Meet a friend — Ina

August 28, 2023August 28, 2023 SFLeave a comment

Ina was already at our house as I returned from the U.K.

The lunatics had taken over the asylum. We have a similar sense of humour but that doesn’t necessarily travel well. 🤔🤭 sorry to Charles, the Canadian giant. He gets it.

Ina was an early guest who returned to visit every year bar the coronavirus blot on our landscape. She quickly became a close friend of Manjula helping us celebrate our engagement in 2015. They would mostly hang out together and she’s the guest who’s stayed the most and longest.

We’ve also become good friends. She’s also lost her loving partner and been a great support to me.

Ina has seen Kaveri two years running and appreciates how she’s progressed.

Ina has a strong Scottish accent even though she’s lived in Australia for almost seventy years, having escaped Britain, on a ship, to settle there as a young girl with her family.

Bonding over chai and a phone on Manjula’s birthday.

The second celebration of what would have been Manjula’s 50th birthday. Satish is photographer

Ina, is most definitely one of Manjula’s kind. Thoughtfully helping, all around her, emanating a positive energy, appearing to be decades younger than she is but we don’t mention age.

Her initial visit was to meet a Tibetan monk, for the very first time, that she’d sponsored since he was a child.

She regales with stories of her family and her great times looking after her grand kids.

We keep remembering celebrating Manjula’s last birthday.

Fun together, Ina with Kaveri and Radhika. Aroma Bakery after swimming.

As she says herself

I couldn’t agree more. I’m still learning

Demonstrating the new balancing pod thing, whilst worrying Paul from France

Visiting Chandrika and Mani, Kaveri’s mum and dad.

Ina leaves at some ungodly hour for the flybus to Bangalore airport for a week in Singapore en route to home in Australia after our last meal together at Olive Garden

She’s supposed to have gone but I thought I heard her calling out downstairs. Now that’s worrying.

I look forward to her return next year

wonderful images from Manjula’s Birthday event

August 25, 2023 SF2 Comments

on what would have been Manjula’s 50th birthday we held a creativity day for the 100 students at Kaliyuva Mane School

Why do we do it?

To remember and celebrate Manjula by continuing her good kindness.

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Please check the wonderful photographs of our latest event

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Faizan is the official photographer and film maker of Manjula’s Mysore. A great friend of both Manjula and Stephen

He often presents us with a problem. His still shots are too good — we want to see them all.

So here they are — of the day we worked with the team at Kaliyuva Mane on the 21st August, on what would have been Manjula’s 50th birthday — to help support their work with these wonderful children.

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Remembering Manjula

August 24, 2023 SFLeave a comment

Manjula once told me that she wished to be reincarnated as a tree

This book reminded me of that

Our very own memory tree.

So if you ever see me talking to a tree….

You know.

How lucky am I?

August 22, 2023August 24, 2023 SFLeave a comment

You don’t choose who — you fall in love with

I am so grateful for finding MAnjula

That was immensely satisfying as …..

August 21, 2023 SFLeave a comment

One, Manjula continues to give. We celebrate and continue to share her loving kindness.

Two, we’ve made a great difference for 100 young children

Three, enhanced our reputation at Manjula’s Mysore of making things happen.

Flying Cycles

July 5, 2023July 20, 2023 SFLeave a comment

Forty young visually impaired women took to the streets of Mysore in celebration of the life of Manjula on her 49th birth anniversary.

On Manjula’s Fun Day, sighted guides acted as ‘pilots’ steering and pedalling a tandem (cycle made for two) with the visually impaired young women acting as ‘stokers’ pedalling behind, enjoying the wind in their faces, the passing sounds and the sense of movement, like flying.

It was the highlight of the day of activities, that included games, music, storytelling, singing, food, drinks, cakes and cookies.

Tushar of MyCycle Tours said: “We could tell from their oohs and aahs that the young women, without sight, were having great fun. It reminded me of when I first rode a bicycle – they felt a great sense of freedom.”

Yamunavva said: “I was scared in the beginning, but the fear left. I felt very happy.” Gowri added: “The cycling experience was so good and I felt so happy that I asked for another ride.”

It wasn’t just the young women who benefited from the fun-filled day. “I began to understand the strength and courage that these young women need to be able to face life’s challenges,” said Meghana from Manjula’s Mysore “They taught us the value of a positive can-do attitude.”

Stephen, Manjula’s husband added: “That was just like Manjula. Together we remembered and celebrated Manjula’s life, her strength and kindness. With her radiant presence and infectious smile, like the sun, she magically brought life and warmth to all she met.”

Check out our video of the day.

“What a day. We all left feeling that warmth,” said Sarvesh who organised the day on behalf of Manjula’s Mysore.

The day demonstrated how organisations can come together to make a difference. Businesses such as SAPA, Aroma and Mysore Bed and Breakfast providing the cookies, cakes and meals as responsible businesses. Local community and art organisations of Mysore Storyteller’s Network, Vishnu Sharma Company, Divya Jyothi Charitable Trust, Faizan Baksh and MyCycle Tours gave their services.

Manjula and Stephen were partners for nine years after setting up their business, fell in love and got married. Unlike these young women, Manjula could see but she had difficult times throughout her life. She had to believe in herself and seize opportunities to create the life she wanted. She shared her home and is now known throughout the world for welcoming international tourists to Mysore until her untimely death three years ago.

What shall we do next to do good in Manjula’s Memory, in the year she would have been fifty?

Next in August 2023 will be artists providing a day of creativity for 100 school children.

Guests are helping fund and making suggestions making contributions for future activities, for Manjula’s Mysore.

What do you think we should do?

Further details of our partners.

An education for ……. Kaveri?

February 9, 2023February 21, 2023 SFLeave a comment

Kaveri is a real star. You might have noticed — from my regular postings — that I’m impressed with her. She’s personable, a smart cookie and a wonderful help for me in the new challenging situation without Manjula by my side.

Manjula’s Mysore and I are committed to supporting Kaveri where we can and sponsoring her education. We hope some of our community of guests help out a bit too. But what options are the best?

So I had to do some research. I read up about it,

I have two adult sons and a granddaughter, my first career was as a social worker with children and families, then a manager of welfare services in government, worked on developing partnerships in the UK and India but you can never know too much, obviously. This is very challenging for all concerned.

So I’ve got a bit of experience at all sorts of different levels, communities and cultures.

But I know you can never have enough knowledge, insights, awareness, empathy and understanding. Even more challenging, I’m not part of the family and need to be completely in tune with their needs and wishes.

I’ve discussed the situation with a network I’ve created of educationalists, social workers, psychologists

But most importantly fully involved (including visits to schools) her mum, and madam herself.

so what’s to do?

There is a clear preference, from the family, for Kaliyuva Mane — A school FOR children and home for learning founded by M R Ananth Kumar.

It’s a free residential school for children in Kenchalagudu on the outskirts of Mysore.

I first visited the school on a cycle yatra over ten years ago. It was featured in my article

It’s child centred

It focuses on the needs of the child and so it is outside the mainstream system. It’s similar to the alternative schools found around the world.

But it’s residential.

I wonder if that’s best for an eight year old maybe in the circumstances its exactly what’s required.

You might be wondering, how did it get to this? who is Kaveri and why am I proposing that we support her?

What’s an education for?

February 9, 2023February 9, 2023 SFLeave a comment

I’m concerned that the school systems globally are not ‘fit for purpose’, in that they are more like sausage factories and don’t properly cater for the whole person and their diverse needs.

Not unlike this…..

I have also consulted books such as those by Ken Robinson, visited schools and discussed the situation with friends in Mysore and elsewhere.

In mysore we have a full range of options, not only Kalyuva Mane, and Arivu which offer something a little different, there’s also the full range of government, religious/trust and private schools covering the many curricular available in India.

There’s even agile Shala with its programme, online and education centres another valuable alternative.

What a super range of options.

I was seriously impressed and then bowled after meeting wonderfully articulate, well rounded children who’s parents provide ‘home’ schooling.

So, why the interest?

I have a particular young girl in mind. You’ve guessed it?

I’m trying to find out what would suit Kaveri

Most importantly I’ve discussed with Kaveri and her mum, it’s obviously their decision.

Workaway

October 31, 2022November 3, 2022 SFLeave a comment

….. promotes cultural exchange, hosts offer somewhere to stay and in return the ‘workawayer’ helps out for a few hours each day.

In 2018 and 2019 we had help from workawayers.

Willian, from Brazil, got wet taking Ganesh to the river, dismantled all our Mycycle cycles for respraying, rebuilt them and set up our base on Srirangaptnam.

Dani and Chas, from the UK, decorated, provided general help and support of Manjula at a very difficult but important time.

Thank you guys, you all did a fantastic job, and it was a pleasure getting to know you.

We’ve not hosted workawayers for the past two years but now we’ve officially reopened with the arrival of one of our longest staying guests: Ina, we’re open to possibilities.

They’re all very different, which is part of the wonder that is workaway, and we all learn a lot

Our next arrives this week.

Eva is also multi-talented, (such a long list) a Spanish woman, who has lived in the USA so I’ll have to watch my stupid English humour. I’ve already created a list of possibles including teacher, chaperone, and all round good egg. I hope I haven’t scared her off already.

Manjula’s Mysore News : October 2022

October 22, 2022October 23, 2022 SFLeave a comment

STOP PRESS CHECK THE VIDEO

Manjula’s Mysore is now the name of the new business. and we’ve already done a few things…

A fun day of activities for forty young visually impaired women on what would have been Manjula’s 49th birthday. Please Check the video created by Faizan.

We’ll always do something on her birthday

Created a garden in the park opposite.

A holiday in Kannur for our extended team

Reopened mysore bed and breakfast and mycycle tours. This month the MCC : Mysore City Corporation issued a business licence and so we’ve officially welcomed our first guests.

The new business has allowed Stephen to get a business visa, to continue to stay in India. So far he’s not been able to get an OCI (overseas citizen of india) and most importantly it’s another way to celebrate MAnjula