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.
Elvis has left the room
Tag: kaliyuvamane
Third day of
Creativity from Manjula’s Mysore and her friends
At Kaliyuvamane with a focus on hands
Thank you to Antoinette visiting from New York who designed and delivered the workshop.
A year later..
It’s been that long since Kaveri joined Kaliyuvamane
From the very beginning —-Sarvesh (Multi-lingual, typical talented Indian) and I (mono-lingual.. you know the stuff!!) explained to her mum Chandrika the pros and cons of the school:
— it’s small, free to parents, with a good track record from not following the education sausage factory model
— It’s residential, and you’ll only see Kaveri at home a couple of times a month although you can visit as often as you wish.
— as it’s outside the system she can’t easily (if at all) rejoin a mainstream education (it’s an alternative/free school) until age 16
Chandrika and Mani had visited this and one other school I’d suggested and been invited to suggest others.
We did emphasise it was her decision.
She chose Kaliyuvamane.
Personally I liked the school its approach to education and life in general. I think it’s been a great success. The fact that it’s residential, also helps.
BUT over the past few months Kaveri’s mother has changed her mind. She, in any case has difficulty sticking to one thing. She decided to take Kaveri out of the school.
She misses her and wants her to help around the house. Neighbours, employers and others, we don’t really know who, criticise her for ‘giving-up’ her daughter.
It’s been a stressful period to put it mildly.
You’d be forgiven for thinking she’d gone stark raving mad. Everything about Kaveri and her life as improved dramatically. She now the average size for her age, progressed in all her education, had a great confidence, a real star at the school. Ticks in all directions.
So we invited Chandrika, her mum and sister over to my house to decide.
Chandrika has agreed to keep Kaveri at Kaliyuvamane. Thanks to everyone in the team, and at Kaliyuvamane. Not forgetting the significant help from Sarvesh, in Australia.
Weekend visitor
After a busy Saturday providing drink, snacks and art at a Padma farm event as member of a team of students from Kaliyuvamane.
Waking to breakfast with our guests from Switzerland
Even earlier, in the morning, Sarvesh had facilitated a meeting between me and Chandrika, Kaveri’s mum to try get her -back on track- to keep Kaveri at the school.
Fingers crossed we’re getting there.
The absolute helpful stars being Radhika,
who Kaveri calls her sister (actually Auntie and a wonderful friend to us all), and Sarvesh
Next grandmother travels by bus across city and takes her shopping.
And finally Anni becomes hair stylist.
It feels like I’ve seen Kaveri for about five minutes this weekend (as she falls asleep again in my lap when we go back to school in the auto) but I’m happy that she’s had a great time.
She joins the pantheon of stars in my life.
The young and young at heart
Supported by Manjula’s Mysore.
It’s all part of being kind, following in her footsteps
Children’s Theatre
This event arrived at exactly the right timing for me.
Just as I’m investigating ways I might get involved with Kaliyuvamane school beyond my support for Kaveri.
It easily fitted my view that we should look to support children’s learning beyond established subjects. That would be to be better communicators, critical thinkers, develop the necessary competencies to manage life, and find their own passions.
Gowri-Ganesh-Chaturthi
Each year MAnjula would carefully prepare puja for Ganesh and his mother Gowri
Ganesh in 2015 the version on the left was taken to be immersed in the river Kaveri later that week.
…
This year I was invited to Kaveri’s school to join the celebrations.
Afterwards we did our own thing at home
Next we’ll work out which day we can immerse him in the river.
…
Kaveri becoming a sharp English teenager.
… Whatever…
She’s always with us
Anjali gets married.
Since Punith introduced us I’ve realised how much Anjali is a real star
She got married today. Every wedding is same but different, down to caste, experience, attitude and get-on-ableness of the generations, so it’s not unlike absolutely everything else in consistently inconsistent India.
Even in the midst of planning a wedding and balancing the interests/preferences of in and out laws Anjali was instrumental in making our creativity day for the children at Kaliyuvamane.
There was a great mix of people and more recently found great friends.
They were obviously also having fun
Guess which twit forgot to put his kurta on?
Congratulations to Anjali Sakleshpur and Veethahavya Kootanoor Sheshadrivasan
Bringing MAnjula home
Manjula appeared behind my cycle as well as in our hearts on what would have been her 50th birthday.
We celebrated with 100 children at Kaliyuvamane
Today I brought her home.
We cycled through the countryside, along the national highway, through the suburbs and on my cycle route around Chamundi Hill.
Stopping to chat as people wondered what it was all about.
It’s about our love and her kindness
… and now we’re back home at Manjula’s Garden
Happy Birthday Manjula
It would have been her 50th birthday.
Manjula’s Mysore organised a creativity day for the 100 children of Kaliyuvamane school.
Our main team was Anjali leading on painting/drawing, preparation and overall coordination, Shubhash origami and Rena, sculpture.
Aryaa assisted with with the preparation. Ali, Miai, Ina and Sowbaghya together with the whole school team, helped out.
At the end, I explained why we’d organised the day.
The children and staff met Manjula (I cycled her images), we thanked everyone and then we were rewarded by the wonderful ice cream donated and served by Polar Bear.
Footnote
Stephen’s thanks.
“Today is because being creative is fun and good for us.
Did you enjoy it?
The day was Organised by Manjulas Mysore, to remember my beautiful wife who lived to give love to everyone. Today that beautiful woman is still with us in spirit and would have been 50 today.
Thank you to everyone for taking part and making it good. that is … Everyone at Kaliyuvamane: children and team who run it, to the artists and helpers.
Polar Bear’s fantastic treats are the tops, thank you for the ice cream.
Well done everyone
Let’s now enjoy our ice cream and look at the art.”
Message from Ina —Thomasina Sng — who has visited most years since we opened Mysore Bed and Breakfast. She became a great friend to MAnjula, is here now and helped us celebrate Manjula’s Birthday.
“Manjula was and still is an inspiration, from a background that would have made most people selfish and angry, she chose to be caring and giving,her happiness was in making and seeing other people happy and this is the love that she continues to teach.” Ina
We’re out again this evening to celebrate Manjula’s birthday.
Me and MYCycle 