For the Manjula’s Mysore team who helped create the event on Manjula’s Birthday
And a reunion of our holiday in Kannur
And our chance to celebrate MAnjula together.
An evening out
Category: our story
Manjula’s Mysore News : October 2022
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
Manjula’s Mysore is a three year project to do good as MAnjula would have wanted
I’m a writer.
Originally written in March 2021 but lost in the ether
I’m officially confirmed as a writer and here’s the evidence.
I have a blank page and pen. I also have a passion, here it is, at the top of the blank page.
I’ve submitted for a competition and got absolutely nowhere, so that’s the ‘rejection’ box ticked.
I‘ve got the writer’s block down to a fine art.. To be fair I think it’s proximity to the ‘wound’ or the trauma that makes it extra difficult. This month creates extra challenges as there’s a pile-up of anniversaries, our weddings and Manjula’s death, but that’s an expected part of this particular journey.
I’m reading lots of fiction, including children’s, non fiction and insights into how to write. How much is being held by this decaying brain is another matter.
I’m inadvertently following famous writers such as Paul Auster and now my writer of the moment, who I’ve only just discovered wrote ‘Stardust’ my favourite film Neil Gaiman
I must admit to liking young people’s story books. I like the pace, find them interesting and I more easily remember what I’ve read.
As the ‘passion’ would say “let’s see.”
First update
It feels like it’s been weeks since I added to our story so I plan to have a different approach, set up my writing place, establish a routine and treat it as a ‘job.’
Second update
It’s written but as I’m a writer I’ll follow a norm and declare it just ain’t good enough
Third update
It’s going to be completely revised and restructured. I’ll break the memoir rules but I just don’t care.
Fourth update 2022 and I’m yet to start. I’ve slipped into a ‘can’t quite get my act-together phase’ I told you I was a writer.
In between the enormous gaps.
Trad dance with Ina
Please note I was attending with Ina, (guest from Australia) she wasn’t dancing.
Past Birthdays
This year we celebrated Manjula’s with an event for forty young women. Have you seen the wonderful video by Faizan.
Well it’s time for a team gathering again to celebrate MAnjula.
Teeny profile
Our local Karnataka media showed interest in young visually impaired women cycling on the fun day organised by Manjula’s Mysore.
Prajavani
Kannada Prabha
This is important recognition for our young team who gave a great opportunity to the young women and returned two weeks later to give rides to the young women who missed out.
Here’s our press release and announcement about ManjulasMysore
Bhaj to share
In my new world I sometimes find myself in places or read things I wish I could share with Manjula Vellada
So I share with you.
I’m reading about ’Kabir’ in Incarnations by Sunil Khilnani . I quote from page 90 about Bhakti and Sufi movements that “both embraced the idea of a personal relationship with God. Priests or mullahs didn’t matter, precise ritual didn’t matter; caste didn’t mattter.” which remind me of the question she once raised with me: “if God is in everyone, why do we need Temples?”
That’s my thinking MAnjula and reflects our home — where caste wasn’t recognised and we were all equal.
My Manjula’s birthday
On the 21st August 2022 it was Manjula’s Birthday.
After we were engaged, in 2015, I worked to ensure all her IDs were in order.
That involved her deciding which of the two dates were her actual birthday. She decided that the 21st August was most likely. That year she switched from previously not recognising her birthday to full on celebration.
Since then we’d always do something special, go out for the day, sometimes for lunch and in the evening have a meal for our friends.
Here’s a video compilation of some of the videos she made for me in the last few years of her life. Thanks to Faizan.
For those who met her you’ll recognise her wonderful character shining through. If you’re one of the many new friends to Manjula you’ll feel her warm, shining love as we all continue to do.
We continue to celebrate since losing her three years ago.
So what did we do this year?
We relaunched our business Manjula’s Mysore (previously that was just our domain name) and its new logo but that doesn’t really count. So what did we do?
Knock Knock
I’ll often joke to our guests that there might be a knock at the door….
Well there was for…,
Jony, Sue, Chris and Ruth
It wasn’t the secret police but a return visit from me.
Jony kindly put me up after passing through WOMAD on my tour of the south west that included Dorset, Trowbridge, Kingsclere and Bath.
…
I was also hanging out with other critical friends in Kingsclere.
At the home of Stephen who edits
After Dorset I was
At Ruth’s in Bath and reading from her latest book of poems, all about India….
I think I’ll export some to India
…..
Thank you all for you care and kindness
I’m so happy to have created something special with MAnjula which continues to grow our wonderful family.
Check out the next posting to see how we continue to celebrate Manjula and continue to grow our family.
Wo no Mud
I very nearly didn’t go to the WOMAD festival this year. I’m glad I did otherwise I would have missed meeting members of our Mysore family.
I camped with my friends who I’ve known for years but unusually this time I bumped into so many others…..
Lots of guests of Mysore Bed and Breakfast who have become friends and now officially part of our family. I’m missing photographs of Mike and Sue who were at our wedding, and Stephen of bicycles and bees, and friends from behind the bar.
It cheered me up no end.
It tells you a lot about the wonderful, friendly, easy-going people that visit us and make up our warm caring community.
It was exceptional and a real tonic, thank you…. Ruth, Alan, Gill, Don, Paul, Lisa, Oliver, Emma, Lucy, Liz, Mike, Sue, Stephen, Paul and Ros while not to forgetting the bar crew and our usual WOMAD gang. Phew!
Oh and there was also music, drink, wooden spoon carving (more later) food and great vibes…… which I would otherwise have missed.
There was no rain so no MUD (there have been challenging muddy years), the weather was great.
I just missed my star, the last time she was with me.
Me and MYCycle 