Ina with Sowbaghya and between them my very own wonderfulness
Ina visited us again this year to become ‘part of the furniture’. It was her tenth anniversary of visiting us.
We celebrated Manjula’s birthday with friends, visited Bylakuppe and Dorjee the monk, (the Tibetan who she sponsored as a child), and Ina got to know and appreciate our burgeoning Kaveri.
Photo from John Small
She left us after a month’s stay to go back home and visit family and friends in Singapore.
Photo from SB
I learned this morning that Ina died last night and her spirit joins her great friend Manjula’s on their next journey.
Photo from VasanthFrom Sowbaghya and with Satish and John
I’ll dive into my photos and post again with memories of Manjula and Ina together.
Just as the blue light emanating from Buddha’s hair symbolizes universal love and compassion for all sentient beings, the blue color in the Buddhist flag represents universal compassion and peace.
Just as the yellow light radiating from Buddha’s skin symbolizes the attainment of liberation and omniscience through relying on the Middle Way that avoids extremes, the yellow color in the flag represents the Middle Way that avoids the extremes of eternalism and nihilism.
Just as the red light emanating from Buddha’s flesh symbolizes the blessings that flow from Buddhist practice, the red color in the flag represents perfect realization, wisdom, virtue, merit, and dignity attained through practice.
Just as the white light radiating from Buddha’s bones and teeth symbolizes the purity of Buddha’s teachings and the possibility of attaining liberation and omniscience through them, the white color in the flag represents the purity and timelessness of the Buddha’s teachings, which remain unstained by faults and lead to liberation regardless of time and space.
Just as the orange light emanating from Buddha’s palms, soles, and lips symbolizes the unwavering nature of Buddha’s teachings, the orange color in the flag represents the essence of Buddhist teachings, rich in wisdom, strength, and dignity.
The Buddhist flag in our downstairs hallOur front gate, Tibetan and prayer flags.
I’m now in Firenze visiting the incomparable Maria, more later but first to the birds ….
… sharing my second breakfast
It didn’t take too long to attract many new friends
I’ve discovered a riverside cafe: great location, bargain breakfast. It’s a low cost place where the community of all ages (and some foreigners), and especially older people meet, chat, draw, paint, work, support.
The one that’s hiding is Radhika Kaveri’s ‘sister’.
Garima and Trishalla joined us, after spending wonderful time together at this week’s children’s theatre event. Here with the irrepressible Kaveri.
Antoinette, from New York, regular guest of Mysore Bed and Breakfast provided more photos. Including catching me in a regular pose of bossing Kaveri. 🤔🤭
It’s a special day (Raksha Bandhan) when sisters give a bracelet known as a Rakhi
It symbolises brotherly love and a promise of protection, bringing good fortune.
I broke my no-sweet-things rule.
Radhika is Kaveri’s auntie but they’re really like sisters.
I’ve got to know Radhika quite well over the past year, especially during the school holiday when she came with Kaveri and I for swimming, skating and often stayed at the BnB.
Fresh from swimming
We’ve all been on holiday together to Kerala. Twelve of us, the first time and we’ll return in October with Kaveri, her mum Chandrika and Radhika. .
Radhika’s real brother gave her a giant pink teddy that’s now moved in here.
Radhika passed her exam this year, got a high-scorer award and is now at PUC- Pre-University College.
Award winner. Saree gift from me on Lakshmi’s big day I’ve also promised to help and protect as her ‘godfather’.
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.Self catering BnB
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.
Part of the team on Manjula’s birthday. 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. That’s not our cat Visiting Manjula’s bench at the museum garden in Mysore city. 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.
Manjula keeping her watchful eye, caring kindness and wonderful presence. Ani arrives back from the US en route to Bylakuppe. After retiring as psychologist in the US she became a Tibetan Buddhist nun
Sowbaghya is in charge, looking after the house and menagerie while I’m away.
Waiting to go for a walk, together. Even growing cucumber We’ve been waiting to see the beautiful flower, Manjula’s favourite but missed its full glory.
So here, from a few years ago, are the two beauties together
Me and MYCycle 