Our daughter, Rowan, got to experience the Ashtanga pilgrimage to Mysore a month after she turned one year old. Since then people are always asking me for feedback on my experience in traveling with a child to such an intense place. Paul Dallaghan recently wrote an article on Ashtanga.com about taking your kids to Mysore that had some great information and our experiences with a child in Mysore were pretty much the same.

We enjoyed it so much that we plan on taking her to Mysore again at the beginning of next year.

The happy family’s room in Mysore

Planning before taking your kids to Mysore is helpful, but it is India after all and at some point you have to just let it go. We had an apartment set up beforehand, which is probably the only thing I felt was a must to have (who wants to apartment hunt in India with a kid in tow?) and we had a routine for our days. Someone watched her while we practiced – which was nice so we could practice together – but a lot of couples I saw there with children did the “switch-off”. That also seemed to work and Sharath was pretty accommodating for couples with children. (Watch out for Guruji giving large amounts of chocolate to your kid!)

Nermala, the landlady

We were lucky that our landlady watched Rowan for us. She would get up at 5:00 am (!) and we would bring Rowan down to her. She was a school teacher and would grade papers in the early hours while Rowan still slept. She had a grandson the same age as Rowan and they played together very well. Her older son also watched Rowan some and we still email them from time to time. They always want to know how she is doing and when we are coming back to Mysore.

Rowan & some of her schoolmates

We also let Rowan attend an Indian nursery school that was around the corner from Guruji’s shala. She had a great time and I will let her attend again this year. She was the youngest one at the time (most kids were 2-4 years old), but the kids loved her and the staff were really nice. They spoke English well and it was easy to communicate with them. They also made it a point to let me know they were Christian Indians and were very bummed that Rowan was going to miss Christmas with them ( ). They were open from 8:30am – 12:30pm – so we dropped her off after practice and breakfast and picked her up before lunch. We had to fill out a registration form when we enrolled her (it asked for our caste) and then we paid on a monthly basis, which ended up being around $12.50 per month. It was a little overwhelming for her at first because she was the only non-Indian at the school and ALL the kids wanted to play with her at once. They got used to her and she loved having some playtime with other children.

Rowan’s school in Mysore

We did set up some playgroups with other children of Ashtangis, too. Some parents I saw with kids there never left their apartment except to practice and others, like us, were off every weekend exploring or hanging out at the pool. I think that people who warn you from taking children to Mysore are probably the type of parents that freak out every time their child falls down. I went into the experience thinking that she would probably get sick at least once, but there are good hospitals, doctors, and chemists in Mysore and I wasn’t worried (she didn’t get sick though).

Mysore-Style Table Dance?

Obviously there are going to be places you like to go more (i.e., that are set up more kid friendly) and places you might not go. Restaurants on the whole were fine. Staff ALWAYS liked her and would often take her and watch her while we ate (usually that was because there were five staff for every one person and they would rather hang out with a cute kid than do nothing). She was still mainly breastfeeding and eating some solid foods, but we didn’t really have a hard time finding food for her. Breakfast ended up being her largest meal. You can get some wonderful Western-style breakfasts at many places around Gokulam. The Green Hotel, the Southern Star, and Green Leaf were restaurants we ate at frequently because they were the most accommodating. We also frequented many of the homes of Indian women who make lunches for students. They always loved Rowan and would take her out of my arms as soon as we would enter. It can be a bit unnerving at first, but they were always very gentle and loving with her and she adored the attention. Coffee Day ended up being an afternoon treat on many days. The staff would take her from me (this happened so much everywhere we went!) and keep her behind the counter with them. All the young Indian kids that hung out in Coffee Day also loved playing with her.

Jason, Rowan & Tara getting ready to go

Getting around in Mysore was pretty easy. We had a motorcycle and did the Indian thing where we sat her in-between us and rode around with her on the bike. I actually put her in a front sling carrier and that made me feel safer since she wouldn’t wiggle out while we were driving. I probably won’t do that the next time since she will be older. I bought a helmet for her here in the states before we left (you can’t find them in India) and made sure she wore that, too. We went everywhere on the motorcycle – even as far out as Chamundi Hill and the dam.

The Rowanmobile

Jason was a good driver and we tried to not drive after dark when we would often take a rickshaw. I also brought a cheap umbrella stroller (one with bigger wheels to get around in dirt) and it came in handy when walking around Gokulam and when we went to the zoo.

We also did some traveling in India while we were there and I never had a problem with it. Rowan enjoyed the experiences and we always found that people loved her and were accommodating.

Rowan helps out.

We took the train to Chennai for a trip to Auroville for a few weeks. Even though the train ride was about 7 hours, it went fine. We stayed in Auroville (a.k.a the jungle) for two weeks and practiced yoga with Chad and Monica. It was during a freak monsoon and it rained more than I have every experienced in my life. That was the roughest point of our trip to India with a kid and that was only because we were stuck indoors for days at a time with a one year-old with boundless energy. And even that wasn’t too bad.

Overall, our experience was greatly enriched by taking our daughter with us. We wouldn’t hesitate to take her and her baby brother or sister (hopefully, one day!) back with us. I would be happy to talk to anyone more about it or answer specific questions if you are thinking of taking your children. You can email me directly at taraisagoddess(at)hotmail.com.

Rowan & Tara

[About Tara: Tara Morton has been practicing Ashtanga yoga for about 7 years. She lives in Encinitas, California, and practices with Tim Miller. Since Rowan’s birth, she has curtailed her yoga teaching (though she still teaches occasionally), and now mostly focuses on her practice. Rowan’s father, Jason, is a full-time yoga teacher. This article is based on a four-month trip to India studying at AYRI in 2005, which is documented on Rowan's blog, Yoga Mommy, on Ashtangi.org.

Thank you so much to Tara for sharing her experiences with a toddler in Mysore in this well-written and personal article! – Ed.]

Somanthpur Temple, Mysore

Emerging from the shadow of its cosmopolitan neighbour Bangalore, Mysore, witnessing a flurry of activities on many a fronts, is all set to evolve as a brand…Making the task of building ‘Brand Mysore’ easier are the Information Technology (IT) majors, who have committed to invest crores [tens of millions] of Rupees and create thousands of jobs here.

Because so many IT professionals are expected to move to Mysore in the near future, real estate values in some areas of Mysore have doubled recently, according to an article in the Deccan Herald about the business side of Mysore.

Downtown Mysore

What does this mean for Ashtangis looking to experience Mysore’s rich history and regal past and absorb some of its distinct character and quaint charm on the cheap (relative to Western costs)? Any thoughts from repeat visitors to Mysore?

Though Mysore lagged behind Bangalore which is located just 140 km away, by at least three decades in terms of industrialisation, the royal city could take on the State capital as it scored better in offering good quality of life, pollution-free atmosphere and live up to its reputation of being a centre of education and knowledge, according to the IT honchos of the city. -Deccan Herald, August 28, 2006

The pool at Infosys. Does Google have a pool like that?

I love the juxtaposition of the ultra-modern headquarters of Infosys – the first company from India to ring the opening bell on the Nasdaq stock exchange – and the ancient beauty of India. If you do, too, check out this Flickr photoset, The New India (only 10 photos). We touched on this juxtaposition a little in a prior post, What India Do You See?

While I think we all know these kinds of changes are occurring throughout India, I think it’s super interesting to read the concrete details as it applies to Mysore, the home of Ashtanga yoga.

The Bucolic Grounds of the Mysore Palace
(one of about one million photos of Mysore Palace on Flickr)

A similar optimism was evident among the members of the IT Professional Forum, Mysore chapter, who said IT business in the city was expected to grow 300 per cent during the next few years and the quality manpower output from the University of Mysore and other institutions was set to fuel the city’s IT ambitions. With nearly 7,000 English speaking graduates emerging from the city’s educational institutions, the stage was also set for the entry of Business Process Outsourcing firms.

If you like photos of traditional India, I recommend babasteve’s Flickr photostream, which we’ve highlighted in an AshtangaNews post. For more about modern India and Mysore, I think Ashtangi, Russell of Mysore Musings has it right. He’s started an outpost of a legal firm in Mysore.

Inside Infosys. So gleaming white!

Maybe at some point, Mysoreans will visit the US to practice Ashtanga or begin taking up mat space at home at AYRI? It seems AYRI may still be a little pricey for most locals, even the more affluent. Presently, the first month of practice at Guruji’s shala in Mysore costs 27,900 rupees, while average per capita income in the Karnataka state of India (where Mysore is located) is 18,324 rupees annually. As comparison, presently the wealthiest one-third of households in Bangalore – one of the fastest growing (and wealthiest) cities in southern India, which the Deccan Herald

To be replaced by Gap ads?

article compares to Mysore – earn an average of 25,000 rupees monthly.

But according to the Deccan Herald,

The average Indian can look forward to an eight-fold increase in incomes over the next 40 years.

Thanks again to our friend and fellow Ashtangi, Bala, who continues to keep us up to date on India.

By the way, Wikipedia is a great source for learning more about the city of Mysore, Bangalore, Karnataka state, and even Ashtanga yoga.

“If you want to change things about yourself,” says Rueger, “this is the best way to get results.”

Alexis Lathem at Vermont Woman wrote a great article about Ashtanga and teacher, Christine Hoar at Bristol Yoga in Bristol, Vermont (near Burlington, Vermont, for us non-East coasters).

Alexis writes a particularly accessible description of what Ashtanga is, which I think would be something neat to share with new or non-Ashtangis – as well as a thoughtful and accurate profile of Christine and her path to becoming an Ashtanga teacher authorized by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. Here’s just one little bit.

Yoga in Vermont

“It’s one of Christine’s gifts – she’s very good at connecting people,” says Tre McCarney, a studio regular. “Christine will make sure that you are introduced to the person next to you. Everyone is made to feel welcome. People who visit say how supportive this community is. It’s noticeable.”

Some other things I like about Christine are: she gives back to her community…

…in another trip to Mysore, Hoar taught yoga twice a week to a group of women who had been rescued from the sex trade. They practiced on a cement roof with no mats and no stretchy yoga clothing; Hoar spoke only a few words of their language – the words for inhale and exhale, up and down – but it was enough to get them into the postures. “They kept coming back,” says Hoar. “No one made them come, but they liked it. It made them smile.”

…and she speaks her truth:

Hoar admits that in Mysore, where a roomful of Ashtanga devotees are all practicing together, vying for the special attention of the guru, the atmosphere can get highly competitive. “People are focusing on a single aspect of yoga – the physical asana. It can border on (and cross into) self-absorption,” she reflected in a note from India.

Christine Hoar has been authorized to teach Ashtanga by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. Bristol Yoga hosts many workshops by guest Ashtanga teachers and lists Christine’s travel schedule.

Christine came to my birthday dinner a couple of years ago when she visited Yoga is Youthfulness in Mountain View, California, and she’s really cool.

Russell, an Ashtangi living and practicing in Mysore, wrote about his visit to Krishnamacharya’s shala in his blog, mysore musings:

Despite the pigeon droppings on the floor, to stand in the very space where SKPJ learned Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga was an experience that was awe-inspiring and hard to describe. But I will try soon.

and

Walking into the building, and onto the very floor where yoga titans Jois and Iyengar were taught by the most influential hatha yoga teacher in the world, I got goose bumps. History was seeping out from everywhere.

Krishnamacharya’s Shala

Thank you to Alan Little, certainly one of the most well-known and prolific Ashtanga bloggers out there, for unearthing this photo.

I’ve had the opportunity to buy it (not cheap at $70, but profits go to the Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Charitable Trust) and read it.

At first glance, Mysore Style seems to be a big book with beautiful photos of yogis practicing interspersed with beautiful photos of India by professional photographer, Graeme Montgomery. But after a while, a pattern emerges which gives it an entirely new dimension.

The photos of the postures appear in the same order as they are in the practice, and all aspects of the practice are represented: Sun Salutations, standing postures, Primary, Intermediate and Advanced Series, backbends, finishing postures and savasana.

David Roche in Samakonasana

The back of the book has some real gems: 3 short articles on Mysore Style, Ashtanga and Guruji. If your friends and relatives are perplexed at your commitment to early morning practice, you’ll do worse than getting them to read these summaries: these are some of the best I have read.

Also at the back is a series of wonderful portraits of all the book’s models and of newer students who were in Mysore at the time the photo shoot took place. Under each portrait are the Ashtangi’s vital information: Name, Age, Nationality, First Visit to Mysore, Number of visits. The answer to the last ranges from 1 to Home.

Happy yogis, not prison shots

It’s evident that a lot of thought has been put into the choice of “cultural”, non-yoga photos. The series of Guruji’s 90th birthday celebrations bring the event to life. Some of the other photos evoke the essence of the Mysore experience – for example the shot of the Swami in the cave of Chamundi Hill on page 100. Anne has often talked and blogged about him, and it’s a blessing to be able to see him.

Guruji’s 90th Birthday Celebration

If you’ve been practicing for any length of time, this is a book you’ll enjoy. And I reckon that your appreciation of it will grow along with your practice.

Olaf Kalfas in Parsva Dandasana (scratching the edge of impossibility)

Stand on your head. Breathe in deep.
And let 50 centuries of science, spirituality
and civilization cleanse your stress away.
Get a dose of Yoga.
It’s as amazing as the land that invented it.

It’s targeting the 15 million people (at the last count – 5% of the population!) who say they practice yoga in the US.

By digging around the Internet, I found out that there were about 550,000 US tourist arrivals to India last year (as opposed to 270,000 Indian arrivals to the US). So that leaves room for a lot of growth in the future.

Billboard in Manhattan,
January 2006

The microsite has a Yoga School listing page with 9 schools on it. Pattabhis Jois’ shala in Mysore is the first one listed, despite the fact that they are not listed alphabetically nor by size. Could the webmaster be an ashtangi?

Also on the site is a Find Your Yoga Style page with a series of multiple choice questions which will help you find a suitable yoga style. Here’s a good one:

4. What would you do if a rampaging rhino were to come at you?

a. Grasp its horn and flip over its back
b. Dodge it and run
c. Fend it off with my crutch
d. Reconcile myself to fate

Perhaps needless to say, those who choose (a) are directed towards Ashtanga…

Thanks to Marc E. Babej of Being Reasonable for pointing out this nicely written and well informed site.

When it rains in the tropics, it really rains.

Mysore Highway, October 2005

Our friend, Bala, a student at Yoga is Youthfulness in the San Francisco Bay Area, sent us these photos of the heaviest rain in decades (PowerPoint presentation) taken in October 2005, which includes a few photos from Mysore. It rained 9 inches in one day. Thank you, Bala.

(If you don’t have PowerPoint, you can view these photos with a PowerPoint viewer. It’s free.)

The AshtangaNews official recommendation regarding rain is: Teva-style sandals are better than flip flops, which can fall off your feet and float away or get stuck in mud.

Teva sandal

Flip flop

Mysore

As you start to practice ashtanga regularly, sooner or later you’ll hear the calling to go to practice in Mysore. That is the source of the yoga, that is where Guruji and Sharath teach.

Since there is a one month minimum stay at the AYRI and a lot of students have to travel half way around the world to get there, the trip is a big deal.

So the question arises: what is the best time of year to go to Mysore?

The answer is further complicated by the fact that it is often difficult to pin down Guruji and Sharath’s teaching schedules. For example, there is an announcement on the homepage of Ashtanga.com in bright orange that SHARATH WILL NOT BE TEACHING IN MYSORE FROM MAY – JULY 2006. I wonder how many planned trips have been affected by this.

But if we’re simply talking weather, the consensus from Mysore veterans is that the best time to travel there is from September to November. It’s not too hot at that time and there are fewer days off at Guruji’s shala.

Any thoughts?

Thank you to babasteve, aka Steve Evans, for these great photos of Mysore.

One of the Royal elephants of the Maharaja of Mysore, India. The foot of its mahout sticks out from beneath its ear as the caretaker guides it on a stroll.
- babasteve

Mysore Palace

If you want to get four perspectives about practicing at AYRI in Mysore, India at once, this is the blog to read.

Anne Finstad, a long-time friend of ours and dedicated Ashtangi, has been writing wonderfully about practice and her trips to Mysore for a few years.

In early 2004, Anne and three students from Yoga Is Youthfulness went to practice at AYRI. Even though I didn’t know any of them at the time, Anne, Einar, Daniel & Khalid gave me a real insight into what Mysore is like through their warm style, informative posts and great pictures. Every new post was greatly anticipated – I was hanging onto their every word.

Here’s are some of my favorite photos from the blog (by Daniel):

Daniel writes: This is a camel a man was walking near my house.

A fruit called chikus (not potatoes)

Now (January 2006), Anne is back in Mysore and she’s started a fascinating new blog.