Well if ‘last’ years birthday is anything to go by I’ve fully localised.
31st December can seem a weird day for a birthday. Or maybe not.
Endings and beginnings
There’s always multiple celebrations
It was wonderful.
A steady stream of lovely friends making it a day to remember.
Plus my girls were here (kaveri and Radhika) having missed Christmas together, we shifted Christmas to the morning and began my birthday at noon 12.35 sharp 🤭
and Rinkal and Sheetal are seriously becoming an integral part of the team. Welcome to you.
and I became Pinocchio, it was my alternative to being fed cake… repeatedly.
Next morning
Radhika borrows one of Kaveri’s Christmas presents They are ‘sisters’, you’ll understand. Lucie prepares to go to the vets.
Even in our first year we were no 1 in Mysore on Trip Advisor but there were no contact details. Guests couldn’t quite believe it
As they realised, I’m Yindian, (Indian by marriage, Yorkshire by birth) the Yorkshire bit means I’ll not spend money unnecessarily. (that’s one way of putting it)..
We’d also joke that we only wanted guests that would put the effort in and find us!!
Our Facebook entries also meant we were on Google. All that helped.
AirBnB was our other big thing. We’re still on it but sometimes forget as most guests come as returners, byword of mouth or recommendations.
Just to prove it, here’s some of the reviews from our lovely AirBnB guests.
We can assure you, that we don’t chop people’s heads off
In Didion’s book ‘a year of magical thinking’ (well it lasts for longer than a year … like forever) she writes about the vortex, I call it being bushwhacked.
One is ….
Attacked for no apparent reason, as the sadness arises — mainly due to recollections that appear — as if from nowhere.
There’s also a regular hidden sadness that surfaces as intolerant anger.
Sorry everyone.
I’m dealing with CBB — can’t be bothered — but it’ll get sorted.
Were organised by Manjula’s Mysore at Kaliyuvamane, the ‘open’ school that Kaveri attends in Mysore and separately for an NGO working with visually impaired young women.
Why?
… because it’s an ‘alternative’ approach we think reflects our way of thinking and that of the school.
Betty Edward’s writer of ‘Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain’ puts it well…
“throughout many cultures … there is much talk of creativity and our need for innovation and invention. “ …. Yet …
“our education system seems bent on eliminating every last bit of creative perceptual training of the right side of the brain, while overemphasising the skills best accomplished by the left side of the brain: memorising dates, data, theorems, and events with the goal of passing standardised tests.”
Edwards believes that “with careful teaching transfer, drawing and reading together can educate both halves of the brain.”
Indeed the management guru Tom Peters declared innovation as the no 1 competency for successful, thriving organisations. That was also reflected in the work of John W Gardner author of ‘excellence’ and ‘self-renewal: the individual and the innovative society’
As I look into this more, I realise that creativity helps us develop and use the right side of the brain to enhance our perception and to bring meaning into our increasingly complex worlds.
It’s therefore no accident that we’ve promoted “two vital global skills: reading and drawing.”
I hope MAnjula was happy and proud that in her memory we’ve tried to better equip young people for the challenges they’ll face, bringer greater equilibrium and help them find their passion.
It reminded me of when I was reorganising a government department in the 1990s
All the staff were asked to attend one of my interactive workshops called ‘teaching the elephant to dance.’
This was based on how a circus would tame elephants. The elephant would be chained to a stake so it couldn’t move away.
Later the chain would be removed but due to ‘learned behaviour’ the elephant wouldn’t move away, as if the chain was still there.
Of course, I’m not condoning this treatment of elephants but it’s a useful analogy.
In organisations we develop a narrow ‘world view’ and institutional way of doing things. This can stop us being innovative, creative and lead to insensitivity . Which means we are less likely to learn and adapt.
Both collectively and individually we’re like the elephant that doesn’t move away from the stake, yet we’re not physically restrained.
I’d read this book…
Forty years ago it was very exciting time as we created an organisation to better serve disabled people.
That perspective is also appropriate for today.
We can liberate ourselves from our own narrow perspectives and unhelpful traditions.
Another example of our wonderful guests, that become friends and how our chosen family now spans the world.
How lucky are we?
Here’s this weeks Facebook posting from them. ….
Ten years ago when we planned a visit to Mysore with children for the first time, we wanted to give them a unique experience. After lots of googling we chose an english man Stephen Farrell’s , Mysore Bed and Breakfast. It was a home away from home where travellers from different part of the world prefered to stay during their Mysore visit.
Stephen shares his home with guests and offer complimentary home cooked tasty breakfast. All the guests share the same table conversing with each other during breakfast.
Warm hospitality shown by Stephen, Manjula and their lovely Lucy remained as fond memory with us, especially with Dhrithi n Diya.
We were in touch with Stephen through Facebook and we knew what’s happening in his life. He married Manjula but unfortunately their time together after marriage was only for short duration due to untimely demise of Manjula. Stephen gave a beautiful experience to Manjula during her life time. He traveled with her to different tourist destinations, took her to his home country twice, Introduced her to his family and friends. He loved her unconditionally, gave best treatment possible and tried to fulfill her dreams. The days spent with Stephen might be the happiest moment in Manjulas life.
Few days ago, i. e. After ten years we got the opportunity to visit Mysore again with daughters. Dasara Celebration was just over but vibe was still there. Dhrithi Diya didn’t show any interest in seeing palace, decorations, exhibition or lightings. Instead they wanted to meet Stephen at his place. We were meeting him after ten years but surprisingly we didn’t feel the time gap and the connection was instant. He interacted and narrated stories with same enthusiasm, Lucy was as lovely as she was before. Beadu cat is the new addition to the family. Even we could feel the presence of Manjula in every room every corner of that house. Stephen manages public garden in front of the house in her memory. Stephens eternal love towards Manjula is incomparable.
He converted one room to Library in Manjulas memory. He showed his collection of books to Dhrithi Diya. He is keeping Manjulas memory alive through various activities including reading activity for youths. Dhrithi n Diya received godfather card from Stephen . And he said only few children recived that card from him so far and he will support them always .
Stephen conducts MyCycle, tour on Cycle to various parts of Mysore and surrounding villages. He has good knowledge about India, he apreciates cultural diversity, craftsmanship, artifacts & practices of India. He loves to interact with people from diverse background , celebrate festivals. He has deep understanding about the essence of India and some time I feel he is more Indian than many of us.
We have our fair share of things we do … at Mysore Bed and Breakfast.
Here we commemorate MAnjula and help her spirit find its new body.
We’re outside discreetly waiting while her spirit feeds. As we re-enter the house we make noise so she knows to leave.
Support Kaveri in Manjula’s name and share her sunshine
Go cycling with our guests
Ask the goddess to make our ‘tools’ work for the next year
That’s MAnjula
“There are some people who have sun inside them. It’s hard to explain. Their presence just brightens, it’s not about their beautiful smiles. They have an internal being that sheds light and feels like sun. It’s a calm energy. Inner peace. But most importantly; it’s not wanting anything back in return. It’s sun.”
Me and MYCycle 