We came out to welcome Maria and share our insights.
Great conversations about change in society
Reflective Space August
Maria hits town..
Let them eat cake
The third cake saw the gang celebrating Manjula’s birthday at a Mysore micro brewery.
Maria can’t believe we’ve devoured so much cake.
We continue to celebrate Manjula’s birthday for a whole week and onwards.
and recognise our support for our Tibetan friends through decorating our house
Metallica, Bylakuppe Two
More from out visit to Bylakuppe
The monastery where Ani used to live, the workshops making ornate metal for the Temples and Tibetan incense sticks.
Bylakuppe one
We visited Bylakuppe, the largest Tibetan settlement in India.
Our good friend and monk Dorjee and his sponsor for many years Ina helped us understand more.
We learned so much about the Dalai Lama escaping from the Chinese invasion of Tibet and the subsequent oppression
Thank you to Kaveri, Radhika, Dorjee, Ina, Sowbaghya, John, Maria.
We had a lovely day.
Bring on the Cake.
Not forgetting Lucie being spoilt by Ina.
And then again, not satisfied with one we had to have another.
This time following the theme of the radiant sun that Manjula brought into our lives and still appears exactly when it’s needed.
Gathered today on Manjula’s bench, next to Manjula’s garden, eating Manjula’s radiantness cake and celebrating her wonderfulness on her 51st birthday celebrations that have already gone on for a week. we have Kaveri, Radhika, Maria, John, Ina, Lucie and Stephen.
Please note Ina is naughty, bribing Lucie for affections with cake.
That’s after Mr No experience was coerced into decorating Kaveri’s palm
Next day
SB couldn’t miss out and had to have more cake….
Yes that’s two pieces. One was supposed to be for her son Naveen.
Happy Birthday.
I’m in the park to wish Manjula happy birthday and hang out with billet-Doux, butterflies (messengers from Madam) and too many mosquitoes!
Here’s the lovely video created by Faizan through which many old and new friends have met Manjula.
My ulterior motive on being here was to be security for the flowers and stop people stealing them.
I failed
But it can’t affect our celebration of her wonderfulness.
As I completed a video call to my son Oliver in Vancouver, —and realised I was due back to make breakfast—three sets of neighbours walking in the park saw Manjula’s poster and wanted to know her story. I’d never met them before a mom her son , another young woman and an elder.
We all shared smiles and joy.
Celebrating Manjula
We begin remembering Manjula on what would have been her 51st birthday.
Here are our current guests Ina— the stalwart— who has visited us at Mysore Bed and Breakfast, almost every year for at least a month (with a break during the pandemic) and John, also a ‘glutton for punishment’ as he’s a returner —who we haven’t yet scared away — Settling in and helping us plan our rememberances.
Vasanth, Sowbaghya and I visited the nursery to get birthday flowers for Manjula’s garden. Unfortunately I didn’t get a photo of Priyanka, the friendly young woman shopping there. She donated a plant, on hearing why we were there..
How cool is that?
John
made a lovely ‘short’ of our first stage. . 🤭🤪
Next …. SB arrives with the first of three, yes three cakes….
and the family hanging out in the park ….
Reflective space
What is it?
An opportunity to meet to share your thoughts with other young adults (and one or two who are just young at heart)
Our monthly meeting is a way to connect and share with other open minded people ….
Reflect on what’s happening in the world, consider what the future holds, support each other, share the mistakes we’ve made and lessons we’re learned, be more active and less passive.
…and stroke a dog (Lucie) and a cat (Billet-Doux). If you’re lucky, there maybe cake.
Interested?
Check the links on this page for more information.
https://meandmycycle.com/2024/07/17/whats-to-talk-about/
https://meandmycycle.com/2023/09/11/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/
Send an email to Stephen with any questions. He’s on tours@mycycle.co
Join the WhatsApp group. https://chat.whatsapp.com/CReQUVWoPWNJlybLbPsFTi to get notice about future meetings.
We’re part of Manjula’s Mysore everything we do is in her name and memory
which provides ….
– a monthly reflective space
– individual meetings and smaller focus groups, (on request)
– access to Manjula’s library
– opportunity to suggest innovations and help implement them
Mysore Bed and Breakfast and mycycle tours.
from Stephen
The not-so-young one.
Manjula is still with us, even though her beautiful spirit has gone to find a new host.
Blossoming
The flower would appear each year at this time, carefully nurtured by MAnjula.
Eagerly anticipated, she’d predict what night it would blossom only to fold in on itself by the morning.
A short intense appearance not unlike MAnjula who dramatically changed my life.
I know I know the old git is an unwelcome distraction from the beautiful pair below…
It’s all no accident as she radiated the sun herself, through her smile, her presence every inch of her being. Two queens together.
Me and MYCycle 