9 Portraits of elders in Kandy

The Nice Burgher Girl

Jean Arasanayagam

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Writer Jean Arasanayagam reflects on her Burgher identity, her experience of 1983 — “the watershed” moment in her life— and what it’s like being married to a Jaffna man. 

Recorded: November 28, 2010
Photographer: Kannan Arunasalam
Published: August 6, 2023
Main story:
We enjoyed life
30644 listens
18 comments
Subjects discussed:
Black July, Community, Conflict, Home, Reconciliation, Travel
There are also 4 supporting stories

The Warrior Queen

Helga de Silva Blow Perera

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Helga de Silva talks about growing up in the family home that would eventually become the sumptuous ‘Helga’s Folly’.  Helga reflects on why people are drawn to her ‘anti-hotel’, a canvas for her and her guests’ creativity. 

Recorded: October 25, 2010
Photographer: Alefiya Akbarally, Kannan Arunasalam
Published: August 6, 2023
Main story:
I’m very blessed
30959 listens
11 comments
Subjects discussed:
Family, Home, Occupation, Travel
There are also 6 supporting stories

The Aunt

Mallika Talwatte

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Mallika Talwatte reflects on her experience of courtship during the 1940s and why she decided to remain single. 

Recorded: February 20, 2011
Photographer: Kannan Arunasalam, Menika van der Poorten
Published: August 5, 2023
Main story:
That was my destiny
16890 listens
13 comments
Subjects discussed:
Family, Marriage, Tradition
There are also 2 supporting stories

The Grave Digger

V.S. Alagan

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V.S Alagan, the Hindu keeper of a Catholic cemetery, shares his knowledge of the graves of different faiths.

Recorded: December 12, 2010
Photographer: Kannan Arunasalam, Menika van der Poorten
Published: August 4, 2023
Main story:
Nowadays I can dig about five graves a day
Subjects discussed:
Faith, Home, Occupation
There is also 1 supporting story

The Good Wife

Mrs Rasheed

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Mrs Rasheed remembers her late husband and how she coped after his death to raise five children on her own.

Recorded: November 21, 2010
Photographer: Kannan Arunasalam, Menika van der Poorten
Published: August 3, 2023
Main story:
Very rarely you get a couple like that, don’t you think?
10621 listens
7 comments
Subjects discussed:
Home, Occupation, Politics
There are also 6 supporting stories

The Guarantee Shroff

C.K. Sankarakumaran

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C.K. Sankarakumaran stepped into the shoes of his father and grandfather as a guarantee shroff, a kind of banker. He reflects on his two homes of Kandy and Jaffna.

Recorded: November 12, 2010
Photographer: Kannan Arunasalam, Menika van der Poorten
Published: August 3, 2023
Main story:
Our roots were there 
13604 listens
8 comments
Subjects discussed:
Community, Diaspora, Home, Occupation
There are also 4 supporting stories

The Reader

S. Thoradeniya

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Retired school principal, S. Thoradeniya, talks about his lifetime goal of translating his favourite childhood read.

Recorded: November 4, 2010
Photographer: Kannan Arunasalam, Menika van der Poorten
Published: August 3, 2023
Main story:
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. Immediately I thought of translating it.
21163 listens
11 comments
Subjects discussed:
Caste, Community, Conflict, Home, Language, Travel
There are also 6 supporting stories

The Daughter

Dushyanthi Nugawela Wijeyawardena

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Dushyanthi Nugawela Wijeyawardena’s father was a Buddhist and her mother a Christian. Yet her parents raised her to respect both Christianity and Buddhism and left her to make the choice. 

Recorded: March 5, 2011
Photographer: Kannan Arunasalam, Menika van der Poorten
Published: August 2, 2023
Main story:
He learned his Buddhism from Moffat’s translation of the Bible
17566 listens
10 comments
Subjects discussed:
Home, Occupation, Politics
There are also 6 supporting stories

The Kandyan Drummer

Panchanaada

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Hailing from generations of Kandyan drummers, Panchanaada reflects on the challenges of continuing the family tradition and how he got his name.

Recorded: October 25, 2010
Photographer: Kannan Arunasalam
Published: August 1, 2023
Main story:
He named me Panchanaada, meaning the five types of instruments
Subjects discussed:
Caste, Conflict, Home, Occupation, Tradition
There are also 3 supporting stories