When declaring independence in 1948, the flag was copied from King of Kandy's flag and is the origin of today's flag. There is a myth that the ancestors of the biggest ethnic group, the Sinhalese, was of lion origin, and a yellow lion is depicted on the flag. In the four corners, leaves of lime trees are shown and represent Buddhism. Also, the safran colored band represents Hindu Tamil people, while the green colored band represent the Muslim Moore people.