Today, bowling.
Month: May 2025
Creating Stones
It’s the last few days before the summer school holiday ends.
There’s time to fit in one more activity
Our new good friend Pravalika introduced Kaveri to the art of stone carving
We’re at one of the most famous stone-carvers in India and it’s in Mysore.
It’s surprisingly delicate and quite fast.
Pravalika is a patient teacher and patient carver, she wonderfully manages the double pressure.
Kaveri is, of course, also a star.
The elder, yes that’s me, managed an inch of carving before the women gave up in despair.
New spots? Maybe not.
The chief stone carver and therefore the workshop famously created the statue for the new Ayodya Temple last year.
Kaveri’s first stone carving is dedicated to MAnjula and will be installed at Mysore Bed and Breakfast.
Why?
Do I want to stay in India?
I visited the office of our local MP today who also happens to be …
His Highness Shri Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Maharaja of Mysore
I met one of his team to ask for help to continue to live in India. He seemed a little flummoxed.
Why did I want to live here?
Why did he ask?
Maybe he expected me to live with my blood family. That is the tradition among some families in India, it’s not mine.
Mainly it’s because Mysore is my home
I fell in love with the people of India and its places initially from a distance in the 70s and full on when I arrived twenty years ago.
Here is the family I have chosen. I’m close to my blood family but I choose this family where I have made my home built on trust, to live. If I can.
There’s too many family members to list but I mention some …
My beautiful wife MAnjula who remains in our hearts with her presence that’s felt in our home, in the memorial garden we created and the good we do.
I got back home to the two who are most dominant in my life Kaveri and Sowbaghya.
And show the others
They also include
— our team and the young people I’ve got to know through Manjula’s Mysore events. Here’s one. for forty young women and our reflective space
— our wonderful network in Mysore
— Plus our online community with many around the world and here in India
BUT why do I need help?
As a foreigner married to an Indian I was eligible (it’s mandatory) for Overseas Citizen of India which gives residency. As she’s died whether I get one or not is discretionary. In Bangalore at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office and in London at the High Commission they wouldn’t accept my application for OCI. As I understand it they can accept if we owned our house (we and I still rent) or had children, which we didn’t. Beyond this the powers of discretion are held at the centre in Delhi to which I don’t have access.
Which is why I asking for the MPs help.
— He might have contacts in central government that could help me through their discretionary powers
— I’ve lived here for fifteen years on business visas which I’ll not be able to get another after this year.
— he will recognise the value I’ve brought to our community through bringing businesses here on the Prince’s Seeing is Believing Events, helping young people and developing tourism in Mysore.
I hope the MP can help.
About time too
My friends in the UK would laugh at this and declare ‘it’s about time too’.
I’m from the north you know and traditionally we are considered to have the wrong accent, miss letters out of our words and generally not be ‘up to scratch.’
Times have moved on now. We even have regional accents on the BBC .
But there might be some truth in that humour (as usual)
I’ve been helping Kaveri with her English while at the same time discovering it for myself.
🤭
I’m learning about grammar, the names and function of key words.
Fresh from College
No not really, although I’d like that too.
I’m just back from the annual art show at CAVA
As expected, there was a fab show of amazing art from engravings through sculpture to paintings
I also was pleased to meet some of the students (some of them again) who introduced me to concepts, stories and completed works.
Monisha and Vikas
My only regret is, I didn’t realise yesterday that it was on and take Kaveri.
A helping hand
I led an unusual cycle tour today on Srirangapatnam.
Four teenagers, ok one isn’t yet but no one would know. Were invited to join me for a cycle tour ostensibly to better understand how to be a guide.
My objective which alines with my latest thinking on how we might better prepare young people to be more rounded and better active citizens as they mature.
I’d hoped that the day’s adventure would help improve their confidence, communication and assertiveness.
Big ask but a tiny step.
Coincidentally Kaveri asked me why a horse had blinkers. I lost no opportunity to use the analogy in how it’s important for them to get a wider view.
I delivered the standard tour with more emphasis on how they should manage it, rather than the content.
SB the ever present aid and family member was her usual great support.
After the tour we visited the recently opened car museum
The museum included a similar Mercedes to one I owned in the 90s, my wonderful inactive Ambassador and a candlestick telephone like one at home.
…
I’ve invited them to continue with this journey, if they wish, so that within a year ( much less!) they should be able to lead a tour.
Who knows where it might lead —- greater personal competencies at least.
If it happens— I’m open to them leading tours and maybe taking over and expanding. I have absolutely no expectations.
They’re all very different characters but of course, all have potential.
I was happy with the day.
Who adopted who?
… or who’s the boss? Well nobody really.
I refer to how kaveri (age 11) who in a little over three years has matured mentally, physically and socially. It is, of course, a very significant stage in life.
As you can see she now almost as tall as her mum (age 29?).
I’m proud of her and the little help I’ve been able to be.
On reflection, she’s always been quite ‘together’ for her age.
She’s just about to start her third school since I’ve known her. I’ve promised that Manjula’s Mysore will continue to support her education up to university and maybe beyond.
…
Kaveri, Lucie and I
I’m — as Kaveri puts it — one of her nine mums.
CANDO custard pies.
Getting people to work together and actively engage in their locality is a critical part of participative democracy.
In the 90’s I was asked to focus on the town of Holmfirth in West Yorkshire to consider how individuals and local organisations could work together to service and support each other.
As the project developed I was interviewed by a local reporter.
I was asked what initiatives would we establish and what projects are likely to work. “We don’t know until we try. We’ll use action research, suck it and see.”
“So,” said the reporter, “it’s as if you’ll throw a series of custard pies and see which ones will stick?” .
I like the analogy.
That’s about it. Spending time on research is too slow, it’s best to dive in there, changing and adapting as you go along.
Footnote.
Background
Representative democracy is our current system but wherever possible we should be participative, helping people be active participants and not passive recipients of the decisions others make on their behalf.
Voting is necessary but what does it mean on a day to day basis? it might involve single issue campaigns, volunteering to serve, joining measures the council’s introduce to garner your opinion.
The council/local authority/corporation called Kirklees Metrolotian Council I worked for, in West Yorkshire, brought in great innovations.
As well as reaching out to engage we tried to support people to have the confidence and competencies to take their part.
That was over thirty years ago and such experiments are struggling as the government role is decimated.
More clutter?
Of course not 🤔🤭🤫
They’re for use as props for an adapted story.
The storyteller in me is happy, as is the shopper and the gatherer of clutter.
More to come ..
Remembering MAnjula
The house hosts her presence in every room (and outside).
Sowbaghya and I have kept the Bed and Breakfast as she envisioned it and even have a library named after her.
Our guests love meeting her. she even gets mentioned in our guest book
At least once a year I bring out this image in memory of my beautiful MAnjula. It’s just for a few days. I started by cycling her around Mysore, at other times she’ll be in the memorial garden we created for her in the park or resting in our drive. Otherwise she’s stored in the Garage.
Unfortunately, you can’t please all the people all time. Some people you never can.
My insensitive neighbour complained that the image of MAnjula was outside and should be indoors. It’s a Hindu rule. I know there’s no such rule or if there is it’s often not followed. People remember their loved ones with posters around the streets or images in the newspaper.
He represents the brahminical elitism that can sometimes rear its ugly head (read your ‘games people play’). He’s even complained about the boys and girls sitting on the park benches that I’ve installed. It’s as if the Firangi (foreigner) is responsible for people’s behaviour. His prejudices are mildly entertaining but we generally ignore him.
PS
As AI tells us on the internet
The saying “Guest is God” (Atithi Devo Bhava in Sanskrit) is a core principle in Indian culture, emphasizing the importance of hospitality and treating guests with respect. While the saying is rooted in tradition and spiritual significance, the reality is that it’s not always a practical or realistic expectation, especially in modern life.
You could say that ….
Me and MYCycle 