Category: our story

So far…. Life in 179

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After moving we’ve had to slowly and I mean slowly find places for the clutter that the bug has collected.

Starting with sorting the electrics..

Today more things have found walls to rest on ..

Thank you to Catherine who kindly donated even more things to deal with —- 🤭 they are beautiful embroided wall hangings that we love.

…

The Mango tree has continued giving. Our neighbours and friends are also grateful and Luka has become mango doooooog.

Priyanka has delivered the third in her series of wonderful MAnjula portraits.

Kaveri continues to be the darling she is ..

That’s all for now folks —and please do realise that there’s much more to be sorted

Longer road

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Go on stick it up him.

Maïlis, Sowbhagya, and Tilak. —- Let loose on the roof — gathering the Mangoes.

Just a part of today’s crop.

They can’t get enough.

…..

And next …. Variety counts.

I’ve lost count, how many I’ve had today.

yoga

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Over dinner and generally amongst our guests the upsurge and role of yoga in our lives is often discussed.

Mysore is one of the major centres of Yoga in India.

One of the concerns I have is how about the I and we. (its one of my pre-occupations which is fundamental to the human condition) it turns out that this bothers a lot of the yoga teachers that come here to train, too. Its reflected in the quote below.

“In the New York Times, American writer Judith Warner noted a disturbing social trend. Just as the women of the mid-70s took flight into consciousness-raising groups, the workforce, divorce and casual sex, their daughters are also taking flight, but that flight is inwards. “They’re fleeing to yoga,” she writes in the Times, “imitating flight in the downward-gazing contortion called the crow position. They’re striving, through exquisite new adventures in internal fine-tuning, to feel more deeply, live more meaningfully, better inhabit each and every moment of each and every day.”

check the whole article here

Now don’t misunderstand me. I feel that yoga is an integral part of life here and its great that it has becomes popular around the world. But its only half the story in more ways than one. Many in the west who follow yoga recognise that the inward focus  (on I) is only the beginning of the process and that in time as it develops within the person it blossoms into ‘we’ .  it follows the Gandhian dictum ‘be the change you want to see’ so i feel that the inward focus is only the beginning of the process. The problem is, in my humble view, that that is where is stays for many people. the shift from the I to the w just doesn’t seem to happen.

…

Continuing the theme….

What’s the difference between illness and wellness?

I and We, innit.

Sowbaghya — making changes

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Sugar … I’ve spelt it wrong again it’s Sowbhagya or SB …

who’s useless?

Those of you who have visited us since 2019 will have met SB and know her trademark humility. Don’t let that confuse you, she can be full on. 

SB with Lucie

Sowbhagya was first introduced to our community (family) through great friends Justin, Heejung and their boys

when they lived in Mysore. They have now moved to South Korea. 

Ina a guest who became great friend from Australia with SB

After MAnjula died Sowbhagya came to work at Mysore B and B so she’s been with us for seven years — but now things have moved on — a lot. 

SB’s birthday

She’s now a Director of the business, and fully looking after the house, recently she’s helped find our new base at 179, shifted over 17 years of accumulated clutter. In the new season, later this year, she’ll take a lead with the guests. 

If that’s not all she helps coordinate a chit fund, runs her own catering business and brought up her son Naveen (now 18) as a single parent. 

You’ll have met Naveen in previous postings. He’s turning out to be a thoughtful confident young man. 

One of our activities.

Another critical role has been helping with Kaveri who we sponsor in Manjula’s memory. 

In this way she’s blazed another trail which Kaveri is following. SB created for herself the opportunity to meet and work with a wide range of foreigners before she even came to Mysore B&B. This has helped broaden her experience and horizons.

Watch this space for how Kaveri is already following that path and growing through meeting the foreigners and guests from throughout India.

So as you can tell. She’s open to challenges, she’s decided it’s time to formalise her divorce (she’s been separated from her husband with little if any contact for over 15 years) and start a new chapter in her life. 

That might include trips abroad as Kaveri’s chaperone as she’s just obtained her very first passport. 

So there you are — an important member of our team, helping hold it all together. 

This best wishes for the continuing journey is ..

From Maïlis, Stephen, Kaveri, Billet-Doux, Luka and many guests. 

SF/2026