Category: Life in India

Elite Skating

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Adithya the coach of elite academy

has been a fantastic help with Kaveri.

Kaveri has changed to a ‘day’ school, spends alternate weeks at mysore bed and breakfast, can therefore now attend the academy on a regular basis.

Today we were at the heats for state races.

Kaveri got a silver.

And was able to spend quality time with friends.

Kaveri has shown she can concentrate, focus and achieve through her time at the academy. I needn’t have worried.

Factoid

In her final race she gestured for her friend to pass her for third place, as she hadn’t been placed before. That’s my girl.

ayudha puja

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It’s the ninth day of the ten day Dasara festival, the biggest event in Mysore’s calendar.

Today we follow a hallowed tradition of asking the goddess to bless our weapons for battles over the next year.

Nowadays we put forward our tools, mainly our vehicles.

So after a fair amount of faffing about (careful preparation) we do the required Pūjā.

We had a team of two knowledgeables namely Sowbhagya and Kaveri.

The ‘has-been’ well he’s always been a spare part.

Three times mate.

But I’m — Not the only one getting lost.

Complete with lime for squashing as we drive off into the sun.

Big surprise today. The red peril, her highness ‘the radical’ enjoyed her first flyover.

Art again and again

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As part of the festivities we attended a fabulous art show at the Art College just across the main road.

Our no 1 pull was to see Pravalika’s wonderful piece of art.

With tons more to appreciate.

I stopped myself from buying anything. There’s already too much to fit into the new house.

But how about a bird for the tree?

Homework

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Kaveri returned to my home yesterday after a week with .. grandmother (aka mummy), grandfather, and the very pregnant Radhika (auntie aka sister)

Followed by dinner with Florian

Set up for selfies at Olive Garden.

Next day— the ordeal of homework with me (helping!)

Listen up

It was the usual basic facts but the bit I didn’t know was Mahavira’s Jain teachings….

It’s pretty cool.

Mysore Moments.

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I find myself in interesting situations.

That’s the nature of India.

Meeting women from famous families, telling stories at events, Hindu/Muslim mixed marriages, life is a rich mix of experiences!

Especially at the moment with our annual event

Sophisticated Kaveri with her mum Chandrika.

Attending Kaveri’s Dad’s (he’s deceased) nephews Muslim wedding. Kaveri is Hindu.

Hiding bride
Crooner
It’s the groom!
Not easy — riding away
Great mix of headwear. Fun spotting the many different styles of clothing
Mysuru Experience

I shared a love story but got no photos.

Illuminations for Dasra , more to follow
New friend.

Awards Ceremony for Asha my yoga teacher.

…

I missed taking photos of the women.

Daughter of a Kannada novelist known as Triveni and sister of the founder of a change-making low cost airline.

Elvis has left the room

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It’s actually Ganesh who’s left to go swimming in the river kaveri.

He rested with us, had his fill

and now he’s gone.

Chai all round.

Followed by lunch at Poojari’s where MAnjula and I used to go.

Thanks for your help guys

Moving on too

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This is a big emotional and practical step.

We’ve found one option that we could make work here. Do take a look.

…

This is an invite for our friends far and wide to get involved. Guests from the past and those that might join us in our new form.

What do you think?

A lovely French family that recently visited emphasised the proximity to the centre, quiet area, great decor and good communal space. Got it!

We need storage space including for cycles and car. Some of the current accumulation will have to go.

Now there’s a challenge.

But of course with any momentous change we need to do our research.

Here’s another option for us to consider …

Anjali found it for us. Its advantage is it’s independent, with a garage, and its rooms are a bit small — We can make it work though.

Sowbaghya and I are leading the team of investigators (that includes you) — of course, I draw MAnjula in as it’s for her too.

Let us have your suggestions and know what you think.

Our friend Ina

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all our guests become friends but…

… Ina was very special, having visited us annually for ten years

It’s August and at this time, we’re used to Ina’s Scottish accent — quite how she had such a strong accent after living almost seventy years in Australia, we don’t know — sing songing through the house.

Manjula and Ina became great buddies.

Hanging out together and going on day trips

…

Her first trip here was to visit the Tibetan Buddhist Monk Dorjee

at the settlement .. Bylakuppe, who she’d sponsored as a child but never met before.

Last year we had another outing to our own slice of Tibet, with our very own guide.

She so treasured our times together, especially the year MAnjula and I were married and the celebration of her last birthday that year, in August 2018

Sadly her spirit left her body in 2024 shortly after her last visit.

We fondly remember her kindness, her indomitable spirit

when she took over Manjula’s Mysore and let her presence touch everyone she met and now lingers on in her/our home.

We miss her dearly, and now she joins the motley bunch of my MAnjula and Lucie who we will remember every year through our puja to help their spirits in their way, until we all meet again.

Perfect Storm

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Well I’m feeling it at the moment.

It’s one thing after another.

…

Registering with the Foreigners Registration Office is always unpredictable and stressful.

It’s extra this time as I’m not knowing where

my next visa will come from

…

Owner wants his house back, after sixteen years, it’s the house I’ve lived in for the longest, in my whole life.

It’s where MAnjula created our home, introduced it to the world as Mysore Bed and Breakfast and where she lit up my life like a smiling sunbeam for nine years. It’s where we sited a blue plaque (as a famous person lived here), her library and entertained thousands of people.

A museum even jokingly claimed it as their annex because it’s a living breathing art gallery from around India.

Pictures, sculptures, paintings, carvings, posters, books, all sorts of artefacts (aka clutter) from around (mainly) India, Europe and even Canada and the US.

…

Continuing to sponsor and support eleven year old Kaveri in spite of her mother and new partner sabotaging us, by changing schools, days of absence and inability to help

As MAnjula would say ‘we’ll see’.

It’s times like these that we recognise the good things in life.

and learn from our challenges