Mandya

After traching and giving for longer than a month, I felt like it was time for me to recieve and learn. So I decided to go to the meca of Ashtanga, where Mysore style comes from and the best teachers in the world welcome you early in the morning in their crowded shallas for an outrageous price to prove their prestige. My first impression of Mysore was mixed, felt like it didn't really have much and a bit like a bubble of yogud who just wake up early, go to ashtanga and spend their days chatting in cafes. Took me a bit to adjust to this very slow like and a bit meaningless to me. I had to finish my masters thesis, which helped a lot with this, and started going to some aerial classes in the evenings every now and then, to explore some surroundings, some alternative activities or doing a bit of socializing. It was quite special cause in my desperation to find a place to stay I bumped into a hostel that was just opening, so I managed to stay having a private 8 bed dorm, where I became friends with Rishikesh, the owner of the hostel, and I met lovely bubbly Fran from Chile and Elli from Ukraine, who became some of my closest people during my stay. My Asthanga practice was tough, not mentally but mostly phisically, with sharp pain and a thin line between my limits, my exigencies and my self love. Still, it was an interesting experiment that I sometimes loved and sometimes detested. Hung out with Adrianna at the beginning, one of Verena's friends who showed me around initially. And afterwards I had a nice blend of space and other lovely people around me. I got a few massages and medical consultations of different sorts, worked in the livingroom for hours and hours on my thesis (even though Ellie was always there to give me a small break), went to a lot of yogi events (we even did a cacao ceremony), played with Acroyoga with Eugene, and also had some amazing times with Niklas, a sweet german guy with the most interesting conversations and an inmense love for cacao.

📍Essentials: Ashtanga (I practiced in Sachidananda), massage with Ravi, Chamundi Hills Sunset, NagarHole safari (Kabini gate is the closest point), Ecstatic dance, Ice Batch with Rikesh, Kirtan Night, meet yogis from all around the world and share, go for a yoga photoshoot at some point, flower market, Mysore Palace
🍴Food: Old Green House (amazing north indian food and lovely family running it), Dosa Point, BK Iyengar, Chakra House, Aunt Lilly's (beautiful adn fancy but affordable space), Loco (chocolate factory, the owner is so cool), CoCoVault (good chocolate deserts), Zen Kitchen (good food but usually pretty full), Govinda (energy balls and icecream are amazing)
🏠Accommodation: Borrbo PalaceRead more