Sonali’s ancestral homeland is in Kandy, the ancient capital in the upcountry of Sri Lanka. She is proud and at the same time, humbled, by her family’s lineage to the ancient Kandyan kingdom, famous for its rich cultural traditions and stunning jewellery. Sonali wanted her wedding day to be a homage to her heritage that would make her maternal grandmother proud.

When I started to collect jewellery for Parampara, I discovered that many of the pieces are considered ‘Kandyan jewellery.’ In the past, Kandyan jewellery had been handmade for the royal family. Worn by women and men of royal or noble birth, the jewellery symbolizes wealth, prosperity and grandeur. The agasti necklace, one of the necklaces worn by a bride, is a good representation of Kandyan jewellery with its intricate filigree work and south Indian inspired style that is still distinctively “Kandyan.” I want to understand what it means to be Kandyan.

Hi, my name is Kayo, and I am the founder of Parampara. I am a writer, a librarian, and a bona fide jewellery addict. Parampara is my passion project that combines my loves: Travelling, jewellery, and storytelling.

My love affair with Sri Lanka started in late 2015 when I was planning a family vacation. At the time, my parents were in Taiwan, my brother in Canada, and my husband Derek and I were in Hong Kong. It was my job to pick a destination for us to gather and spend 10 days together. A good friend suggested that I reached out to his contact in Colombo.