As part of the festivities we attended a fabulous art show at the Art College just across the main road.
Our no 1 pull was to see Pravalika’s wonderful piece of art.
With tons more to appreciate.
I stopped myself from buying anything. There’s already too much to fit into the new house.
But how about a bird for the tree?
and this is what it thinks.
More of our links can be found in this posting and at the bottom.
That’s ‘showcasing Indian hospitality’
and here she is …
Here’s that party for forty young women.
Celebrating MAnjula
More videos including a wonderful one of MAnjula cooking.
This is a big emotional and practical step.
We’ve found one option that we could make work here. Do take a look.
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This is an invite for our friends far and wide to get involved. Guests from the past and those that might join us in our new form.
What do you think?
A lovely French family that recently visited emphasised the proximity to the centre, quiet area, great decor and good communal space. Got it!
We need storage space including for cycles and car. Some of the current accumulation will have to go.
Now there’s a challenge.
But of course with any momentous change we need to do our research.
Here’s another option for us to consider …
Anjali found it for us. Its advantage is it’s independent, with a garage, and its rooms are a bit small — We can make it work though.
Sowbaghya and I are leading the team of investigators (that includes you) — of course, I draw MAnjula in as it’s for her too.
Let us have your suggestions and know what you think.
In August Manjula would have been 52.
We have traditions in the U.K. to commemorate and recognise significant people’s contribution by installing a blue plaque on the house where they lived
Like this one ….
So we just had to get one for MAnjula
MAnjula remains in our home in Mysore in so many ways, this seemed like a fitting tribute to our precious …
We love and miss you MAnjula. You’re here in our hearts and guide us in everything we do.
Manjula was our sunshine and a …
We’ll do more to remember her on her happy birthday.
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.
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
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.
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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.
Mysore is a connecting place, social entrepreneurs, community animateurs are forever initiating new ideas to bring us together.
Sriranjini Simha kindly invited me to experience mysore. Well I have been doing that for twenty years, initially on holidays and now as resident with our own business. But joking aside this was an invite to a new initiative that is actually called ‘Experience Mysuru’ and I’m so pleased I checked it out.
I’ve always thought that the Mysore city feels more like a village, by that I mean : it has an intimacy, interactivity, on a human scale. Well ‘Experience Mysuru’ reflects exactly that. Mysore has a well deserved reputation as a cultural capital that was fantastically represented last night..
The ‘showcase’ was curated to reveal through the senses of taste, hearing, smell, touch and sight and included: yoga and meditation, ancient board games, percussion, storytelling, dance, music and singing. To be more precise — Chande: the pulse of Karavali, Bharatanatyam, Carnatic music and Kamsale— come find out for yourselves what it is.
I can’t say performers, yes they shared, their skills, they entertained but it went beyond that. Each person introduced their activity to ‘get beneath the skin’ they fitted all this in to just 120 minutes and it was not crammed. It was exactly right, the timing, the diversity, the interactive-ness, the rich content, their expertise, I’ve got to know Mysore a bit over the years but this brought me to so many new layers and levels.
Well done team, we’re rightly proud of our heritage and this was a great way to share with young and old, local and not so local, and I’ll be back..
Thank you Kim Kanchana Ganga, Tanushri SN, Shrimathi and her team, Pranav Athrey’s-Pranav Athreya, Suraksha Dixit, Tejashri Murphy, Pushpa and her team… plus the managers and organisers behind the scenes that put it all together and made it go so smoothly…..
More info
http://www.experiencemysuru.in
0091 8105318650
Info@experiencemysuru.in
@experiencemysuru.in
The venue was the amazing The Heritage House in Saraswathipuram
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I’ll write separately about Mysore – Mysuru, about the city’s name and history but this is not the place.
A new summer school holiday activity — Button Masala.
Incredible creativity and innovative design from cloth, button and rubber band!
A great addition to the swimming, summer camp, reading, storytelling, crafts, skating, seaside, badminton, cycling, TV and phone that’s become a staple of Kaveri’s school holiday
A really cool event presented by the creator of Button Masala —Amuj Sharma and supported by Sri Vidya MR of the Anubhuti Trust.
Me and MYCycle 