Ina was already at our house as I returned from the U.K.
The lunatics had taken over the asylum. We have a similar sense of humour but that doesn’t necessarily travel well. 🤔🤭 sorry to Charles, the Canadian giant. He gets it.Self catering BnB
Ina was an early guest who returned to visit every year bar the coronavirus blot on our landscape. She quickly became a close friend of Manjula helping us celebrate our engagement in 2015. They would mostly hang out together and she’s the guest who’s stayed the most and longest.
We’ve also become good friends. She’s also lost her loving partner and been a great support to me.
Ina has seen Kaveri two years running and appreciates how she’s progressed.
Ina has a strong Scottish accent even though she’s lived in Australia for almost seventy years, having escaped Britain, on a ship, to settle there as a young girl with her family.
Part of the team on Manjula’s birthday. Bonding over chai and a phone on Manjula’s birthday. The second celebration of what would have been Manjula’s 50th birthday. Satish is photographer
Ina, is most definitely one of Manjula’s kind. Thoughtfully helping, all around her, emanating a positive energy, appearing to be decades younger than she is but we don’t mention age.
Her initial visit was to meet a Tibetan monk, for the very first time, that she’d sponsored since he was a child.
She regales with stories of her family and her great times looking after her grand kids.
We keep remembering celebrating Manjula’s last birthday. That’s not our cat Visiting Manjula’s bench at the museum garden in Mysore city. Fun together, Ina with Kaveri and Radhika. Aroma Bakery after swimming.
As she says herself
I couldn’t agree more. I’m still learning
Demonstrating the new balancing pod thing, whilst worrying Paul from France Visiting Chandrika and Mani, Kaveri’s mum and dad.
Ina leaves at some ungodly hour for the flybus to Bangalore airport for a week in Singapore en route to home in Australia after our last meal together at Olive Garden
She’s supposed to have gone but I thought I heard her calling out downstairs. Now that’s worrying.
I’ve missed not seeing her for almost six weeks followed by a flurry
On the drive home she spelt words after giving me a series of drawings, at least one for each week we missed seeing each other.
I’ve visited the school twice already this week. As a ‘family’ visit with scotaussie Ina and to attend the Independence Day celebrations with French Paul.
Does anything ever go smoothly, anywhere?
This weekend we’ve started with skating, she worried that she may have forgotten it, (no chance) a monsoon landing and hilarious walk home
Followed by opening the giant parcel I brought on the plane and Kaveri’s first Lego build.
I was so impressed by Kaveri quickly getting into following and implementing the Lego instructions. She clearly has never experienced anything like it before. I must also admit that I’ve cracked it, and have successfully bought clothes for a nine-year old. We all know it’ll not last.
On Manjula’s death anniversary in March and at this time of year we especially remember MAnjula and feed her spirit. Others will remember their own relatives.
On 21st August 2022 on Manjula’s Birth Anniversary we created a day of activity for visually impaired young women living at the Divya Jyothi Trust in Mysore.
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Here are useful links to those who made it a great success, explaining who we are and why we did it.
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Manjula’s MysoreContinues Manjula’s work including Mysore Bed and Breakfast, MyCycle Tours and working with young people. We organised the event, sang songs, accompanied the young people’s singing and provided cycling. Our team was: Sarvesh, Satish, Sowbaghya, Tushar, Megha, Poornima and Stephen
Satish founder Director of Manjula’s Mysore, finding a useful role.
Our Partners are Manjula’s Kind
Thanks for making this a great success.
Mysore Storyteller’s Network: enables people to revive traditional and modern art forms of India through storytelling. Inspiring and mobilising communities to share their deepest vulnerabilities through stories, using Indian arts(visual, performing and fine arts). They organised games, taught songs, shared stories, played unusual instruments, from Madhavi, Sridevi Iyengar, Gauri Nadig, Shahana, Aditya Swarup
Vishnu Sharma Company: Vishnu Sharma hosted the entertainments, played music, organised the PA, sang songs, and acted as MC
Poornimasang songs and can be contacted via Manjulasmysore
Local businesses, active in their communities, demonstrating their caring shared responsibility.
Faizan Baksh photographed and videoed the event. Photos of the event and Manjula, are available. A video is being prepared. Faizan provides video and photograpphy services for events and promotions. Contact Instagram @faizanbaksh
The bakers SAPA and Aroma donated cookies and cakes.
SAPA started by Dina Weber is an artisan bakery, crafting sourdough breads and fine pastries with patience and love, giving their loaves the distinct flavours of naturally leavened breads.
Aroma is a bakery that offers high quality personalised cakes in its wide range of baked goods, since 1989
MyCycle cycle tours loaned their tandem supported by their volunteers.
The event was hosted by Divya Jyothi Trust Founder Shivaprakash, co-ordinator Kavya, and is the NGO where the young women live.
Why did we organise the event?
To help our community.
Manjula’s kind
Manjula seized the opportunity to set up Mysore Bed and Breakfast with an English guy Stephen and they fell in love. On getting engaged it was her wish to give gifts to people rather than receive them herself. Kindness from the very beginning.They began by gifting bicycles to organisation working in the community a total which has now almost reached 50. Her business has now evolved to become “Manjula’s Mysore’ providing accommodation to tourists through Mysore Bed and Breakfast and MyCycle tours, available for the past ten years. But now with the added extra of working with young people, to help them grow, develop and thrive.
This was a celebration of Manjula who would have been forty-nine on the day. This strong woman created Mysore Bed and Breakfast and is now known throughout the world for welcoming international tourists to Mysore until her untimely death three years ago.
Stephen is Manjula’s husband, always on the look out, for ways to remember Manjula and share her with more people.
“I was riding my Enfield through Mysore city centre. In one of the busiest junctions were two young woman one with a white stick so one at least was visually impaired. They were trying to cross. I couldn’t stop and as far as I could see, no one helped so I wondered what it was like for young recently impaired women in Mysore.
If Manjula was here we would’ve discussed it and she would’ve been keen for us to find out and do something. So I contacted Divya Jyothi Trust and went with Sarvesh to meet the centre staff, the founder and the young women who live there. As a result we’ve organised activity on what would’ve been Manjula’s 49th birthday and who knows where else it might lead.”
What’s Next from Manjula’s Mysore?
“Manjula’s Mysore will continues to do good, continuing Manjula’s kindness, through partnerships of NGOs, business and community volunteers.”
We celebrated Manjula’s birth anniversary, on the 21st August 2022 with a day crammed full of activity of cycling, games, music, storytelling, singing, drinks, cakes and cookies for the forty visually impaired young women who live at Divya Jyothi Charitable Trust.
Our day was a rich mix of sounds and fun: laughter, singing, clapping, some hesitancy — then enthusiasm, excitement, care, trust and beaming smiles.
Organised by Manjula’s Mysore with our partners: Mysore Storytellers Network, Vishnu Sharma Company, in memory of Manjula.
The young women especially liked the game ‘What’s in the box’ identifying objects through touch and smell, organised by Gauri Nadig. Then we all shared songs with Poornima singing and Vishnu Sharma playing guitar, Sridevi teaching songs, accompanied by Sarvesh on his Cajon clap box
Shahana told stories
Aditya Swarup and his group filled the room with unusual music by playing singing bowl, Handpan drum, Didgeridoo, and tweeting clay bird
Cycling was a big hit with Tusharr and Megha, volunteers from MyCycle tours giving rides on a tandem (cycle for two people). For all the blind women this was their first time on a bicycle. LINK
Sowbaghya and staff from the centre looked after us all day. Satish presented Manjula’s Mysore and Sarvesh was event organiser.
Stephen, Manjula’s husband, smiled throughout and enjoyed it all.
We ended the day with cookies and cake, after listening to Manjula sharing her own stories from recordings made in the last years of her life. “Hearing Manjula speak.” “Learning about Manjula.” “Finding out she was like us.” “Her love story” were some of the comments we overheard from the young women.
We all learned a lot from our day together. We found out about and better understand, what life is like for young women who are visually impaired. Realising how resilient they are to face their daily challenges. The confidence and trust they quickly develop to get the most out of a situation. Their positive joyful attitude from which we can all benefit.
This was also a celebration of Manjula who would have been 49 on the day. This strong woman created Mysore Bed and Breakfast and is now known throughout the world for welcoming international tourists to Mysore until her untimely death three years ago.
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Our thanks to each of our partners and the support of local bakers SAPA and Aroma.
Observations from behind the scenes.
“We could tell they loved taking part.”
“There was a buzz throughout the day amongst the young women and our team of organisers and entertainers.”
“Waves of smiles and chatter passed through group who sat crosslegged on the mat as each entertainer began”
“The enthusiasm hit the roof with the games and sing-a-long.”
“Once they felt comfortable and confident. They oohed and aahed with beaming smiles on their faces as we cycled around the area.”
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Manjula’s Mysore will continues to do good, reflecting Manjula’s kindness, through partnerships of NGOs, business and with our team of community volunteers.
Manjula seized the opportunity to set up Mysore Bed and Breakfast with an English guy Stephen and they fell in love. On getting engaged it was her wish to give gifts to people rather than receive them herself. Kindness from the very beginning.They began by gifting bicycles to organisation working in the community a total which has now almost reached 50.
Her business has now evolved to become “Manjula’s Mysore’ providing accommodation to tourists through Mysore Bed and Breakfast and MyCycle tours, which has been available for the past ten years. But now with the added extra of working with young people, to help them grow, develop and thrive.
Meet Trixie… My new friend has taken me in and around Vancouver city, to the sea and across to Vancouver Island.
Every time I visit Vancouver I’m reminded of the politeness. How people greet each other; how drivers generally behave and give way to pedestrians especially on side roads; and how it’s institutions respect and respond to their communities.
Even cyclists and their bikes are carefully catered for.
Travelling on the Skytrain. Or on the aqua bus
But…
And on the Buses en route to the ferry to Vancouver Island.
Trixie isn’t all that she seems.
Originally manufactured by ‘Regal Cycles’ over ten years ago. Known as ‘the Count’ she was a Fixie or fixed gear but after some tinkering she was transformed with a new set of handlebars, 3 speed hub gears and a coaster brake.
Trixie is fab and served me well, I’d love to adopt her, provide a Brooks saddle and take her home.
The third death anniversary of Manjula. We try to do all the right things.
Signs are posted next to M’s garden to explain that we’ve created it in her memory. (It’s even in the shape of a ‘M’.) A large image of MAnjula is positioned at our gate, Hindu’s recognise immediately what it’s about. We’re inviting her to come in. We all take it in turns to do puja, a request to the gods and wishes to MAnjula to help her on her way. Who nows? Maybe she’s already found her next body but We play safe and do the ceremonies in case she hasn’t I close the hall (lounge) door behind me as we all leave the house. This is to allow Manjula’s soul spirit to eat. We’ll gently knock on re-entering so she knows to go. Sowbhaghya, who now tries her best to hold it all together is ably assisted by Tanuja and Satish the director’s of the new company: ‘Manjula’s Mysore’ to create a great day, remembering and helping MAnjula on her way. Over the years friends have created a MAnjula memory tree.
Ina the Scottish Australian who became a great friend of ours and especially Manjula calls and arranges to visit later in the year.
Thank you MAnjula for being the all-embracing you, we all miss and cherish you while continuing to feel your presence.
I have another bright idea, I might regret it.
By the end of the day and unusually for this time of year it rains.
Me and MYCycle 