As a former English teacher, it brings me great joy when someone has the courage to explore their style of writing and experiment with what they discover. Even more courageous is the decision to publish and hold that style up to those who choose to read it. In this case, I feel that the reader of ‘Lost in Floral Rain’ written by Pushpa Suriyaarachi is the one who is rewarded. There are new pieces of information to be gleaned; there are little pieces of poetry to be reflected on; there is a type of travelogue, there is a glimpse into family life through the main character, Kusum, and we are invited to accompany her on parts of her life journey.
I began reading this story knowing very little about Sri Lanka - its society and culture. In short episodes I learnt about aspects of the political situation, particularly of the 1970’s, that were starkly different to what we know as Australians. Pushpa used vivid colour to illustrate tension and victory. I felt, even though the situation was so different from anything I have ever experienced, the frustration of those who were part of it. I also learnt and came to appreciate family traditions and ways of being that helped me understand why things are as they are, even today. I realized how precious education is for those who have the opportunities to pursue it.
The author is insistent that this is not an autobiography – it is a gathering of memories of her time living with family and friends in Sri Lanka. Yet the reader, knowing Pushpa, automatically imagine that Kusum’s description of her university experience is very close to Pushpa’s own student experience. Kusum is passionate, committed, compassionate, an excellent student, successful, a person of integrity. Anyone who comes into Pushpa’s orbit of care would know that this is an exact replica of who Pushpa is as a practicing doctor in Australia.
Lost in Floral Rain is a tribute to Pushpa’s courage, something that is clearly evident throughout the book. She is not confined by writing a ‘book’ – she has a freedom to experiment with memoir, travelogue, poetry, ‘autobiography’, memoir – and she is prepared to publish so that others might benefit through the charity she supports, "Project Home Owl". Through this project, some university students are given tablets to access the necessary textbooks and to facilitate home learning. This is so true to the theme of this book.
I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to read this book. It is a little gem!
Anne Ferguson
Copies of "Lost in Floral Rain" are available for sale in Australia and those who are willing to purchase a copy are kindly requested to refer to information given in the following location: https://lostinfloralrain.blogspot.com/2023/05/how-to-buy-copy-of-lost-in-floral-rain.html
All revenue raised from the sale of "Lost in Floral rain" will be used for the charity named "Project Home Owl". For details of "Project Home Owl" charity please visit:
https://lostinfloralrain.blogspot.com/2019/05/introducing-project-home-owl-charity.html
For details contact: pushpa.suriyaarachchi@yahoo.com.au.
Thursday, December 28, 2023
Wednesday, December 27, 2023
A petal-like reading experience - Review by Professor Kamani Jayasekera
The name of the book itself professes the nature of the read. Floral rain in the local colloquial expression is a ‘mal vessak’. The experience is similar to petals that fall from the sky, on auspicious occasions for good luck. The mild colours and the scent soothe one's nerves. - Nothing to disturb but pleasant and encouraging.
For me personally, I feel a special empathy because I too have experienced the same political and social background. Maybe, though unfortunately something particular in our own country, Sri Lanka. Elections and the post-election violence that is most of the time inevitable. The reader is never kept in ignorance of what the main character had felt.
The story runs similar to an autobiography. At times there are incidents that flash a psychological insight almost unintentionally on the part of the author. They are described in simple m language in a simple manner but obviously affect the minds of the readership. They are automatically reactions of a girl child of a certain social background. At various stages of her life - like petals in the wind having fallen from the stem.
The following are some examples.
The verbal abuse in the rows that occur in shanties on the other side of the wall. She excited to watch having climbed a tree for the purpose!
The election, the manner publicity is sought, and the post-election fever she finds it difficult to comprehend. She is so terrified that she is compelled to take refuge under a bed when her house is pelted with stones.
The feelings aroused as a sensitive novice at the university at the reception by seniors is thought-provoking. The abusive words used by them shocks her more than the practicals in the anatomy class.
Uncertainty of feelings before the attraction of the opposite sex is handled well with discipline, the young lady had been hitherto groomed with.
The excitement of the final pap of a medical student which is the experience dampened by the curt attitude by the professor to put her in place! Yet the exception she receives as a kind lady by the sick becomes her reward.
The above are only selections from the incidents recorded which proves a deeply sensitive mind and a warm heart.
Nature of friendships, how newcomers are initiated into the fraternity, political protests their nature, romance had made the book interesting, startling one out of convictions making one question his beliefs.
The ending is not of a dues ex-machina.it ends without disturbing one’s mind as expected on a positive note convincingly. The fact makes one wish that she may present them with a sequel.
The comment on the novel is not complete unless one notices the manner of narration. The novel is a collection of short incidents that may be appreciated as individual pieces.
The many incidents are separate. Yet they essentially run together which makes it unity in diversity. One may enjoy one chapter at a time while another may read it as a complete whole.
The diverse incidents have a different style and taste. The simple verses that she had used before starting various chapters serve as an introduction, which does and at times does not sum up the essence.
Published in: https://archives1.dailynews.lk/2019/07/17/tc/191278/petal-reading-experience
Kamani Jayasekera,
Senior Professor
Department of Western Classical Culture and Christian Culture
University of Kelaniya
Sri Lanka.
Copies of "Lost in Floral Rain" are available for sale in Australia and those who are willing to purchase a copy are kindly requested to refer to information given in the following location: https://lostinfloralrain.blogspot.com/2023/05/how-to-buy-copy-of-lost-in-floral-rain.html
All revenue raised from the sale of "Lost in Floral rain" will be used for the charity named "Project Home Owl". For details of "Project Home Owl" charity please visit: https://lostinfloralrain.blogspot.com/2019/05/introducing-project-home-owl-charity.html
For details contact: pushpa.suriyaarachchi@yahoo.com.au.
For me personally, I feel a special empathy because I too have experienced the same political and social background. Maybe, though unfortunately something particular in our own country, Sri Lanka. Elections and the post-election violence that is most of the time inevitable. The reader is never kept in ignorance of what the main character had felt.
The story runs similar to an autobiography. At times there are incidents that flash a psychological insight almost unintentionally on the part of the author. They are described in simple m language in a simple manner but obviously affect the minds of the readership. They are automatically reactions of a girl child of a certain social background. At various stages of her life - like petals in the wind having fallen from the stem.
The following are some examples.
The verbal abuse in the rows that occur in shanties on the other side of the wall. She excited to watch having climbed a tree for the purpose!
The election, the manner publicity is sought, and the post-election fever she finds it difficult to comprehend. She is so terrified that she is compelled to take refuge under a bed when her house is pelted with stones.
The feelings aroused as a sensitive novice at the university at the reception by seniors is thought-provoking. The abusive words used by them shocks her more than the practicals in the anatomy class.
Uncertainty of feelings before the attraction of the opposite sex is handled well with discipline, the young lady had been hitherto groomed with.
The excitement of the final pap of a medical student which is the experience dampened by the curt attitude by the professor to put her in place! Yet the exception she receives as a kind lady by the sick becomes her reward.
The above are only selections from the incidents recorded which proves a deeply sensitive mind and a warm heart.
Nature of friendships, how newcomers are initiated into the fraternity, political protests their nature, romance had made the book interesting, startling one out of convictions making one question his beliefs.
The ending is not of a dues ex-machina.it ends without disturbing one’s mind as expected on a positive note convincingly. The fact makes one wish that she may present them with a sequel.
The comment on the novel is not complete unless one notices the manner of narration. The novel is a collection of short incidents that may be appreciated as individual pieces.
The many incidents are separate. Yet they essentially run together which makes it unity in diversity. One may enjoy one chapter at a time while another may read it as a complete whole.
The diverse incidents have a different style and taste. The simple verses that she had used before starting various chapters serve as an introduction, which does and at times does not sum up the essence.
Published in: https://archives1.dailynews.lk/2019/07/17/tc/191278/petal-reading-experience
Kamani Jayasekera,
Senior Professor
Department of Western Classical Culture and Christian Culture
University of Kelaniya
Sri Lanka.
Copies of "Lost in Floral Rain" are available for sale in Australia and those who are willing to purchase a copy are kindly requested to refer to information given in the following location: https://lostinfloralrain.blogspot.com/2023/05/how-to-buy-copy-of-lost-in-floral-rain.html
All revenue raised from the sale of "Lost in Floral rain" will be used for the charity named "Project Home Owl". For details of "Project Home Owl" charity please visit: https://lostinfloralrain.blogspot.com/2019/05/introducing-project-home-owl-charity.html
For details contact: pushpa.suriyaarachchi@yahoo.com.au.
Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Donation of eight (08) tablet devices for needy medical students at University of Peradeniya
Thanks to the generous support we have received from well-wishers, this year we were able to continue helping the needy students of the Faculty of Medicine, university of Peradeniya.
At a simple ceremony held at the student common room of the medical faculty on 5 March, 2023, eight (08) Samsung Galaxy Tablets were handed over to Professor Vasanthi Pinto, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and student representatives.
These Samsung tablets were purchased at a net (purchase price minus the tax rebate) cost of Aus$ 1,665.45 in Australia.
These tablet devices will be distributed to students with significant financial difficulties as identified by the scholarship committee of the faculty.
My sincere appreciation goes to Professor Vasanthi Pinto, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and to Professor Shamali Abeygunawardene, Chairperson of the scholarship committee.
This donation was made possible through the generous contributions made to the “Project Home Owl” fund by well wishers and those who purchased copies of the second print of my novel “Lost in Floral Rain”. My sincere thanks to each and every one of you!
The second print was released in October 2022 in Sydney, Australia at the 7th PeMSAA Australasia Conference.
I would thank the executive committee of Peradeniya Medical School Alumni Association (PeMSAA) Australasia for allowing me to have a stall at the conference and the members of PeMSAA who generously supported “Project Home Owl” by making generous contributions. I would also like to greatly value the generosity and support of Dr Nimmi Athuraliya, esteemed lecturer at the faculty during my time there and a conjoint lecturer at University of Newcastle.
Please contribute to this project through purchasing a copy of the novel "Lost in Floral Rain".
Copies from the second print are available for sale in Australia. Those who are willing to purchase a copy are kindly requested to refer to information given in the following location: https://lostinfloralrain.blogspot.com/2023/05/how-to-buy-copy-of-lost-in-floral-rain.html
All revenue raised from the sale of "Lost in Floral rain" will be used for the charity named "Project Home Owl". For details of "Project Home Owl" charity please visit: https://lostinfloralrain.blogspot.com/2019/05/introducing-project-home-owl-charity.html
For details contact: pushpa.suriyaarachchi@yahoo.com.au.
Thanking you.
- Pushpa Suriyaarachchi
P/S:
Previous donations made using the funds raised for “Project Home Owl” by selling the copies of the novel “Lost in Floral Rain” are given in the posts below.
- In 2019/20: Donation of ten sets of text books for students (with financial difficulties) of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya and English readers for school aged-kids.
For details please see: https://lostinfloralrain.blogspot.com/2020/03/project-home-owl-update.html - In April 2021: Donation ten (10) Samsung Galaxy tablets for the students (with financial difficulties) of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya in April 2021. The total value of this donation was Rs. 329,900.
For details please see: https://lostinfloralrain.blogspot.com/2021/09/project-home-owl-update-2021.html
In Sri Lanka, the financial downturn had devastating effects with the day day-to-day living expenses skyrocketing.
I had a discussion with Professor Shamali Abeygunawardene, the chairperson of the scholarship committee of Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, who is tremendously passionate about student welfare. She provided feedback received from the previous donations and how the students have valued receiving tablet devises as they can access multitude of learning material and resources using them without having to carry heavy textbooks.
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Second Print of the novel “Lost in Floral Rain”
All the copies of the novel “Lost in Floral Rain” available for sale in Sarasavi bookshops in Sri Lanka since April 2019 were sold out by 2020. All copies I had with me in Australia were given out to well-wishers to raise funds for the charity “Project Home Owl” as well.
The money raised from the proceeds were used for the following charity work.
- In 2019/20: Donation of ten sets of text books for students (with financial difficulties) of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya and English readers for school aged-kids.
For details please see: https://lostinfloralrain.blogspot.com/2020/03/project-home-owl-update.html - In April 2021: Donation ten (10) Samsung Galaxy tablets for the students (with financial difficulties) of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya in April 2021. The total value of this donation was Rs. 329,900.
For details please see: https://lostinfloralrain.blogspot.com/2021/09/project-home-owl-update-2021.html
As we are well aware, at the end of the second phase of Covid in early 2022, Sri Lanka underwent a monitory crisis resulting in a severe shortage of printing paper. Our publisher was not in a position to print the second batch of copies immediately.
Despite all these, I am delighted to inform that a second batch of “Lost in Floral Rain” was printed and released by Sarasavi Book shop in late 2022.
However, due to high cost of printing and the lack of printing paper in Sri Lanka, this second batch was printed as a standard paperback edition instead of the hard cover and flip-cover editions we had with the first print.
This second print of “Lost in Floral Rain” was released at the Peradeniya Medical School Alumni Association (PeMSA) conference held in Sydney in October 2022.
Furthermore, only a limited number of copies were printed and therefore the book is not available for sale in bookshops in Sri Lanka.
Copies are available for sale in Australia and those who are willing to purchase a copy are kindly requested to refer to information given in the following location: https://lostinfloralrain.blogspot.com/2023/05/how-to-buy-copy-of-lost-in-floral-rain.html
All revenue raised from the sale of "Lost in Floral rain" will be used for the charity named "Project Home Owl". For details of "Project Home Owl" charity please visit: https://lostinfloralrain.blogspot.com/2019/05/introducing-project-home-owl-charity.html
For details contact: pushpa.suriyaarachchi@yahoo.com.au.
Thanking you.
-Pushpa Suriyaarachchi
How to buy a copy of "Lost in Floral Rain" by Pushpa Suriyaarachchi – Second print
All revenue raised from the sale of "Lost in Floral rain" will be used for the charity named "Project Home Owl".
Copies of the second print of "Lost in Floral Rain" is now available for sale in Australia.
Here is how you can secure your copy and help the charity "Project Home Owl".
Please transfer A$25 to the Commonwealth Bank account setup for "Project Home Owl" charity given below and email the details of your order and the postal address in Australia to: pushpa.suriyaarachchi@yahoo.com.au.
When you are mail ordering, you have the option of adding an extra donation for the charity "Project Home Owl" as well.
BSB: 06 2692
Account: 3749 9876
Name: Pushpa Suriyaarachchi
We will post you a copy of "Lost in Floral Rain" within a few days by Australia post (or home deliver to your address).
All money raised by selling copies of "Lost in Floral Rain" and donations will be exclusively used for the charity "Project Home Owl".
For details contact: pushpa.suriyaarachchi@yahoo.com.au.
Thanking you.
- Pushpa Suriyaarachchi
A Sinhala language song inspired by the novel “Lost in Floral Rain”
A new song inspired by the novel "Lost in Floral Rain” has been released.
Lyrics: Pushpa Suriyaarachchi, the author of “Lost in Floral Rain”
Melody and music: Visharad Rukmalie Kulathilake
Vocals: Ruvee Nimnadi
Ochestra
Violin: Ravi Kulathilaka
Guitar: Arjuna de Silva
Drums: Dinesh Perera
Please enjoy the video clip on YouTube.
තුරුලිය සරසන කුසුමින් නැහැවුණ
රෝස පාට මල් වැසි වැස්සා
රොබරොසියා තුරු පාමුල මල් වැසි
මල් වැසි, මල් වැසි, ඇද හැලුණා
ශිල්ප කරන්නට නවකයින් ඇවිත්
මල් වැස්සේ මංමුළා වෙලා
පාද තබා කඩිසර ගමනින්
මල් වරුසාවේ සිනාසෙමින්
මල් වැස්සේ මංමුළා වෙලා
මල් පිරි පාවඩ පලස් එළාලා
සුමට සුමුදු මල් ඇතිරිල්ලේ
සෙමින් සෙමින් පරිස්සමින්
ඇවිද ඇවිද යමු සිතින් දරාගෙන
රොබරොසියා මල් මල් සිහිනේ
Copies from the second print of the novel "Lost in Floral Rain" are available for sale in Australia. Those who are willing to purchase a copy are kindly requested to refer to information given in the following location: https://lostinfloralrain.blogspot.com/2023/05/how-to-buy-copy-of-lost-in-floral-rain.html
All revenue raised from the sale of "Lost in Floral rain" will be used for the charity named "Project Home Owl". For details of "Project Home Owl" charity please visit: https://lostinfloralrain.blogspot.com/2019/05/introducing-project-home-owl-charity.html
For details contact: pushpa.suriyaarachchi@yahoo.com.au.
Thanking you,
-Pushpa Suriyaarachchi
Two renditions of the English language song "Floral Rain", released in 2019, can be listend via YouTube as well.
Sung by Prasadini Thirumaran.
Music from Alexander Blu.
Lyrics by Pushpa Suriyaarachchi.
Music composed and sung by Carlos Reyes.
Lyrics by Pushpa Suriyaarachchi.
Lyrics: Pushpa Suriyaarachchi, the author of “Lost in Floral Rain”
Melody and music: Visharad Rukmalie Kulathilake
Vocals: Ruvee Nimnadi
Ochestra
Violin: Ravi Kulathilaka
Guitar: Arjuna de Silva
Drums: Dinesh Perera
Please enjoy the video clip on YouTube.
තුරුලිය සරසන කුසුමින් නැහැවුණ
රෝස පාට මල් වැසි වැස්සා
රොබරොසියා තුරු පාමුල මල් වැසි
මල් වැසි, මල් වැසි, ඇද හැලුණා
ශිල්ප කරන්නට නවකයින් ඇවිත්
මල් වැස්සේ මංමුළා වෙලා
පාද තබා කඩිසර ගමනින්
මල් වරුසාවේ සිනාසෙමින්
මල් වැස්සේ මංමුළා වෙලා
මල් පිරි පාවඩ පලස් එළාලා
සුමට සුමුදු මල් ඇතිරිල්ලේ
සෙමින් සෙමින් පරිස්සමින්
ඇවිද ඇවිද යමු සිතින් දරාගෙන
රොබරොසියා මල් මල් සිහිනේ
Copies from the second print of the novel "Lost in Floral Rain" are available for sale in Australia. Those who are willing to purchase a copy are kindly requested to refer to information given in the following location: https://lostinfloralrain.blogspot.com/2023/05/how-to-buy-copy-of-lost-in-floral-rain.html
All revenue raised from the sale of "Lost in Floral rain" will be used for the charity named "Project Home Owl". For details of "Project Home Owl" charity please visit: https://lostinfloralrain.blogspot.com/2019/05/introducing-project-home-owl-charity.html
For details contact: pushpa.suriyaarachchi@yahoo.com.au.
Thanking you,
-Pushpa Suriyaarachchi
Two renditions of the English language song "Floral Rain", released in 2019, can be listend via YouTube as well.
Sung by Prasadini Thirumaran.
Music from Alexander Blu.
Lyrics by Pushpa Suriyaarachchi.
Music composed and sung by Carlos Reyes.
Lyrics by Pushpa Suriyaarachchi.
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