Happy Birthday Manjula

It would have been her 50th birthday.

Manjula’s Mysore organised a creativity day for the 100 children of Kaliyuvamane school.

Our main team was Anjali leading on painting/drawing, preparation and overall coordination, Shubhash origami and Rena, sculpture.

Thanks to Faizan for videos and still photography.

Aryaa assisted with with the preparation. Ali, Miai, Ina and Sowbaghya together with the whole school team, helped out.

At the end, I explained why we’d organised the day.

The children and staff met Manjula (I cycled her images), we thanked everyone and then we were rewarded by the wonderful ice cream donated and served by Polar Bear.

Footnote

Stephen’s thanks.

“Today is because being creative is fun and good for us.

Did you enjoy it?

The day was Organised by Manjulas Mysore, to remember my beautiful wife who lived to give love to everyone. Today that beautiful woman is still with us in spirit and would have been 50 today.

Our new logo

Thank you to everyone for taking part and making it good. that is … Everyone at Kaliyuvamane: children and team who run it, to the artists and helpers.

Polar Bear’s fantastic treats are the tops, thank you for the ice cream.

Well done everyone

Let’s now enjoy our ice cream and look at the art.”

Our official T Shirt.
Ina from Australia.

Message from Ina —Thomasina Sng — who has visited most years since we opened Mysore Bed and Breakfast. She became a great friend to MAnjula, is here now and helped us celebrate Manjula’s Birthday.

“Manjula was and still is an inspiration, from a background that would have made most people selfish and angry, she chose to be caring and giving,her happiness was in making and seeing other people happy and this is the love that she continues to teach.” Ina

We’re out again this evening to celebrate Manjula’s birthday.

Catching up with Kaveri

I’ve missed not seeing her for almost six weeks followed by a flurry

On the drive home she spelt words after giving me a series of drawings, at least one for each week we missed seeing each other.

I’ve visited the school twice already this week. As a ‘family’ visit with scotaussie Ina and to attend the Independence Day celebrations with French Paul.

Does anything ever go smoothly, anywhere?

This weekend we’ve started with skating, she worried that she may have forgotten it, (no chance) a monsoon landing and hilarious walk home

Followed by opening the giant parcel I brought on the plane and Kaveri’s first Lego build.

I was so impressed by Kaveri quickly getting into following and implementing the Lego instructions. She clearly has never experienced anything like it before. I must also admit that I’ve cracked it, and have successfully bought clothes for a nine-year old. We all know it’ll not last.

Ina’s patient tolerance, knows no bounds.

Arty Tarty

We piloted an idea to introduce young dynamic artists to children at Kaliyuvamane who remained at school during the summer holiday.

Young people doing fab things.

In August 2023 on what would have been Manjula’s 50th birthday, the artists will return to the school with all the young people there for a full day of creativity.

Who knows where it might lead

Footnote

Kaveri is now attending Kaliyuvamane and living there most of the year.