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About This Project
 In
the early months of 1994, while on a plane heading to New
York City, I sat next to, and had a long conversation with,
a Catholic priest from Sri Lanka. At the end of that flight
and the extended discussion with Fr. Quintus Fernando, I had
an invitation to visit that exotic place.
As one would expect, before leaving the United States, I gathered
a number of travel books about Sri Lanka and did some basic
travel research. Flipping through one of the books, I came
across a photograph of a regally costumed elephant being ridden
by an equally adorned man in a procession call the Esala Perahera.
The text indicated that this religious event took place in
a town called Kandy located in the mountainous center of the
island. Described as an event that took place for ten continuous
days, I thought this would be an ideal place to discover Sri
Lanka, a decision that has proven correct in many ways.
I’ve been working on this project now for the past 16
years. I’ve made 10 trips to Kandy during the Esala Perahera
period, resulting in thousands of photographs as well as an
understanding of one of the world’s great religious and
cultural events. My trips have left me with a host of memories
and a special group of dear friends on the other side of the
world. All this has been assembled into a manuscript using
the Blurb book-publication software, with the photographs
and accompanying text that I’ve written being assembled
into a pre-publication book form.
As wonderful as this project has been to this point, much
work lies ahead. Finding a publisher, printing photographs,
arranging for exhibitions, thinking about a suitable lecture
presentation, and funding – always the funding.
As part of this entire process, this site is meant to give
this project a face online. Here you will see some of what
I’ve seen, learned and photographed.
If you have an idea or a way to help with this project, please
feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Michael Sarnacki
Note: For a video introduction to this plroject, click
here.
Funding
This Project
This project would never have been possible without the support
of a large number of people. We would like to gratefully acknowledge
their contributions.
Majors Sponsors:
Bob and May Weinbaum
Chris Alix
Christine & Jeff Kerr
David Dickey |
Frances Sarnacki
Kenneth A. Hiltz
Lakeview Friends
Lori Parks |
Robert J. and Margaret
E. Lane
Samantha Perera
Sarnacki & Associates Architects |
This project was also funded by these
supporters through Kickstarter.
Al Lorenzo
Alex Parks
Allan Dranberg
Andrew & Susan Smilnak
Ann Marie Gabrielson
Anton Canisious
Barbara Carson-McHale
Barry Lohman
Bernard Menken
Bill Meyer
Bill Schwab
Bill & Michelle Wentworth
Bonnie & Al Koch
Brian Sarnacki
Bruce Giffin
Bryan Treen
C V Ramachandran
Cara Cherry
Carla Anderson
Caroline Jaine
Cass & Phyllis Pawlowski
Chula Rajapakse
Conrad Welsing
Cyndi Noraian
Czarina Mustafa
Dash Ranasinghe
Dave Mastrangelo
David Doubley
David Ippel
David & Sheryl Thompson
Dawn Jayska
Daymon Hartley
Deb DiRezze
Debra Kuptz
Dennis Cox
Dennis Elliot
Diane Armijo
Diane McCallum
Diane Palmer
Dilip Abayasekara
Dolores Mack
Don Sarnacki
Donita Simpson
Doug Aikenhead
Doug & Susan Coupanger
Ed and Marianne Nugent
Elayne Gross
Fair Radom
Gamini P Jayasuriya
Gayan Gunawardana
Gere Baskin
Hemal Gurusinghe
Ian R. Solberg
Ilene Lanfear
Imasha & Anuradha Walatara
Indu Rupassara
Ingrid White
Jacek Sarnacki |
Jacqueline Skelton
James Fassinger
James Nugent
Janet
Janet and John Boyles
Janet Suriano-Taylor
Janice Gutowski
Jay & Laurie Sarnacki
Jay Wimalasena
Jennifer Nugent
Jeri Magid
Jerome Pryor, S. J.
Jerry & Diana Nagorski
Jessica Masten
Jim Childress
Jim Collini
Joann Johnson
John Adams
John Drogosch
John Sobczak
Joseph Crachiola
Judith & Robert Goren
Kaleema A.Sumareh
Karen Constantinoff
Kavinda Gunasekara
Kelli Knapp
Kiley Weber
Kiran Asija
Kisha A. Chaudhuri–Maitree
Kumi Bali
Kumudinie & Upali Fonseka
Kyle Rocheleau
Larry K. Snider
LaTanya Orr
Laura & Henry
Lisa Maria Braun
Madelyne Sarnacki
Madu Batuwangala
Manori Nadesalingam
Marie A. Schimelfening
Martha Berriman
Mary Castelli
Mary Ellen S. O'Keefe
Mary Ellen Sanko
Mary Karshner
Maryellen Sarnacki
Mel Christiansen
Michael & Violet Ryan
Michael Vaughn
Michelle Overstreet
Mieke Beumer
Miri Stebivka
Mr. & Mrs. R.D. Muller
Namal Raigama
Nanda Perera
Nate Sarnacki
Nicholas Sarnacki
Nicole Walters |
Nikki Freitag
Nyama Y. Marsh
Omar Khan
P. Daya Seneviratne
Patrice Beauvais
Patricia Izzo
Patty McCarthy
Philip Southern
Pri Kalupahana
Rachel Brennan
Rachel Ray
Ramani Wijayratne
Ranjan A
Ranjith Abeyratne
Ranjith U. Wijetunge
Ravi Thabolingam
Rebecca Cook
Renee Costa
Rob and Joy Angelastro
Robert Scullin
Robin Bearance
Roy Feldman
Samer Dirani
Sandy Seeber
Sanka T
Santa Fabio
Sarath Joshua
Scott Klein
Scott W Thum
Shelly Villarreal
Shiral Devmal
Spot On Art
Srilankaevents
Stephanie squires
Stephanie Tombari
Stephen Graham
Steve & Reba Sarnacki
Steven Jungquist
Steven Lewis
Subadra Deundara
Sujeewa Randeniya
Susan Anderson
Suzanne Bailey
Sydney Cash
Tamara Wood
Taro Yamasaki
Ted and Mary Stenger
Ted Winiarski
Tom Guyot
Trista Sample
U. H. Dhanawansa
Ursula Sliwka
Veronica Paiz & Alex Rogowski
Vickie Feurino
Wick Gankanda
Wilkins Family
William K. Wilkins
Wm. B. Becker |
Acknowledgements
Obviously a project of this length and scope is not
possible without the help and guidance of many individuals.
My sincere gratitude is extended to the following individuals,
companies and organizations:
In Sri Lanka
•
His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa - President of the
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
•
His Excellency Jaliya Wickramasuriya - (Ambassador of
Sri Lanka to the United States)
•
His Excellency Bandula Jayasekara (Sri Lanka Diplomat
– United Nations)
•
Wasantha Perera (Sri Lanka Embassy – Washington)
•
Dhammika Swarnasinghe (Kandy)
•
Fr. Quintus Fernando (Wennappuwa)
•
W.F.X. Fernando (Negombo)
•
S.W. R. Weerakoon (Kandy)
•
Susila Balasubramaniam (Kandy)
•
M. Imthiaz Hamza (Kandy)
•
Lakshman Dharmapriya J.P. (Dalada Maligawa – Kandy)
•
Chiratni Perera (Kandy)
•
Dr. Ashoka Dangolla (Peradeniya University)
•
P.W. Lal Jayaratna (Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya)
•
Kapila Wanniarachchi (Kandy)
•
Piramon D. Silva (Editor of the Associated Newspapers
of Ceylon)
•
Gamini Ramanayake (Photographer - Associated Newspapers
of Ceylon)
•
Ninsai Pitipana (Photographer - Associated Newspapers
of Ceylon)
•
S. Chitranasdaó (Photographer - Associated Newspapers
of Ceylon)
International Assistance
•
Hebe Lin (China)
•
Patsuda Sajamark (Thailand)
•
Virgil D. Duff (Toronto)
•
Carine Fraley de Léotard (France)
•
Stephanie Tombari (Toronto)
In the United States |
•
Trista Sample
•
Jim Nixon
•
Diane McCallum
•
Ellen Piligian
•
Stephanie Schneider
•
Todd Weinstein
•
Jeff Marxi
•
Lori Parks
|
•
Jeff & Chris Kerr
•
Robert Lane
•
John Drogosch
•
Maria Mustonen
•
Martha Berriman
•
Karilyn Collin
•
John Szlavik
•
Dan Montague |
•
Maria & David Mustenon
•
Jay Alix
•
Debra Kuptz
•
AlixPartners. LLC
•
Macomb Community College Foundation
•
Bob & May Weinbaum
• Jeanne, Frances
and Elliot Sarnacki |
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