Train to Sheffield
So Stephen why first class?
Comfy seat, crisps, orange juice and cake, followed by cream tea: scone/jam/cream, cup of tea and biscuit.
It’s called a no-brainer.
I also escaped a ‘snow’ storm.
What’s not to like?
And these two great characters.
Ganesh the remover of obstacles is an important part of our life in Mysore.
Each year at Ganesh Chaturthi we bring Ganesh into our home for Puja and after a few days take him to the Kaveri river by Srirangapatnam
Thank you to Satish and Naveen for accompanying Ganesh to the river today, as we have every year after setting up home in Mysore
Ganesh is also known to create opportunities which on the surface seem to be obstacles for us to meet, learn, develop and grow.
I’m learning…
We hope he’ll help me return to my home in January.
Thank you Sowbhagya for organising.
…
Internet info
paschimavahini
Is where we take him. It’s also featured on our cycle tour.
Paschimavahini is a sacred site near Srirangapatna in Karnataka, India, where the Cauvery River briefly flows westward.
I immersed Manjula’s ashes here.
Significance and Sacred Rituals
Geography: A westward-flowing stretch of a major river is considered rare and highly auspicious in Hindu tradition.
Ancestral Rites: It is a major pilgrimage destination where families gather to perform final rites and immerse the ashes (shraddha) of deceased loved ones into the holy waters.
Mythology: Puranas mention the site as holy, noting that taking a ritual dip here helps wash away sins and grants spiritual liberation (moksha).
The three musketeers went into the city to negotiate for a new piece of art we’d seen the day before
Their mission was to get a good discount on the asking price
They were a great success🙂
The winning Musketeers are Kaveri with her two new friends: Naimishambha and Pragathi, lovely, confident girls.. daughters of Deepak who works with our friend Florian.
They’re seen here with Maïlis, Sowbhagya and Stephen
It’s got pride of place in our new lounge, highlighting Manjula with her pals Lucie and Ganesh
It’s actually Ganesh who’s left to go swimming in the river kaveri.
He rested with us, had his fill
and now he’s gone.
Followed by lunch at Poojari’s where MAnjula and I used to go.
Of course not 🤔🤭🤫
They’re for use as props for an adapted story.
The storyteller in me is happy, as is the shopper and the gatherer of clutter.
More to come ..
I’ve adapted one of his key stories to share with Kaveri and Radhika.
It traditionally goes like this …
Ganesh and his brother have a race round the world to prove who’s fastest.
If we were asked to predict who would win we’d think his brother, as Ganesh aka Ganpati isn’t lithe and doesn’t look fit. Plus .. He eats a lot!
His brother is shocked to find Ganesh already there when he breathlessly reaches the finishing line.
It turns out Ganesh raced around his world (his parents) and his brother raced around the whole world (planet earth).
My addition.
There’s no right or wrong here, both raced around important worlds. Fact is — we occupy many worlds— at school, where we live, amongst our friends, work. It’s important for us to realise these different worlds — an understanding of which — helps us realise how people see things differently.
Only then … can we — Be Kind— (a regular message to Kaveri), as that depends on us understanding how each person sees things. No point ‘being kind’ in ways that ‘the other’ person doesn’t value or recognise.
Factoid !?
Kartikeya ), also known as Skanda, Subrahmanya, Shanmukha and Murugan, is the Hindu god of war. He is generally described as the son of the deities Shiva and Parvati and the brother of Ganesha.
Lifted off the t’internet
The shopper (yes me) bought two Ganesh’s from the local pot shop. One will join the family and the other will go for a swim in the Kaveri river.
Well that was a journey and a half. Carrying this ‘Bobby Dazzler’ home, just round the corner but he was so heavy. So regular rests were called for.
No idea why I decided to head butt him, I can’t remember it guv. Honest.
Now we’ve got the less dressed Ganesh and his mum Gowrie (Gaurie) at home for this years festivities.
After a spell at home, in the puja room and lots to eat, we’ll take him for a swim in the Kaveri river.
We take Ganpati aka Ganesh and his mum Gowrie
To Paschimavahini, the river kaveri near Srirangaptnam.
Vasanth and Sowbaghya (and their able assistants Ravichandra and Naveen) doing the honours to immerse mum and son.
That’s after puja at home aka Mysore Bed and Breakfast
Garima and Trishalla joined us, after spending wonderful time together at this week’s children’s theatre event. Here with the irrepressible Kaveri.
Antoinette, from New York, regular guest of Mysore Bed and Breakfast provided more photos. Including catching me in a regular pose of bossing Kaveri. 🤔🤭
And finally from Vasanth…
The big fella is out and about with his mum Gowrie
Later in the week we’ll do the usual puja and a few days later immerse him in the river Kaveri.
I am getting a bit attached although we do already have at least five Ganesh’s in the house plus the two we’re looking after for Steven Heath.
Each year we’d buy a terracotta Ganesh, place him in our Pooja room with the appropriate rituals with lots of food (he’s a hungry god).
After the stipulated number of days he’d be taken and immersed in the Kaveri river near Srirangaptnam.
