Category: Life in India

Kaveri and the women in her family.

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I had the pleasure of meeting Kaveri from school and spending some time with the women of the family.

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Kaveri and I first visited the new babe.

His mum Radhika (her auntie) Kaveri and I have spent much time together over the past few years, especially in school summer holidays when they’d go to swimming lessons, stay with me and we’d have vacations in Kannur and Wayanad.

The little one, entertained by Kaveri and Radhika.
Gotcha

Grandmother is forever avoiding my camera.

Next I visited Chandrika’s (Kaveri’s mum’s) new home for dinner

I had a lovely catch up with Kaveri and Chandrika drawing the neighbourhood kids in to say hello
I reminded them of the agreement Chandrika and I (on behalf of the business, with the invaluable help of Sarvesh) had for us to support Kaveri and work with Chandrika to help Kaveri do the best she can be

I used the opportunity (hobby horse —soap box) to emphasise we should help Kaveri to be strong, a good communicator, and be kind. This was more important than stuffing her full of facts, in order to pass exams.

Kaveri was the full on interpreter.

We needed to encourage, support, even put pressure on Kaveri — who can be a bit lazy— to do better

Just before I left Chandrika, Kaveri and I went back to bring all the girls together again.

I explained that my current meetings with advocates were to enable me to stay in India My priority being continue to support Kaveri for ten years into adulthood.

I am so proud of Kaveri, MAnjula is sooooo pleased.

A garden takes work

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Sowbhagya and Mahesh cleared up the garden, roofs and drain.

Our garden provides enjoyment.

I’m sitting out in it now awaiting someone from the MCC to take away the waste.

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It’s not only for sitting out.

It’s also provided hundreds of Mangoes for friends, family and neighbours (plus squirrels, birds including parakeets, and fruit bats) to share.

There’s still the later fruit smashing into the ground around me now. — They were too high to reach and crop.

We already know the MCC horticultural department and the commissioner from our partnership to creating Manjula’s memorial garden (see below).

We hope they can pick it up. We don’t want to see more waste dumped by the roadside.

Hammock dies

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and that’s not all.

At the weekend I shifted plants and heavy stones around a bit to hang my old Mexican hammock.

When we came to use it …

Yes the guilty had had a party.

Longer stick

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I’m slowly learning mango farming. Well reaping the product at least.

We’ve had streams of friends and neighbours on PYO – pick your own and donated kilos of the beauts.

We’ve moved on from the hook on a stick, to the giant butterfly net (not) and used two types of blades to get to a tool standard that works for the reachable ones

I’ve created an extra long pole (metal curtain rod and bamboo) to help reach to the top of the tree and its outer perimeters. The ‘unreachable’ ones are a challenge. The first extension broke, the next couldn’t quite reach

We’re not complaining. Well the old woman that cleans is… as I’ve not achieved the usual standard (I’m certain that’s not true)

Next stage is for someone to climb the tree. Two requests (farmers and experienced friends) haven’t worked out but maybe the grandson might step in.

BUT

We have collected hundreds of mangoes (this is one productive tree) and I’ve ordered a professional telescopic pole.

Delicious breakfast, family from round the back came for Mangoes (but they’re getting harder to reach) and Luca tucking in.

We’re sharing caring types —- some to our human friends, others to fruit bats, squirrels and insects, some have lost patience with me and dived to smash their mango brains on the ground.

Behold beauty in so many ways.

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The latest wonderful creation has arrived from Aadirika aka —Mostly beautiful Maya— (check Instagram) has now created three fab memory portraits of MAnjula

Our first
Second

All to be found at Manjula’s Mysore.

Out third

Thank you Aadirika, for your intimate understanding of what MAnjula meant to me and representing our wonderful life here in Mysore.

Who can you spot in this latest portrait?

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Manjula (obviously), Lucie our first dog of the family of over 15 years, Kaveri, walking Luca — our latest addition and in the tree. —- Billet-Doux my sweet (love) letter sent by Manjula, a few years ago. Plus the dragonfly and old man with his head in the clouds.

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Did you find them ?

Permission to sit

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The elitism and prejudice knew no bounds.

The “Kursi Nashin” (chair-sitter) certificate was a discriminatory 19th-century British Indian permit allowing select Indians the privilege of sitting on a chair in the presence of British officials.

These official certificates maintained rigid, racialized, and social hierarchies, forcing most Indians to stand or sit on the floor, thus treating them as inferior.

Key Details of the Kursi Nashin System:

Definition: Kursi Nashin translates to “chair sitter”.

Purpose: It was an instrument of imperial control and social status granted by the British to favoured individuals, such as landholders, respectable citizens, or those who served the government, to distinguish them from the common populace.

Operation: Those not holding this certificate were generally prohibited from using chairs in British offices, reinforcing social subordination.

Time Period: While rooted in earlier colonial dynamics, the practice became formalized and widely used during the 19th century, particularly after the 1857 revolt, and remained active through the early 1900s.

Regional Variation: It was not issued everywhere in the country but was common in regions like the Delhi District.

These certificates were typically signed and stamped with official insignia, making them a tangible piece of “submissive” colonial history

Thanks for the insights from Mahesh of the speak history group in Mysore.