Introduction to our lives in Gokulam

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The yoga shala where we will practice for the new few months is in a wealthy residential neighborhood of Mysore called Gokulam. This is also the neighborhood that we're living in.

While the wealth here is probably relative, the homes are spectacular by any standard. Huge, rambling, beautiful homes, balconies and multiple garages, huge coconut trees & shade trees line the streets, parks all over the place. I believe lots of doctors live around here. It is still a very urban neighborhood, houses are quite close together, limited gardens.

Our apartment is great for us, but not particularly spectacular, at least by the standards in the neighborhood. We have a nice courtyard, a security guard at the front entrance, an elevator. I guess maybe 15 units in the complex? Inside, it is sparsely furnished: wicker sitting room set, dining room table & chairs, a desk, 2-burner stove (no oven), basic utensils. We each have our own bedroom and bathroom, with western toilets & solar heat (warm to hot in the middle of the day), couple of beds each, and a balcony. Cooking is a bit of a challenge, between the new & different ingredients, the lack of oven, minimum tools, and different tastes and appetites among ourselves. Fruit & veggies are plentiful, fresh and cheap, so we’re not suffering. More about food & cooking later.

The yoga shala is very close by, maybe a 5 minute walk. More about the yoga later, too.

It has been a comfort and treat to all three of us to have our computers & wireless internet. But power is sporadic, often out for hours at a time (like now). When the power is out, internet access is more limited (have to sneak off someone else in the neighborhood), and we have to rely on computer battery packs. The fridge starts to defrost and drip. Luckily, the stove is gas, so we can cook & boil water (essential for coffee in the morning). So it goes.

We can get around to most places we need to go by foot: grocery, market, tailor, laundry, yoga, cafes, restaurants, the plastic/household storettes, all very close by. There are rickshaws, nasty polluting little diesel engine things, which can take us lots of other places, too.

I think this covers the basics (shelter, food, entertainment, transport). I will try to post shorter and hopefully more interesting entries as time goes on, for now hopefully this introduces some context.

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Photos

Srivara Manor
Our apartment building. Ours are the three balconies on the second floor, towards the right/back (away from the street).

Srivara Manor
From outside our apartment

In the neighborhood
Looking up a street near the apartment.

In the neighborhood
Looking down the street from our place.

In the neighborhood
L&J in front of another fancy home just down the road from our Manor.

In the neighborhood
Fancy house, just down the street from our apartment.

In the neighborhood
Another fancy house.

In the neighborhood
L buys mango juice at a shoppette across from the Srivara Manor (our place).