Category: Kaveri

Matching Money

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Kaveri is already an ace negotiator

I’ve now agreed to match whatever she saves this (financial) year, with the equivalent each year up until she reaches 21.

We’ve started counting her savings and placed them in a box at my home

That’s now over 5,000Rs from the two years I’ve known her, from selling bracelets at the kids market and generally extorting from the foreigners. 🤔🤭🙂

It’ll be put into a protected account so no one else can get their grubby hands on it.

One of the many many lessons I learned from Manjula is how she experienced people, particularly men but not exclusively, and also family members (and first husband) who would take her money, gold and send her out to the moneylenders to borrow more.

We will have protections in place, help educate Kaveri and hopefully the strong woman I know she will become will help safeguard her as an adult.

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Plus she’s astute at reminding me of my ‘pearls of wisdom’ when I forget to follow my own advice. So we’ll also keep an eye on each other.

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So Kaveri… the savings are for you to choose how to use BUT it’s a waste to spend on parties. Leave that until you’re rich.

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Here’s how we arrived here —- from Facebook

Welcoming Ganesh

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The shopper (yes me) bought two Ganesh’s from the local pot shop. One will join the family and the other will go for a swim in the Kaveri river.

Well that was a journey and a half. Carrying this ‘Bobby Dazzler’ home, just round the corner but he was so heavy. So regular rests were called for.

No idea why I decided to head butt him, I can’t remember it guv. Honest.

Now we’ve got the less dressed Ganesh and his mum Gowrie (Gaurie) at home for this years festivities.

After a spell at home, in the puja room and lots to eat, we’ll take him for a swim in the Kaveri river.

Kaveri’s school innovates.

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Kaliyuvamane

A statement from the founder Ananth Kumar

We are very happy that children are enthusiastically flocking around Mr. Rajesh Madhavan, Theatre Director, a product of ‘Ninasam’ – Theatre Institute, who is staying on the campus.

Our sincere gratitude to ‘Nirdiganta’ for opting ‘Kaliyuva Mane’ for their 6 months’ programme, ‘Shala Rangavikasa’ (ಶಾಲಾ ರಂಗವಿಕಾಸ). Hope this will enhance the emotional stability, imagination and expression of children.

Please watch the video:

This is the school Kaveri attends.

It’s providing innovative ways to help the children become more confident and develop competencies to help tackle life’s challenges whilst fulfilling their potential.

It’s a great example of how Kaliyuvamane School has a different approach which goes beyond traditional schooling.

Supported by our guests.

I’m back in Mysore

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To meet my queens (both sets)

What’s one of the first things they want to do on my return?

Go for a walk

After a lovely time in Italy with Maria

With plenty of lovely food …

They want pizza….

And presents

and to watch the movies…

I’m so lucky to have them in my life…

Growth post trauma

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I like this edition from Maria Popova…

“A person is not a potted plant of predetermined personality but a garden abloom with the consequences of chance and choice that have made them who they are, resting upon an immense seed vault of dormant potentialities. At any given moment, any seed can sprout — whether by conscious cultivation or the tectonic tilling of some great upheaval or the composting of old habits and patterns of behavior that fertilize a new way of being. Nothing saves us from the tragedy of ossifying more surely than a devotion to regularly turning over the soil of personhood so that new expressions of the soul can come abloom.”

John Gardner on the Key to Self-Renewal Across Life and the Art of Making Rather Than Finding Meaning

We’re multidimensional and can grow in any number of directions. As I’m continually tangled in the survival of life’s challenges especially the grief that knows no name, I like this perspective. To me it links with the Buddhist concept of feeding the seeds, it reflects there is choice and opportunity in making ourselves what we want and need to be.

It’s no accident that I’m reflecting on this the day after Kaveri has returned to school. She represents a bountiful section of the new garden..

I wish MAnjula’s presence and attentive love was physically with me to help with the gardening. We’ll all manage together, in this new chapter.

The family grows

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No not (just) the car.

It’s important to recognise and realise how much my adopted family here in India as helped me survive the most difficult years in my life.

Sowbaghya is so critical to my life here in Mysore

She’s project managed and coordinated the rejuvenation of the radical red, that is now attention seeking in and around Mysore and Srirangaptnam

That’s the tip of the mountain of help she has been.

Sowbaghya is important to me and has kept me and the business going.

Thank you Sowbaghya for all your help.

I firmly believe that grief is always with us but becomes more manageable as we fill the space around it with important valued people and ‘things’ we do.

The next member of the family, everyone knows, the irrepressible Kaveri. Grief manager extraordinaire.

I can’t begin to list what she does for me.

She makes me smile (and cry.)

She’s cool.

She’s a big thing.

Our mini team is complete with Kaveri’s ‘sister’ Radhika, a wonderful young woman.

I look forward to witnessing her develop and we growing together through the years.

Oh ….. Trishalla and Eregowda, have been a great support through difficult and remembering times, you’ll have to wait to see where that leads.

A special mention for: Sarvesh, Vasanth, Satish, Tanuja and their families.

We’ve all worked together to cherish and continue Manjula’s radiance through our projects: events, school, community meals, creativity days, supporting Kaveri, and making Manjula’s garden in the park.

Not to forget our guests who have become family and my very own DNA family folks in the U.K. and Canada

Ina, our every-year guest who was a big buddy of MAnjula and now me, in front of the banner created by other guests.

There’s not only humans in my family…

Wayanad

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We’ve returned to Varnam homestay

Introduced to us by previous guests (there’s been a bit of to and fro, with guests visiting both here and Mysore Bed and Breakfast.) and especially Antoinette (aka the Queen, who’s retained her head) it’s our second visit this school holiday.

Ready to go.
On the way

I didn’t want to risk driving the radical red so far so Anjum drove us in his taxi.

There’s plenty of entertainment.

Including self-made

BUT ITS BEEN A SHOCK

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This morning Lucie and I went for a walk on the other side of the lake but it didn’t go to plan.

Lucie slipped down a bank, touched the electric fence and ended up on the other side. It was a joke, an episode of ‘Laurel and Hardy’.

Comedy from silent movie days.

I created a barrier with palm leaf and hauled her back through the fence, with a ‘thank you’ nip for my trouble.

The girls have now found the beginning of the next day.