Our house … is a very fine house.

I’ve been asked to post images of our house to remind our guests of it and how it’s changed since they were last here. .

We’ve rented it for sixteen years. Which makes it the house I’ve lived in longest in the whole of my life.

It’s actually two houses.

On the ground floor it’s a 2 bhk. That’s two bedrooms, a hall (lounge), dining room (converted to NQAR —- not quite a room — for Kaveri, kitchen, entrance foyer for the shoes,

On the first floor it’s a 3bhk and now one of the bedrooms is Manjula’s library.

…

When Manjula first came here it was sparsely furnished and decorated.

Her first worry was that there wasn’t an electric grinder.

Having to use this, would be just too much!

Now the house is full to bursting inside and out

Here’s a little tour or two

…

We had an Indian family return to see us last week. I asked what they could spot on this wall that wasn’t Indian.

Can you see?

Returning guests take pleasure from spotting what’s new. The ‘blue plaque’, outside the front door, denoting that it’s where a famous person lived is the latest addition.

It’s been Mysore Bed and Breakfast for fifteen years, welcoming guests from around the world and no1 in Mysore on Trip Advisor from the very beginning.

09/09/2025 1

Carry on camping

Actually it’s carry on camper.

For three years now I’ve organised or at least accessed activities for Kaveri’s school summer holidays. She’s the camper but we’re not camping.

That’s 6-8 weeks in April/May each year. While that sounds unclear, well unsurprising as that’s often the case.

Between changing schools, last minute decisions by about when the holidays are plus trying to coordinate with Chandrika (Kaveri’s mum) the inconsistently controvertible….. it’s difficult to know what’s happening and plan ahead. Plan? Ahead? 🤭🤪🥵

But I’m not complaining. It’s always an absolute pleasure to spend time with Kav. .

So …. Dive into this years selection of activities see if you can spot them in the photos …

and there’s still ten days to build up to starting the new school.

Sorted the jumble?

Swimming, seaside holiday, skating, meals with friends, amusements, skating, summer camp at local project, Birthday (now 11), guided tour trying to pass on some of my insights — ha ha, games, kayaking, exploring the city, lighthouse and two forts, shopping fairground, and not to miss TV and iPhone.

Footnote

For the bemused amongst you. What’s it all about?

Manjula’s Mysore agreed to support activities to help and that included sponsoring events and children.

A special thanks to Sarvesh and Sowbaghya for their help especially with Kaveri’s family.

Our main beneficiary is Kaveri. We’ve known her now for three years. As she’s from a similar background to MAnjula we’ll support her into adulthood. The next big step is starting her new school.

Up to date information can usually be found on our blog site

on http://www.meandmycycle.com

Our funding for MAnjula to continue to give comes from the business and direct from some previous guests.

23/05/2025 0

Manjula’s Mysore, doing good.

Welcome to our new company and its Director’s : Sarvesh and Stephen, originally set up by Manjula’s good friends: Satish and Tanuja

please follow the links for more information

So far …

we organised a funday for 40 visually impaired young women in August 2022.

…including cycle tours on our tandem

… we’ve sited benches and created gardens in Manjula’s Memory

… donated almost 50 bicycles to NGOs, individuals and members of our team.

… fed older people at an ashram and projects supporting people during the pandemic

… sponsored young people’s education

… organised a summer camp and holiday

We’re about celebrating Manjula and continuing her good work.

…

What next?

We will continue to welcome guests to Mysore Bed and Breakfast and provide MyCycle: Mysore Cycle Tours and the income we bring in, after covering costs, will all go to helping our communities.

We’re open to suggestions to work with young people.

….

Manjula died in 2019 but lives on in our hearts and through these gifts.

25/08/2022 0

Celebrating Mysore Art

Mysore storyteller’s Network were in the sensitive hands of R G Singh who guided us through the history of his wonderful private collection of Mysore Art.

One of the hidden gems of Mysore. He’s from a family who arrived over two hundred years ago who celebrate and perpetuate the mysore style art. The museum has special exhibitions and occasionally provides guided tours to the exhibits that cover exactly those 200 hundred years of Mysore Art.

I discovered that one of my paintings is similar to one of R G Singh’s in his collection. It’s the cosmic egg.

04/02/2021 1

Virtually

We’ve all found this time of virus challenging and search new things to do.

How can we survive without travel?

Two wonderful friends have come up with solid solutions.

In my unbiased view they are amongst most innovative, informative and entertaining guides in India, who have set up quality services in Mysore and Delhi and elsewhere.

Check our their online offerings, you’ll not be disappointed.

Vinay’s Gully Tours with a presence in Mysore, Bangalore and Cochin

Check here

Check Here

MYCycle Tours of Srirangapatnam are available on demand and will be relaunched in 2021.

15/10/2020 0

It’s been different

Here’s our entry on Trip Advisor and we’re pleased that we are a Traveller’s Choice 2020 and are still number one in Mysore out of 171.

Life is different as I’ve had nine years of wonderfulness with the Madam, sharing our home and making new friends.

Mysore bum hurts from bouncing on a roller coaster, pot-holed ride since she slipped through my clumsy fingers but now we’ve all had to deal with exceptional pandemic times. I hope you’ve fared well and can begin to feel positively motivated.

We can announce that ……..

We plan to open again in December and promise a friendly dog, the inimitable Lucie, the noisy Yindian and the penetrating presence of the beauty who will always be with us.

Our trademark cleanliness, appropriate distancing and limited rooms will help us all take care of each other.

We look forward to hosting old and new friends,

peas and love,

Stephen, Lucie and

the Manjula

xxx

Yindian: Yorkshire by birth, Indian by marriage.

29/08/2020 2

Sharing Stories

Our stories true, about our life here and fictional can be found on our other site

A popular ‘factly fiction’ story written by Stephen is is about Mysore and cycling, provides another view

Our cycle tours are another opportunity to share stories

01/07/2020 0

our friends

You know what they say?

It’s the people that makes a place, as reflected in many of the guest comments in our books and online reviews.

I don’t think it’s possible to over emphasise. In my view, people connecting well, becoming friends, enjoying life, is what it’s all about.

Yes we’ve set it up and it is our home and you’ll feel us, throughout the place and while she’s not with us anymore and by now has hopefully found another place or is waiting for me, Manjula’s presence, her essence is most definitely here and with me and always will be.

It’s a happy, open, welcoming home.

It’s the many varied, rich mix of guests (see photos below) that add the icing on the cake. That make it all worthwhile. Even over her last few months when she became more ill she wouldn’t close the place, meeting and interacting with guests until the very last, was what she wanted. Manjula recognised that you had become our family and the incredible support both she and I have received when she was ill and for me over the more recent difficult times have been incredible.

I want to introduce you to a few of the members of this constantly evolving extended family.

The lovely couple, Amy and Tom…

…first came to visit us maybe five or more years ago. After that first holiday trip they got married, resigned from their jobs and became nomads, travelling and working around the world. We sort of adopted them (and they us) and see them regularly here or elsewhere. Amy was our celebrant at our wedding, Check here and here and here Tom took the photographs! They knew of Manjula’s illness and so were with us on two occasions early this year and once they’d learned that she’d moved on to another life (our previous postings and Manjula’s story can be found here) they came again, especially flew in to support me for two weeks. I hadn’t realised how much I needed it but I really did.

Ina, moved to Australia from Scotland as a young child, so I wonder how does she still have such a strong Scottish accent after a few years!? Ina visits every year and became a great friend to Manjula. Her first visit was to meet up with a Tibetan monk, living a couple of hours away in Bylakuppe. It was the first time she’d met after over ten years of providing financial support.

Meet more of our team and guests, our family here and recent guests Jean-Yves and Nathalie and their great blog entries of their visit.

Manjula and I have visited previous guests in the UK, I’ve visited guests in Canada and the US, two guests have sent paintings of Manjula and Lucie, we’ve celebrated birthdays and Christmas, I’ve met guests at the music festival featured in a fictional story on our site here, a guest has planted trees in New Zealand in memory of Manjula, I can go on and on (as you will realise)….

We are so lucky.

As a guest of Mysore Bed and Breakfast you’re not expected to do all these things,(although you’re welcome to) just come stay and have a great visit.

We look forward to welcoming you,

Peas and love

Stephen

check the photos, there are many more in our flickr albums here

01/07/2020 0

Get under the skin…

Manjula’s Mysore is here to help you get the best out of your visit to this wonderful city.

We’ll get you to the bits of Mysore you might not otherwise see and provide fascinating insights into life in India.

We offer you our home. A clean, friendly and comfortable place that’s lively energetic and when you need it a quiet relaxing respite from the constancy of India.

To make your visit extra special, we also offer our MYCycle tours, only the second guided cycle tours of its type set up in the whole of India. Combine them with our useful information, advice and hassle fee transport.