THE BEST OF INDIA IN LONDON THE BEST OF INDIA IN LONDON We love India and we love London. Our love for both has made us realise how many extraordinary Indian treasures can be found in London, without needing to travel across the world. These include everything from the finest ancient sculpture, Mughal jewellery, gemstones, textiles, food and fashion to contemporary events. To showcase these wonderful Indian links, we have compiled our own guide of what we consider to be the best of India in London. As with all things we love at Ampersand, we wanted to share our discoveries with others. 2017 also happens to be a special year commemorating the unique relationship between the UK and India, based around 70 years since India’s independence. To mark this anniversary, there will be even more Indian-related events than usual. Earlier this year saw the launch of the UK-India year of culture at Buckingham Palace, hosted by The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. So please join us on a magic carpet ride through the most enticing places to eat, drink, dance, watch and shop all things Hindustan in the most vibrant and cosmopolitan city in the world. We hope you enjoy exploring the wonders of India closer to home! Finally, on Saturday 1st July, we will be organising a day to showcase the best of India in London, with an assortment of lectures, guided tours and Indian food. If you would like to know more about the day, please get in touch with Ellie ([email protected]). Best wishes, James Jayasundera Happenings in london The Nehru Centre The artistic arm of the Indian High Commission on Mayfair's South Audley Street has both a cultured and slightly raffish air. An imposing Georgian townhouse with a lofty staircase, plasterwork and fine rooms, The Nehru Centre is an atmospheric backdrop to an ever-changing calendar of events throughout the year. Come here to experience classical kathak dancing, Sufi concerts, interfaith dialogues and art exhibitions by a range of names. Events are highly social and draw a colourful cast of characters, you may find yourself sat next to Prince Michael of Kent or a Tibetan monk. www.nehrucentre.org.uk Zee Jaipur Literary Festival - British Library A two-day taster of the famed literary festival takes place each May (20 – 21 May 2017) showcasing the best of South Asia’s literary heritage. The 2017 edition will take place at the iconic British Library. Come and hear talks, debates and discourses from some of the greatest thinkers of the subcontinent such as William Dalrymple and Shashi Tharoor. www.jaipurliteraturefestival.org/jlf-at-british-library/ London Design Festival – various locations across London The annual London Design Festival is a melting pot of designers, creatives and artists from all over the globe revealing their unique visions and products. India is represented by some of her brightest design lights. 2016 saw several exciting platforms launched including the ‘This is India’ pavilion which curated some of the hottest emerging and established designers. The inaugural London Design Biennale at Somerset House also featured a powerhouse of Indian design. Check website for 2017 dates and further information. www.londondesignfestival.com/ The Darjeeling Express Supper Club Asma Khan, a trained lawyer who gained experience running highly successful supper clubs in her Kensington home now organises pop-up events in Soho. Khan is an affable hostess with a passion for her native cuisine. The supper club menus encompass time-honoured (and scrumptious) royal recipes from North India plus Bengali dishes from Kolkata, where Khan was born and brought up. www.darjeeling-express.com BFI - India On Film Festival In August, the BFI National Archive will release an unparalleled collection of 300 films, including the oldest surviving footage of India on film from 1899, as part of India on Film. The programme will kick off this month with Bollywood 2.0, a focus on films which have pushed the boundaries of conventional cinema. On 14th October, the 1928 silent film Shiraz, the love story of the 17th-century wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who inspired the Taj Mahal, will premiere at The Barbican. The film will be accompanied by a live performance from the Indian composer and sitar player Anoushka Shankar. www.bfi.org.uk Indian homes in London 53 Holland Park W11 – former home of Maharaja Duleep Singh of Lahore This imposing villa in the leafy enclave of Holland Park was once the home of Maharaja Duleep Singh (1838-1893), romantically titled ‘the last ruler of Lahore’. An English Heritage Blue Plaque commemorates his tenure. Singh was a devoted friend to Queen Victoria who treated him almost like a son and had him painted by Winterhalter, a leading portraitist (left). A fervent anglophile, the Maharajah converted from Sikhism to Christianity and led a lavish lifestyle, having six children and acquiring Elveden Hall in Suffolk where he is buried. 20 Baron’s Court Road, W14 - former home of Mahatma Gandhi The stuccoed entrances of this west London backwater echo with history. A plaque carrying the name of India’s most revered son can be found at No 20. During the 1890’s, whilst studying law at University College London, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi - as he was then known – lived here in studious respectability. When he arrived in London he was just 19 years old and alongside his studies, relished dancing lessons and visiting a nearby church which is now the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, an Indian cultural and spiritual centre. The house is in the heart of the Baron’s Court Conservation Area and protected by its listed status. 18-19 Kensington Palace Gardens - home of Lakshmi Mittal A titanic Victorian palace on London’s Kensington Palace Gardens, Numbers 18-19 was up until recently the most expensive house on the market. It is currently the home of Indian-born steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal. The 18-bedroom property has a fascinating history and owners have included the Rothschild family. Nicknamed the Taj Mittal, this astonishing monument to wealth boasts a swimming pool with gem-encrusted pillars and a view onto Kensington Palace. The Maharajah of Vijjanagram’s lost fountain, Hyde Park A whisper away from the busy hubbub of Marble Arch lies a serene green corner of Hyde Park. Careful observers can note a small stone plaque on the grass carrying the name of one of South India’s royal families and marking the site of one of London’s most intriguing lost fountains. The splendid gothic extravaganza was endowed by the equally splendidly-named HH the Hon Maharajah Meerza Vijjaram Gajapati Bahadoor of Vijjanagram. Gifted to London by the prince in 1867, the fountain stood proudly until 1964 when it was removed to an unknown location. Despite on-going searches, the fate of the fountain remains a mystery! Artefacts & treasures Victoria & Albert Museum - The Nehru Gallery The V&A Museum is a swaggering collection of artefacts, textiles and art spanning our global history. The Nehru Gallery, named after India's first Prime Minister, is an elegantly curated room bursting with treasures from South Asia. Highlights include Tipu‘ Sultan’s Tiger, a macabre, almost life-sized wooden model which mauls a European soldier lying on his back made for the bloodthirsty ruler of Mysore. Take in the Anglo-Indian inlaid furniture, the contemplative Jain sculptures and the antique block print canvases, exuberantly floral predecessors of today's Anokhi and Good Earth fashions. The Indian Reserve collections can also be viewed by appointment. www.vam.ac.uk/collections/south-asia The British Museum This iconic institution attracts seven million visitors a year and is home to some of the finest examples of Indian craftsmanship. The museum recently announced the November 2017 opening of the Joseph E Hotung Gallery of Oriental Antiquities. The rich collection will showcase new objects to complement the existing sculpture, ceramics, lacquer, jade and metalware. Discover beguiling Buddhist reliefs from Amaravati, central India, dating back 2,000 years and brought over by Victorians, alongside the Saraswati statue, depicting the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music and learning. www.britishmuseum.org India Records Office - The British Library A fascinating resource for anyone interested in the British colonial history in South Asia - this archive covers the years 1600-1947. The East India Company were meticulous record keepers and the lives and deaths of thousands of Raj inhabitants are documented making it very useful for family history. Amongst the very large collection is a group of letters from Gandhi including correspondence to Adolf Hitler, in which Gandhi expresses admiration for Hitler's passion for his nation, but urges him to seek non-violent means to his ends. The India Records Office is a relatively unknown and invaluable gem within the famous library and well worth a visit. www.bl.uk The Indian Orchid Festival at Kew An annual horticultural paradise inspired by Indian culture takes place each early spring at Kew Gardens’ Orchids Festival. The world-famous gardens are transformed by floral installations in the shape of elephants, peacocks, tigers and even a giant Indian flag. The quintessential sounds of bicycle bells, temple song and muezzin calls transport the visitor to the streets of Jaipur and Mumbai infused with the fragrance of hundreds of blooms. The atmosphere is enhanced by cheerfully decorated rickshaws and film screenings taking place inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory. Enjoy 'Orchids Lates' evenings with botanical cocktails, live performances of traditional Indian music and interactive workshops. A true London find! www.kew.org Koh-i-noor Diamond, Tower of London India’s most infamous diamond – the Koh-i-noor – is very much back on the map following the release of William Dalrymple and Anisha Anand’s book on this much-fabled gem.