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24 JULY 2013 1 AUGUST

FRIENDS

NEHRU AFFAIR SET FOR FRINGE

Scandal that rocked India gets Edinburgh airing despite government concern
Exclusive by Stephen Ward
of India, and the countrys first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. A movie on the same subject starring Cate Blanchett which showed the couple in bed, kissing and dancing was pulled after pressure from the Indian government. Deborah Antoinette, who plays Lady Mountbatten in the latest version, told FG: [This play] portrays [Lady Mountbatten] as a sexy flirt. Some say Lord Luis Mountbatten was inexperienced in love and preferred the company of men, which drove his wife into others arms. Nehru, His Inner Story, is on at the world-renowned Edinburgh Fringe starting on Saturday. It has already toured India and London to critical acclaim. It is written and produced by Pramila le Hunt, a Tory candidate in the 83 UK election and one of the first women of Asian origin to stand for Parliament for the Conservatives. The plays publicity states: [Nehru], the first prime minister of free India speaks his truth . . . bonding with the family ladies and Edwina Mountbatten, towards whom his lonely heart reached out. A report in The Daily Mail about the movie, Indian Summer, made in 2009, reads: A film about the romance between the wife of the last British Viceroy of India and the countrys first prime minister has been shelved after Indian officials tried to pressure the director to tone down the script. Indian Summer, which was set to star Cate Blanchett and Hugh Grant was based on a non-fiction book about Lord Mountbatten. Dilip Shankar, a prominent Indian actor and personality, was a casting director on the movie four years ago when it was scrapped. He takes the title role in the new stage play and modestly goes about the business of the play, including the affair, without any fanfare.

GAZETTE

A CONTROVERSIAL play which portrays a member of the British aristocracy as a sexy flirt is set to debut in Scotland this month.
Nehru, His Inner Story, touches on an alleged affair between Edwina Mountbatten, wife of the last Viceroy

EVERYBODY KNOWS THEYRE GOING TO DIE, BUT NOBODY BELIEVES IT - DERRICK BELL (AUTHOR)!

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Spiralling budgets according to the newspaper were also behind the decision to pull. And it quoted Brit director Joe Wright telling Hollywood trade mag Variety: We were in between a rock and a hard place. Nehru wasnt Edwinas only fling. She allegedly also bedded singer Paul Robeson and cabaret star Leslie Hutchinson. Performances of Nehru, His Limited tickets on: http:// Inner Story, at the Edinburgh Fringe www.paradise-green.co.uk/2013begin on August 3 until 25. The venue is Paradise in the Vault in the Augustine programme/whats-on/brochure/ details/955/ United Church in the city.

V amping it up: Deborah Antoinette According to the Mail, India insists on vetting foreign films to ensure they (far left, opp); Nehru and do not offend local sensibilities or Lady Mountharm Indias reputation abroad. batten (below A group of senior government left, opp and officials reportedly insisted scenes [in right); The the film] showing the couple in bed, Mountbattens kissing and dancing, be deleted in an attempt to protect Nehrus reputation. in full regalia But it wasnt just the anally retentive (above); Cate Indians which spelt the end for Indian Blanchett (top right). Summer.

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Indian Zing - the only restaurant in Hammersmith and Chiswick to be listed with 2 couverts - The Michelin Guide 2008.

Tel: 020 8748 5959

Orders must be placed before 6.30pm ask for Rahul Kulkarni
(not Friday or Saturday)

Indian Zing Restaurant 236 King Street, London W6 0RF

EVERYBODY KNOWS THEYRE GOING TO DIE, BUT NOBODY BELIEVES IT - DERRICK BELL (AUTHOR)!

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24 JULY 2013 1 AUGUST

Whensa gonna be your day?

Celebrity chef talks to FG about his restaurants, vegetarianism and his new cook book

Vegetarian cuisine - the Cinderella of cooking

VEGETARIANS in need of some hearty Italian fare just need to ask for what they want when they visit Carluccios.
The personal invite came from the craggy-faced millionaire restaurateur during an exclusive chat with the FG.
Speaking outside the chains eatery in St Christopher Place in Londons Mayfair, Antonio Carluccio told FG readers: If youre vegetarian theres no problem. Just ask us for what you want and we will prepare it for you. Antonio revealed that he is currently working on a book of vegetarian recipes. The book which has no title as yet will help open up Italian vegetarian cooking - Carluccio style. Vegetarian cuisine is the Cinderella of cooking, Antonio (pictured above in red shirt) explained. My book will treat vegetables just like meat. Each vegetable will be cooked on its own, bringing out its full flavour, just like meat is. Antonio Carluccio has written 13 books on Italian cuisine and appeared on television in the BBCs Food and Drink Programme. In 2011 his travels around Italy were filmed for the BBC series Two Greedy Italians. Vegan offerings from Carluccios include: Pasta e Fagioli, Insalata di Orzo Verdure e Nocciole, Savoury Bread and Bruschetta. Vegetarian options include:Verdura Fritta, Insalata Caprese, Risotto del Giorno and Antipasto di Verdure.

Sympathy for the Pundit

LOTS of people have affairs why shouldnt poor old Mr Nehru have one?
That was the sympathetic reaction of the owner of the India Club when asked about two of its most famous members. Yagdar Marker, who bought the London club, in 1997 added: [Nehru] was widowed at an early age. They were just human beings. Pundit Nehru, Indias first prime minister, and Lady Mountbatten the wife of the last Viceroy, Louis Mountbatten, were said to have been lovers as the British Raj came to an end in 1947. (See our front page story). The pair were founding members of the India Club, set up by Indian statesman, Krishna Menon. Still maintained in original 1940s style the club boasts a lounge, bar and upstairs restaurant above the Strand Continental Hotel, near Waterloo Bridge.

Nehru and Lady Mountbatten (right) at the opening of the India Club in the 40s.
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EVERYBODY KNOWS THEYRE GOING TO DIE, BUT NOBODY BELIEVES IT - DERRICK BELL (AUTHOR)!

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The Waterfront Restaurant offers the perfect dishes to accompany a sunset, where the Galleon Caf and Cone Zone give a more beach-friendly option of sandwiches and panini, with an array of veggie options at both. Surfing is the beachs most popular activity, and several surf companies Wavehunters included offer competitive rates for lessons or board rentals.

FRIENDLY TRAVELS with Sarah Hill-Smith

FRIENDLY COMMENT
Support your locals . . .
DESPITE arm twisting, veiled threats and not-so-veiled ones scruffy journos are proud, and rightly so, of being seekers after truth, of challenging authority in favour of a higher verity. Imagine then, a glamour industry, bedecked with the trappings of fame and fortune and you may be surprised to find brothers-in-arms - just as determined to battle obfuscation, hypocrisy and lies. Commendably, a play at this years Edinburgh Fringe does this. In Nehru, His Inner Story, production company Beaten Gold modestly but fearlessly tackles the Nehru-Lady Mountbatten liaison.

A SCENIC halfhour beach walk away from Rock aka Chelsea on Sea just across the water from Padstow and only an hours drive Secret beach from Newquay airport, Polzeath Throughout the week the surf was seems, dare I say it, perfect. alive with coloured boards. Family-sized holiday homes line Having surfed several times the areas coastal path, and large before, I decided on trying groups with surfboards and beach something new. gear are not an infrequent sight! Paddle boarding was my chosen The happy and bustling Tristram activity. Friends and I then found Campsite offers a less expensive ourselves a secret beach, where but equally beautiful vista of the we sunbathed and rock climbed ocean from its location above carelessly until we realised we Polzeath Beach. were being charged for every The tents multi-coloured walls extra hour. only add to the lively and active Lets just say we were a lot atmosphere. quicker on the way back. It is worthy to note, however, Coasteering, cave diving, speed that renting a villa and camping are boating, walking, cycling, snorkling not the only ways in which one and skim boarding are also can live out the Polzeath popular; things to put on the next experience; the beautiful St Moritz to do list I say! hotel where I was lucky enough to stay is only a 15Chelsea-on-sea . . . minute coastal walk from the beach. The hotel provides unlimited access to an outdoor and indoor pool, a sauna, steam room, gym and restaurant not all too unpleasant after a sandy and active day on this north-Cornish beach! It has the ability to have that vast range of mixtures. Clare Gittings National Portrait Gallery

Silver-tongued

Pity, then, Hollywood couldnt. When Indian Summer came under pressure for depicting the very same facts - albeit somewhat more graphically - it buckled. A call or two from a mandarin with a silver tongue and a bloody dagger and the movie was pulled. There may have been financial factors but, be that as it may, the movie still bit the dust (and heat)! If doubts remain about experimental theatre; what is it? What does it do? Where is it going? Shelve these. For it is in the provinces and at fringe festivals that truth is still hammered out. So support your local theatre. Oh, and pick up the weekly rag too.

Click-ability!

FRIENDLY FEEDBACK
friendsgazette@gmail.com

ID MISS [Chutneys] if it went. My husband and I visit it fairly regularly. (FG July: Curry? This way) It is different from the usual run of Indian restaurant.

Dear Editor, (FG July: Curry? This way) I DONT know what Id do for lunch if Chutneys, Diwanas etc. go to the wall. I think its disgusting what the government is doing. Theres absolutely no need to threaten the future of these restaurants and their way of life. Concerned Friends Gazette reader

Here at FG we are always sensitive to readers feedback. Resourceful as they are, many want to chase-up the useful references in our stories. Whilst weblinks are given at the end of articles; often there are other interesting sources contained in the text itself. In response, therefore, we are now linking these in-text references directly with appropriate web pages. So just click and youll be whisked to the relevant sites!

EVERYBODY KNOWS THEYRE GOING TO DIE, BUT NOBODY BELIEVES IT - DERRICK BELL (AUTHOR)!

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Make mistakes with joy!

Four professionals speak of their experiences on the path of Transcendental Meditation
Pictured: (left) Eliot W ard, who wrote this article and Maggy Ng; (below) the iconic 60s Sergeant Pepper album cover; (page 5 top) Jonathan and Penny Barnett at their Indian wedding; (page 5 bottom) the late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi with Beatles George Harrison on his right and John Lennon on his left - both of whom are deceased.

FIVE decades ago The Beatles propelled meditation into the headlines when they decided to follow the Maharishi.
Since then thousands if not millions have followed in their footsteps and signed up for the transcendental medition system as taught by that Indian guru. Although Maharashi Mahesh Yogi is no longer

with us, TM, as it is called, is flourishing worldwide. Here, two couples reveal what it means for them.

EVENTS manager, Maggy, 33 and trainee patent attorney, Eliot, 32, have taken to TM like ducks to calm water. They have been attending classes in Bristol, where they live to explore for themselves the mysteries of meditation. This is a massive year for me, professionally, said Eliot (pictured left with Maggy). Im under a tonne of pressure at work. My good friends Jonathan and Penny (see below) have exuded the calmness andwell-beingthat TM claims to offer, and I wanted to taste it for myself. I think our minds are the most amazing machines and Ive always wanted to explore their power. Maggy added: I was so impressed with the potential benefits that I had to try it. Practitioners aim to meditate for 20 minutes twice-a-day. No particular diet has to be adopted, though followers are vegetarian-friendly. Its pretty light on mumbo-jumbo, said Eliot. Having said that, stilling the mind using my mantra is no mean feat. Maggy reports dizziness, a numb left hand and sensations of rocking on water. Sounds great to me," remarked Eliot. Im just happy with a few

EVERYBODY KNOWS THEYRE GOING TO DIE, BUT NOBODY BELIEVES IT - DERRICK BELL (AUTHOR)!

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IN BRIEF
Licorice capsules in salmonella scare
THE KILLER bug salmonella has been found in a vegetarian product on sale in the UK. Licorice Root Vegetarian Capsules are made by Viridian International and come in jars of 30. Those with a best before date of 22 June, 2013 are dangerous. Food watchdog, the Food Standards Agency, has warned anyone who has bought the product not to [take] them. The jars should be returned to the stores from where they were bought for a full refund.

Going back to the me that is most me, Jonathan Barnett

moments respite from the endless monologue in my head. And Maggy? I have yet to transcend deep enough but will continue to venture into unknown inner consciousness, she commented. Friends Jonathan Barnett, 31 and Penelope Barnett, 28, also live in Bristol and have been practising TM together for nearly a year. They were married in India in 2011, a country they both love. Jonathan, a musician and teacher, learned the transcendental meditation technique six months before Penny, who very soon became intrigued by the extra energy and sense of well-being her husband was showing. Jonathan explained: When I meditate I feel I am going back to the me that is most me, the Jonathan that

is unshaken by the days events, the unbounded me that has always been there and will ever be. There is a physical and mental reassurance that TM gives - at its best it feels like the whole universe is holding me like a mother holds her new born baby. At other times, my thoughts are strong and interchange with the mantra but even then I remember my teaching, that this is a helpful stressrelease process. And Penny, the manager of an alternative lifestyle shop, added: As well as the profound benefits of practising TM, learning it has also brought us into contact with the kind words and wisdom of the Maharishi including his translation and commentary of the Bhagavad Gita which offers lessons on living in every aspect - eating, sleeping, creativity and relationships. One of his sayings was make mistakes with joy! I feel meditating has brought Jonathan and I closer to the values we hold.
For more info on TM and what it offers just click on the link below:

Brum-Amritsar - a Dream takes off

NATIONAL carrier Air India launches its Birmingham-Amritsar service this month in a bid to meet the needs of the ethnic community. The service which will operate four-days-a-week (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) will use the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft with an intermediate stop at Delhi. A spokesman said the move also boosts tourism and trade relations.

Give the dog a bone a vegan one of course!

VEGAN dog chews in the shape of dinosaurs and hedgehogs are on the market thanks to American company Paragon Products. The chews, which cater to a dogs habit to chew on a bone, are made out of potato starch and contain no gluten or wheat. The company claims: . . . the variety of textures keeps dogs interested in chewing.

I Ching - throw away the deep mystery!

A WRITER is seeking feedback on the deeply mystical - yet mysteriously approachable - world of the I Ching in order to expand her enigmatic website. For a TRIP back in time click on www.returntotheway.org
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http:// www.tm.org;

EVERYBODY KNOWS THEYRE GOING TO DIE, BUT NOBODY BELIEVES IT - DERRICK BELL (AUTHOR)!

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I will quit if we get into bed with CoE

Methodisms socialist roots in danger of being betrayed - claim
are moved by the spirit and speak out at gatherings are all given equal recognition. [Methodists] would lose that sort of egalitarianism if we became subsumed The proposed merger by the Church of England, has been on the cards he claimed. Daniel became ever since a special a vegan earlier this year report was published after he felt God spoke in 2003. directly to him in the pit But as the proposal of his stomach. has become more of a This change of heart, reality, cracks are which Daniel himself beginning to emerge, desribed as his own, according to the personal Damascene pastor. conversion was reported Daniel Woodhouse, a in the April issue of theology student at Friends Gazette. John Wesley House in As part of his studies he Cambridge, told FG: If travels to Methodist this merger goes ahead congregations in other Daniel Woodhouse - Ill quit. I will leave. I will parts of Cambridge and the become a Quaker. country to preach and talk to the laity. Methodism has strong socialist A Covenant between the Methodist principles. Many of the Labour partys Church of Great Britain and the Church policies came from Methodism. of England was signed on 1st November If we get taken over by the Church of 2003 in the presence of the Queen. It puts England we will lose that and I wouldnt the two churches on a path of ever be happy about that. deepening relationships and mutual trust. At Wesley House, appropriately based Methodist links to Quakerism are in Jesus Lane, Cambridge, Daniel studies strong. alongside Christians of all denomiThese go back to the early 19th century nations. These include Anglicans, both when independent Methodists adopted high and low church, Roman Catholics and others. the plain dress and speech of Quakers. He finds Quakerism attractive because The independents adopted the lack of of its lack of a hierarchy and the fact distinction between laity and clergy a that members of the congregation who feature of Quakerism to this day.

Determined trekker set to walk-the-walk despite tragedy

A METHODIST pastor is set to leave his church if it gets too close to the Church of England, FG has been told.

Im not drunk!?*! Ive only had a swig of orange

ORANGE juice can contain small amounts of alcohol, especially if it is left out and not put in the fridge, a Methodist university has claimed. According to a report published by Indiana Weslyan University in the US, a standard glass of orange juice contains between .2% and .5% alcohol. Six glasses of orange juice could, theoretically, create the same effect as six bottles of nonalcoholic beer. When, say, natural unpasteurised apple or orange juice sits in the fridge or out of it for a long time it can get naturally working, very slowly turning into wine and get bubbly because of wild yeasts, the report says. The yeasts eat the sugars and multiply. CO2 and small amounts of alcohol are the by-products. This process will happen more quickly when out of the fridge. It is known as natural fermentation. Methodists do not advocate teetotalism but favour responsible drinking.

A DETERMINED trekker is set to take up the challenge of a lifetime despite losing his co-walker to cancer. Robin Tait worked for months to undertake one of the biggest trekks in the book, the John Muir Trail. He organised the whole thing from his home near Tunbridge Wells, Kent, including recruiting a walking partner. But tragedy struck when the guy he was planning to walk with died of cancer. Now he is determined to walkthe-walk and honour his late buddy by raising money for the hospice in which he spent his last days. Robin (pictured above) said: I have decided to carry on and do this trail whilst raising money for [St Johns Hospice in London]. This is in memory of my friend and the many people who this hospice serves. The John Muir Trail starts in Yosemite National Park in the US and continues 215 miles ending up at Mount Witney. Then theres another 15 miles back to civilisation! Robin will spend pretty much the whole of August on the trail. To donate just go to: http:// www.justgiving.com/robtait-JMT or you can text ROBT562or 5 or 10 direct to 70070
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EVERYBODY KNOWS THEYRE GOING TO DIE, BUT NOBODY BELIEVES IT - DERRICK BELL (AUTHOR)!

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24 JULY 2013 2013 1 AUGUST

Destiny? Its whatever happens!

Evil spirit thwarted by 10-year-old youngster
IF INDIA was the jewel in the British crown. Then Calcutta was the sparkle in that glittering gem.
Wellesley tank - artists impression

milk-white lily floating enticingly on the tranquil surface. Hypnotised by the bloom the lad ventures in to retrieve it. My mum would love it, he thinks wistfully to himself. And Wellesley reservoir, or tank, as it is called was The youngster reaches for the flower. the citys lifeblood. As if alive, the sinuous weeds entwine round his legs and Part of the vital water supply, the huge tank or lake on drag him down. The more he fights, the deeper he sinks. the old Circular Road was built by Marquis Wellesley on He begins to give up the fight and surrender to his fate. his appointment as governor-general in 1798. As if in collusion with destiny some nearby Indian With its grassy banks, huge banyans and lilly-laden washer-women shake their heads in resignation. surface it was also a peaceful and picturesque retreat in The spirit has its victim! Destiny is fulfilled. But hang on, the hot and dusty city. whats this? The boys cousin, a strong swimmer, is hoving into But this tank held a dark secret. Rumour had it that it sight. Diving in he grabs his dear relative (his fathers sisters was haunted by an evil spirit which son) by the torso. He is soon being l r; Steve, cousin Podgy and his wife Doreen fed on human life. Every little while pulled down too. But a sharp crack on an innocent passer-by was drawn the jaw to combat the flailing limbs and into its murky depths, never to be he drags the stricken boy to safety. seen again. Food for the hungry Both are now grown men, married devil! So it was when an 11-year-old with wives and families of their own boy looking for a stray marble came (see picture left); fulfilling their true within the tanks evil sway. destinies. Playing with his cousin, a year But who was the saver and who the younger, his marble rolled near the saved? Answers on a postcard, or waters edge. No matter. The sharp email, to: friendsgazette@gmail.com eyes of youth found and retrieved First right answer out the hat wins a the plaything. But these same eyes also spied a meal-for-two in a London restaurant.

Diwana
south Indian restaurant and takeaway

pure vegetarian food to live for!

121-123 Drummond Street London NW1 2HL Tel: 020 7387 5556 12pm-12am seven-days-a-week Buffet and la carte

EVERYBODY KNOWS THEYRE GOING TO DIE, BUT NOBODY BELIEVES IT - DERRICK BELL (AUTHOR)!