Category: our story

Pitru Paksha arrives

SFLeave a comment

The team puts it all together….

Photos and flowers all lined up …

Manjula’s image complete with Mangal Sutra (wedding necklace) and anklet,

Lucie with collar

and Ina with Momo.

Favourite sweets, jewels, nuts, crunchie, alcohol (shh), clothing, fruits,

Biscuits for Lucie (the shop insisted sugarless is best, let’s not get into the detail that it’s for her spirit), Momo for Ina (her favourite, she has great Tibetan links)

All make their appearance …

But where’s lunch?

Next

Sowbaghya has cooked it, Satish, serves it out. It’ll not be for the crows (sometimes food is placed on the roof or beside the river for the crows to eat ) as they represent the soul of the ‘departed’.

Time for the idler to get dressed in his wedding outfit.

We help their spirits on their journey to whatever’s next.

Stephen.
Satish
Sowbhagya
Vasanth

We then leave the house for their spirits to visit, eat and drink, making lots of noise, as we return, so they know to leave and not get caught out.

Only then can we eat.

I’ve told MAnjula we’re moving to a new house. She’ll be with us.

Factoid

It’s now over six years that Manjula continued her spiritual journey. Each year on her birthday and death anniversary we do puja to help her on her way.

From this year we’ve decided to honour all our departed family members on Pitra Paksha, when everyone does the same.

Preparation for Pitru Paksha

SFLeave a comment

On the final day of pitru paksha …

We remember our family members that have moved on.

Helping bring peace to their souls and help them attain moksha or liberation.

Each of the six years since Manjula died we’ve celebrated her in many ways including puja on the anniversary of her death and on her birthday.

Ina would visit us every year in August and died in 2024,

Lucie died in 2025.

Tomorrow, on the final day of Pitru Paksha (21st September) we’ll remember MAnjula, Lucie and Ina with a special puja, all three of them together as they’re family.

Factoid Footnote (found by AI)

Pitru (shradh or Mahalaya) is a holy period dedicated to paying homage to ancestors and departed loved ones

Paksha

A paksha is literally a “side” and represents one half of a lunar month, lasting about 15 days. 

Or half a month on either side of the full moon.

Relates to the waxing and waning of the moon.

I’m getting some of Manjula’s things ready for the puja. SB is doing everything else.

Moreart

SFLeave a comment

What is this idiot doing?

Playing with a new piece of art.
Sharath (middle) sold me the art he created for the Art College (CAVA) exhibition.

It’s a dog.

Here’s the mould Sharath first created.

The discolouration in the piece I’ve bought is in a similar position to Lucie’s white/grey patches.

and visually, a quite different character.
He/she is fighting for attention in the clutter


until he/she finds a more permanent place.

Vehicel

SFLeave a comment

After visiting and living here for twenty years, I realise that I’m absorbing the different ways.

It even affects my English.

When I see something misspelt it takes some time to adjust my set— shifting from a little doubt to eventual realisation — it is actually wrong and what the correct spelling is

I’m cycling this morning around the base of Chamundi hill. I saw vehicel painted on a lorry, and it felt wrong minutes later I knew the solution

vehicle.

But I didn’t know straightaway. Years ago I would have.

The time it took to convince myself is the sign of a 68 year old falling behind but also adjustment (and confusion) due to different behaviours.

Globally it also happens.

The behaviour of leaders creates a shift to a new normal. Extremes become the middle — as what was unusual and frowned upon becomes acceptable.

Just look at Trump his publically outlandish behaviour gives permission to others to do the same.

Not only that

The behaviour of other leaders before him who’ve shifted but kept it hidden can now be more open about how they’ve been behaving.

The bullies become the norm.

Look around, it’s everywhere.

….

I think we adjust to different norms of behaviour whether it’s spelling or locking up ‘the other’ and our care, compassion and tolerance diminishes.

Reagan speaks.

It’s been quite a week

SFLeave a comment

Already and it’s only Tuesday

This week we start a new arrangement.

Kaveri leaving for school.

Kaveri is now staying alternate weeks between the home MAnjula created and home with her mum Chandrika

That’s after ..

.. a Great weekend together

It’s involved buying new shoes, maths, animals, angles, English, Hindi (I was not involved with that one), breakfast, more and more.

It’s exhausting.

I’m feeling it but also realising how Sowbaghya is stepping up by preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner and finishing my pathetic attempts to comb Kaveri’s hair.

It reminds me of … what a challenge it is and my own long hair in the 70s.

Stephen and Tricia
We’re building something ..,

and another thing … the curriculum, text books, homework have made mistakes about turtles and tortoises. It’s sort of understandable but can’t correct it for Kaveri as she’d then answer it wrong in her homework or test. . Now there’s a lesson, of sorts.

A tortoise might be a type of ‘turtle’ and a reptile but it doesn’t live in water but on land!!

Here’s thanks from AI searching the net.

Yes, all tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises. Tortoises are a type of turtle that are specifically adapted to live on land, while the term “turtle” generally refers to reptiles with shells that can live in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. 

Here’s a more detailed explanation: 

  • Order Testudines:Both turtles and tortoises belong to the order Testudines, which encompasses all reptiles with a shell. 
  • Tortoises:Tortoises are a family of turtles (Testudinidae) characterized by their terrestrial lifestyle and distinct physical features like domed shells and sturdy, often “elephantine” legs. 
  • Turtles:The term “turtle” is broader and can include both aquatic (like sea turtles and freshwater turtles) and semi-aquatic species, as well as tortoises. 
  • Key Difference:The primary difference lies in their habitat and related adaptations. Tortoises are land-dwellers, while turtles can be aquatic, semi-aquatic, or terrestrial. 

The homework had got tortoises going in the water.

We approach Manjula’s birthday

SFLeave a comment

In August Manjula would have been 52.

We have traditions in the U.K. to commemorate and recognise significant people’s contribution by installing a blue plaque on the house where they lived

Like this one ….

So we just had to get one for MAnjula

Sarvesh, and Stephen the Directors of Manjula’s Mysore with Kaveri who we sponsor and support.

MAnjula remains in our home in Mysore in so many ways, this seemed like a fitting tribute to our precious …

Kaveri and her mum Chandrika unveiling Manjula’s blue plaque (again)
Kaveri and Sowbaghya reveal our lovely new plaque, witnessed by Akram
In recognition of her tolerance of the Yindian and her sharing her love through her beauty, infectious smile and attentive presence.

We love and miss you MAnjula. You’re here in our hearts and guide us in everything we do.

Manjula was our sunshine and a …

With Teeny feet

We’ll do more to remember her on her happy birthday.

Confined

SFLeave a comment

She’s sort of confined for a couple of weeks. Seemed in high spirits even though she’s only had the four walls for a week and there’s another ten days to go.

It’s a one in a lifetime experience but I use the term confined as it can refer to a jail/gaol or period after a birth. Only yesterday I was referring to how the invention of the printing press had helped release us from the diktats of the priests, at least in Europe.

More later.

On ‘coming of age’