V (AD 1348 - 1360) of Dedigama as the royal or national flag [1]. It was similar to the Garuda flag used by the Rajputs of Rajastan, India[2] .
Right: The Garuda flag of the Karava from Tamankaduwa.
Verse 151 of the Thisara Sandesha from the Kotte period refers to the Garuda flag as a royal flag.
The Culavamsa says that during the reign of King Parákramabáhu II, in the year A.D. 1237, the famous Rajput Thakura arrived in Sri Lanka . He married the daughter of Vijayabahu III, who was also the sister of the reigning monarch. Later, when General Mitta assassinated Vijayabahu IV in A.D. 1270 and usurped the throne, Rajput Thakura personally slew Mitta and placed his own nephew Buvanekabahu I on the throne [3].
According to inscriptional evidence, a grandson of Rajput Thakura, named Thakuraka Mandalika Raja of Dedigama formed the Keerawella royal family in the 14th century. His daughter, Princess Swarna Menike (Ran Menike) `was the chief queen of Parakrama Bahu VI of Kotte [4].
This Keerawella royal family was the ultimate repository of the Surya Wansa Sri Sangabo Okkaka Lemeni Kula line of kings of Ceylon. Thus Rajput Thakura founded the family which was the fountain and ultimate locus source where from; the kings of Gampola, Kotte, Sitawaka, Kandy and Raigama sought their queens in the 15th and 16th centuries [5].
Hugh Nevill notes that the first three pages of the Keerawella Bandaravaliya in his collection [6] appeared to have been vandalised and thereby obscured the progenitor of this family. However the inscriptions quoted above now fill this void.
King Parakrama Bahu V later transferred his capital from Dedigama to Gampola and appointed his kinsman, the above mentioned Thakura, as his Mandalika Raja (Regional ruler) [7].
Presently the only family in Sri Lanka claiming descent from this illustrious Rajput Thakura is the Karava family of Thakura Artha Déva Adithya Gárdiyavasam Lindamulage de Silva family of Moratuwa. Details of this family are given in the ola manuscript Ádithyawamsa and an English translation thereof appears in Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon [8].
Right: The flag of the Karava ‘Thakura Arta-deva Adithya’ clan from 20th century impressions of Ceylon. The colors of the stripes are blue, gold, red , white and purple. Colonel Olcott’s design for the Buddhist flag was based on this flag
The only extant specimen of this Royal Garuda flag was among the collection of eighteen flags preserved as heirlooms by the family of Mr. S. U. Kulasekaram Pillay the Udaiar of Egoda Pattu, Tamankaduwa, a Karava family. However E. W. Perera has omitted the Karáva connections of this flag too and listed it as the Mayura flag of Tamankaduwa despite the bold and clear legend “Garudathám Upayam” appearing across the top left corner of the flag [9].
Of this collection of eighteen Karava flags, E. W. Perera has, deliberately omitted many when publishing his bok on ancient Sri lankan flags. The few that have been included in his book are scattered under various other headings thereby concealing the historical and cultural significance of the collection of ancient Karave flags. A collection such as this representing a major Sri Lankan commuity, really merited a separate and complete chapter as no other Sri Lankan community had such flags. .
This fKarave amily at Tamankaduwa had been rewarded by the grant of Egoda Pattuwa as a Nindagam by the indomitable enemy of the Portuguese, King Rajasingha I (AD 1581 - 1593) of Sitawaka. Arasa Nila Itta Kurukula Meegomuwe Mudiyanse of Grand Street , Negombo had received Egoda Pattu while Arasa Nila Itta Warnakula Suriya Maha Gaurendra Mudiyanse of Sea Street , Negombo had received Megoda Pattu [10].
Thus these eighteen Kaurava flags were preserved for posterity while the western coast lost most such flags, mainly due to religious persecution during Dutch rule.
This family at Tamankaduwa also had a heirloom ‘Mutu Kuda’ (ceremonial pearl umbrella) which they used at family functions. It was borrowed in the recent past by a powerful family from Horowpotana and never returned.
Similarly Sembahap Perumal (ie. Buvanekabahu VI AD 1473 - 1480) Bandaravaliya, an ola manuscript in archaic Sinhala and Tamil was taken by an early Prime Minister for perusal and publication, but was never returned nor published.
Dr. K. P. V. D. Fernando
[1] Tisara Sandésaya, verse 144.
[2] Annals and Antiquities of Rajastan, Vol I, J. Todd, 1914.
[3] Culavamsa XC, 16 ft., Geiger
[4] The Kotavehera at Dedigama, C. E. Godakumbura, Memoirs of the Archaeological Survey of Ceylon, Vol. VII, pages14 & 15.
[5] Rajavaliya, B. Gunasekara edition, pages 47, 50 & 51..
[6] Hugh Nevill Collection, British Museum.
[7] The Memoirs of the Archaeological Survey of Ceylon, Vol VII pgs 14 - 15. Kurukshetra Vol II 32 - 33, Padmawathie the Sinhala Rajput Princess.
[8] Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon, Arnold Wright, Colombo, 1908. Pages 667 -669.
[9] Sinhalese Banners and Standards, E. W. Perera, Pl. XXVI, fig 71.
[10] The Karáva of Ceylon, M. D. Raghavan.
The British Museum catalogue numbers for related ola manusctipts are :
Kshatriya Maha Sabha, Sri Lanka