We piloted an idea to introduce young dynamic artists to children at Kaliyuvamane who remained at school during the summer holiday.
Young people doing fab things.
In August 2023 on what would have been Manjula’s 50th birthday, the artists will return to the school with all the young people there for a full day of creativity.
Who knows where it might lead
Footnote
Kaveri is now attending Kaliyuvamane and living there most of the year.
From this weeks ‘reflective space’
A recurring theme in our conversations is how options are limited. For example parents and teachers encouraging young people towards certain professions/jobs regardless of their personal preference or inclination.
Combined with peer pressure, and ‘the system’ itself, it’s a major problem around the world
This book is a critical read to help someone gain the confidence to find their passion.
I found mine. At age 66, I can look back at all my careers and see the thread of where I’ve found opportunities to fulfil my needs and make that connection.
It’s helped me find my fit, feel valued and as if I’m making a difference. It’s not about making money.
Ken Robinson the author of this book gave a TED talk about education and how it’s not ‘fit for purpose’ in helping educate us in ways that suits us and meets our needs (or society’s for that matter). Here it is
Wish to join our conversations? then let us know . Please follow the link to get involved.
Stephen
for dialogues that help us
Make connections
Promote personal development
Share alternate views
…
We’re launching regular meetings
We’ve held a few informal meetings in the last year.
Todays was yet another great opportunity for insightful conversations.
We’re now going to hold regular monthly (still informal) meetings starting in September.
They are intended for young people and those young at heart. They are convened and vaguely facilitated by Stephen.
Who knows where it will lead, we’ve already covered a range of political, philosophical, cultural, community and personal issues in open conversation.
It will also provide opportunities to get involved with other Manjula’s Mysore projects.
Meetings will provide a safe reflective space.
We invite you to get involved and suggest other projects you’d like to see developed.
Please follow the link and complete the form if you’re interested in joining a group and have your own suggestions.
There will be two groups:
Monthly meetings with like minded people open to anyone who chooses to attend and drop in.
Monthly meetings over six months of individuals (hopefully also like minded) who choose to join, agree to attend every meeting and be active participants. Objectives and subjects will be set by the members at the first meeting. It’s known as a learning set. Numbers are limited.
Individual meetings might also be possible
Access to Manjula’s Library
Let us know on the form which your interested. We’ll inform you if the learning set will go ahead and if there’s a place available for you.
Future dialogues might be available at school, colleges or work, let’s see.
…
Who we are
Manjula’s Mysore in addition to mycycle tours and Mysore Bed and Breakfast organises and supports events to serve our community and reflect the goodness that was MAnjula.
So far we’ve organised an event for forty visually impaired young women, gifted bicycles, taken people on holiday, provided meals for elders, shared knowledge through Manjula’s library and meetings, sponsored two children, and facilitated team learning.
Set up by Stephen and other friends it celebrates MAnjula and continues her good work. More details are on both our web sites, various places on Facebook and even on Instagram.
Check ManjulasMysore meandmycycle
Over the last year we’ve occasionally had small gatherings at our house for young people.
It’s included people from their late teens to early adult but it’s open and not specific, conversations are in English and all it requires is an open mind accepting of others and their opinions.
It’s flexible.
It’s resulted in stimulating insightful conversations
We meet again this month to decide how to take it forward.
If you’re in Mysore and interested write to me at
Sfindia@gmail.com
Stephen
… her, as she’s back at school
A nine year old and a sixty six year old being together for over two months is a wonderful mix of experiences and emotions.
At times it’s been a challenge but wouldn’t change it…
On the way to school she asked if I’d visit this Sunday; within minutes — after being greeted by friends — it had changed to ‘a’ Sunday.
I will visit this Sunday and exchange pictures.
Here’s mine.
Thank you Kaveri for being you and invading my life.
Kaveri’s tooth has been bothering her all week while on holiday in Kannur.
The new is pushing out the old.
Now it’s out
It seems that in Italy (Ilaria is with us) and England (I’m the official representative) children are encouraged to place the tooth under their pillow.
A mouse (really?) or fairy will replace it with a coin, or so we think. if that happens, will there be an Italian or British coin? Mmm
We’ll see, maybe.
Here in India, we’re told, the tooth gets wrapped in cow shit and thrown over the roof. Who knows what happens after that.
Someone might be pulling our leg.
The very next day
A coin appeared under Kaveri’s pillow.
I just had to post again. Earlier I reflected my concern about the lack of care and compassion (see last posting) when I stumbled across this photo and dickens quote
Here’s someone’s extreme lack of care and compassion preferring that we don’t support people in poverty, who are clearly undeserving feckless oiks.
Un-bloody-believable.
Except this attitude is all too familiar, but I expect that these people (I’ve made it anonymous as we don’t want to create an internet teacup storm) aren’t demonstrating the slightest bit of self awareness by posting such crap on an insignificant page of old London photographs.
Maybe they haven’t got the slightest idea that our system is slanted in favour of the rich and powerful and blaming the powerless feeds into a narrative that maintains this unsavoury order.
Obviously I am naive about how people just accept the demonisation of poor people. I feel a Brexit moan coming on. Get real old people.
I write this having just returned (I live in India, remember?) from a one room dwelling that would have been no better and probably far worse than where those in the photograph lived.
The people are not to blame for the cycle of deprivation or their lot in life.
In my distorted view. It’s our duty in life to work out how best we can be kind and that includes showing care and compassion with a more equitable share of the resources we have at our disposal.
Assuming the immigration bureaucrats (long story) let me remain in my adopted country, we’ll continue to help where we can, through Manjula’s Mysore.
I would joke that there was life after Brexit in the U.K. as an island old people’s home.
I take it back — there’s not enough people to staff it or tomatoes to feed the residents. .
But it’s worse: the inhumanity: commodification of people care, indifference of the owners, ignorance and inaction of the families, callousness of a privatised only-care-for-the-rich system, means you’re dumped into concentrated carelessness.
We shouldn’t be surprised but why should we or how can we care?
Just make sure you,’re not feeble and alive to have to enjoy the mouldy fruits of the system
I sometimes scoff about extended supportive family networks. I shouldn’t but I do question whether they shouldn’t also be on life support. The fact is it’s the compassion and care amplified through people connections to each other we sorely need injecting to revitalise our communities
Me as a 66 year old am about to go care for an eight year old that helps blow life into this bundle of walking cobwebs.
I feel young again. Ha ha
Poor Sowbaghya has to listen when Lucie has shown me the paw and Billet-Doux treats the place like a hotel.
Are they giving me a not-so-hidden message?
OK, I’ve bored her, explaining how (she knows) I read a lot, so have a broad knowledge (superficial) of many things.
That includes what to do about my current situation.
The problem is : we know stuff but do we act on it? We may have received the information but it’s not sunk in or led to the necessary change.
It’s as if I’m in an automatic Photo Booth that’s lead lined or surrounded by an (iron) curtain that stops the information getting through. I get it but not enough as it does not lead to action.
For example Kanchana gave me the ‘secret’ book and Tom has provided all sorts of positive insights—many others have helped— but it’s not led to the realisation of awareness and ‘action.’
You know the sort of stuff.
Well it began to fall into place this week. The timings right on the fourth anniversary of losing MAnjula
For more than four years there’s been a volcanic reaction, starting with the denial, then the acute shock of loss followed by the slow constant grinding down of grief.
Leading to anger and intolerance, to myself and others. it’s all so wrong… that negativeness is not what MAnjula (aka Full Full) and I are about.
It’s had its ups as well as downs and I’m generally quite robust (or so I thought) but the biggest challenge is the blame, the guilt, the what-ifs, wrapped up in depression. I have the overall feeling that I’ve let Manjula down and now I can’t do anything about it as she’s not physically with me anymore.
But I can …
learn to forgive myself, let the past be there, continue to celebrate MAnjula and as Louise says
“Life is really very simple. What we give out, we get back”
I really believe that but now need to act on it.
I remind Kaveri to ‘be kind’ and I need to listen and act on it myself and with myself
Hay’s book appeared in Manjula’s library, on the 23rd March, a gift from Rakesh
Farrell Factoid
Goes without saying, listening is an integral part of this process. This popped up today.
Me and MYCycle 