I’m desperate Dan

June 16, 2025June 16, 2025 SFLeave a comment

I seriously shouldn’t bother the busy MP with my issues. I’m not even a citizen. But I am close to desperate and it’s stressful!

So I give it a go.

… here’s a bit more of why?

Another great experience of India.

My 10.30am docs appointment hadn’t begun by 11.10 so I legged it to go see the Maharaja (he’s also the MP and I’d had a message inviting me just this morning) for 11.30

Of course it wasn’t exactly a timed appointment. It isn’t with a doc so it’s hardly likely to be with Royalty — now, is it?

We’re gathered in the outer office.

Groups and the odd individual — yes I’m the oddest — waiting to see the boss.

After 90 minutes he actually stops seeing visitors in the office and comes out, for it to become an orderly-free-for-all, we take it in turns to plead our case.

He agrees to write a letter to central govt.

Barat and I go post it.

More interesting insights into a Mysore Palace

Stephana Farrella

June 13, 2025June 13, 2025 SFLeave a comment

I’m in an absolutely amazing institution.

It’s my week to be tested and my friendly neurologist in addition to the many tests she’s imposed, has suggested I get my hearing tested.

But of course whilst I’ve complemented the staff here on doing sterling jobs, it’s efficient and easy-going.

A challenge to create and maintain especially in a large institution of any kind.

I still can’t resist taking the piss.

Remember I’m here for a hearing test.

I’m in a waiting room at the audiology clinic at the institution.

Look at the photo.

We’re maybe 200 metres from the entrance door.

I’ve spent a week dropping drops in my ear and fresh from the ENT physician with a nifty, teeny vacuum cleaner to suck out the wax

Yes I’m in the audiology block waiting to have my hearing tested— that’s assuming I can hear security yelling out my name from the door 200 metres away .

This couldn’t be made up. It’s like a comedy skit.

So, precisely on time, the rain has started with its heavy patter on the ( temporary plastic) roof.

Yes the ‘hard of hearing’ might have a challenge to hear their name called out for the HEARING test.

But let’s be fair. In India everyone turning up at a clinic will have at least one member of the family with them to help out.

So I hope that when they call out the name for the lonely old Firangi (foreigner) to go for his test, they’ll put extra effort in to ensure he can hear it.

Maybe they’ll call

Stephana Farrella

But that for another time as it’s part of one of Manjula’s tales.

—

How come exactly one week ago I walked straight in to the doc, this week there’s tons of people.

BUT do not let my stupid desire to have a joke at everything camouflage the fact that it’s a great place and the staff who include students from Kerala and other states do a fantastic job.

It involves a lot of testing and not just the outer ear.

Well done team.

You’re a real credit.

Confined

June 12, 2025 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’

Searching for Security and finding art

June 12, 2025July 10, 2025 SFLeave a comment

Many know that I’ve been looking to be a student or volunteer to pursue my interests, make a contribution and to continue to live in my adopted country.

I’ve made innumerable contacts with education institutes but options were few as I couldn’t do the PhD I wanted to (due to my masters) and the idea of another and full time masters felt too much.

My first interest was to pursue an art course. We’ve also organised wonderful creativity days at Kaliyuvamane and the NGO for visually impaired young women.

It’s one of those things I’d failed to do and always held an interest.

Currently Kaveri and I dabble a bit

But look what I found.

Hidden away —

—just up the road from a Stupa here in Mysore

An art college

More details here

I’m due on a holiday to the U.K.

I’ll revisit when I get back home and see if it’s feasible to do a course there and get a student visa.

As madam would say: ‘let’s see’

More later on the volunteering possibilities.

SB member of our family

June 9, 2025June 9, 2025 SFLeave a comment

Fact is, she’s a member of many families.

Manjula and I first met her when she was helping Hecheung, Justin and their two boys.

This week she had visitors from the US

Rebecca in green lived here as a young girl with her parents with SB helping out. She’s finished high school in the states and has now returned to Mysore for a few weeks to revisit people and places.

Sowbaghya welcomed them with lunch at her home.

She’s an incredible help in so many ways.

Now she’s joined our family and we try to ensure it’s not too boring.

Today, bowling.

May 30, 2025May 30, 2025 SFLeave a comment

Stephen, Kaveri, SB and Naveen (the winner)

Which child dripped chocolate from the waffle down his new t shirt?

Creating Stones

May 29, 2025May 29, 2025 SFLeave a comment

It’s the last few days before the summer school holiday ends.

There’s time to fit in one more activity

Our new good friend Pravalika introduced Kaveri to the art of stone carving

We’re at one of the most famous stone-carvers in India and it’s in Mysore.

We can see all the stages of creating a statue: from the rough hewn shape through to the final finish

It’s surprisingly delicate and quite fast.

Pravalika is a patient teacher and patient carver, she wonderfully manages the double pressure.

Kaveri is, of course, also a star.

The elder, yes that’s me, managed an inch of carving before the women gave up in despair.

New spots? Maybe not.

The chief stone carver and therefore the workshop famously created the statue for the new Ayodya Temple last year.

Kaveri’s first stone carving is dedicated to MAnjula and will be installed at Mysore Bed and Breakfast.

Why?

May 28, 2025May 29, 2025 SFLeave a comment

Do I want to stay in India?

I visited the office of our local MP today who also happens to be …

His Highness Shri Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Maharaja of Mysore

I met one of his team to ask for help to continue to live in India. He seemed a little flummoxed.

Why did I want to live here?

Why did he ask?

Maybe he expected me to live with my blood family. That is the tradition among some families in India, it’s not mine.

Mainly it’s because Mysore is my home

I fell in love with the people of India and its places initially from a distance in the 70s and full on when I arrived twenty years ago.

Here is the family I have chosen. I’m close to my blood family but I choose this family where I have made my home built on trust, to live. If I can.

There’s too many family members to list but I mention some …

My beautiful wife MAnjula who remains in our hearts with her presence that’s felt in our home, in the memorial garden we created and the good we do.

I got back home to the two who are most dominant in my life Kaveri and Sowbaghya.

And show the others

They also include

— our team and the young people I’ve got to know through Manjula’s Mysore events. Here’s one. for forty young women and our reflective space

— our wonderful network in Mysore

— Plus our online community with many around the world and here in India

BUT why do I need help?

As a foreigner married to an Indian I was eligible (it’s mandatory) for Overseas Citizen of India which gives residency. As she’s died whether I get one or not is discretionary. In Bangalore at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office and in London at the High Commission they wouldn’t accept my application for OCI. As I understand it they can accept if we owned our house (we and I still rent) or had children, which we didn’t. Beyond this the powers of discretion are held at the centre in Delhi to which I don’t have access.

Which is why I asking for the MPs help.

— He might have contacts in central government that could help me through their discretionary powers

— I’ve lived here for fifteen years on business visas which I’ll not be able to get another after this year.

— he will recognise the value I’ve brought to our community through bringing businesses here on the Prince’s Seeing is Believing Events, helping young people and developing tourism in Mysore.

I hope the MP can help.

About time too

May 26, 2025 SFLeave a comment

My friends in the UK would laugh at this and declare ‘it’s about time too’.

I’m from the north you know and traditionally we are considered to have the wrong accent, miss letters out of our words and generally not be ‘up to scratch.’

Times have moved on now. We even have regional accents on the BBC .

But there might be some truth in that humour (as usual)

I’ve been helping Kaveri with her English while at the same time discovering it for myself.

🤭

I’m learning about grammar, the names and function of key words.