During British colonial rule, Arulraj's ancestors were brought from South India to labour on tea and coffee plantations. Their bodies and their labour became the foundation upon which Sri Lanka came to be known across the world as “Ceylon.”
Decorated teacups appear as symbols of authority and power. The comfort and refinement enjoyed by consumers conceal the hardship and deprivation of plantation workers. The sword bearing lion that emerges behind the teacup reflects the persistence of domination and class power long after the end of colonial rule.
