Mirrors on Buddhism


Mirrors of Buddhism

Some ten years ago, I took a short sabbatical to Sri Lanka.

I was born to a Catholic family, raised in Colombo and studied in private Christian institutions. After I turned fifty, I realised that I am not exactly a typical ex-pat Lankan living in Australia, having lived my entire adult life outside Sri Lanka. I have become a mixed bag, a product of diverse cultures with many influences. Many elements of indigenous Lankan culture were foreign to me , which drove a bit of curiosity.

I wanted to figure out my ethnic origins. Second, I wanted to explore and immerse myself in Sri Lanka’s ancient culture, which is primarily Buddhist. Many of my work colleagues have commented that I have an inherent serenity and am not easily fazed. I felt that many Lankan people exhibited a great dose of calmness. I wanted to explore that part of my make-up. Third, I tried to figure out my spiritual and land connections. Hence the desire for a trip to explore my origins and cultures influenced me through generations. In my family history, my ancestors were Buddhist till about five generations ago. My great-great-grandfather converted to Christianity in 1862 when Sri Lanka was under European rule.

So, I went away for a short trip with my camera and summer clothes to live and capture images of the Buddhist practices, monks and rituals in Sri Lanka. These are some of the photos from that trip. I embedded myself with the crews at the country’s most prominent Buddhist festival in the hilly town of Kandy. Then I spent a few days in two historic Buddhist temples in central Sri Lanka. These are the images from those expeditions which I share with you now.

I lived the life of my subjects in this photo essay, staying in simple accommodation and consuming their vegetarian meals. It was a great experience in simplicity, kindness and openness. I learned about my ancient culture through these interactions, hands-on. Enjoy!

Photos captured at Esala Perahera in Kandy, Mihintale and Sarananda temples

Ancient artwork reproduced by the author

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Images and artwork belong to the author.

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