Celebrating India 🥘 'National Curry Week' 3-9th October

"To other countries, I may go as a tourist, but to India, I come as a pilgrim" - Martin Luther King, Jr

INTRODUCTIONS

It is 'National Curry Week' this week, therefore 'Celebrating India' is our theme choice.

Start by asking members, 'Who has been to India?'

If anyone has visited, 'What was it like?'

And, 'For those who have not been, who would fancy a holiday there?'

And, 'For what reasons would you like to visit India, or not?'

IDIOMS

Ask members to complete these well known phrases ...

Indian SUMMER (October good weather)

Delhi BELLY (upset tummy)

Too many chiefs and not enough INDIANS (too many people telling others what to do, not enough people doing the actual work)

Take it with a pinch of SALT (I don't entirely believe it)

Sugar and spice and all things NICE - that's what little girls are made of (boys are made of slugs and snails and PUPPY DOG TAILS)

Cowboys and INDIANS (a children's game)

Elephants never FORGET (they are supposed to have a good memory)

Three wise MONKEYS (The saying is, 'See no evil, hear no evil, SPEAK NO EVIL'.)

Rub salt into the WOUND (make it worse)

Variety is the SPICE of life (keep yourself open to new experiences)

Salt of the EARTH (someone with no airs or graces, what you see is what you get)

Holy COW (cows are sacred in India)

In a PICKLE (you have a problem)

Cut the MUSTARD (make the grade)

Bring out the BRANSTON (advertising slogan)

Some like it HOT (1959 comedy film starring Tony Curtis, Jack Lemon & Marilyn Monroe)

It was twenty years ago today Sgt. Pepper taught the BAND TO PLAY (lyric)

* (full tongue twister)

"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?"

REMINSCENCE

Probably the first curry members ever tasted was a 'Vesta Curry', which was popular in the 1970s, but you can still buy today (available on www.amazon.com).

Ask members if they remember this dish, which was dried and you had to add water to it and boil it, along with boil in the bag rice.

How did it compare to the real thing?

Ask members what their favourite curry dish is? Also, what is their favourite Indian restaurant?

When is the last time members had a curry, either in a restaurant or as a takeaway?

MUSIC & PICTURE QUIZ

ROUND 1. About India

1. What is the Capital of India?

2. What are the official two languages of India?

3. True or False. The population of India is over 1 billion?

4. Bombay is now called what?

5. What is the main religion of India?

6. What is the currency of India?

7. What is a length of material worn around the head by Sikhs called?

8. Which garment worn by Indian women consists of a drape of coloured fabric 4.5- 8 metres in length?

9. What is the coloured dot worn on the forehead by Hindus? (the sacred symbol of the cosmos, or the point at which creation begins)

10. What is the most sacred river in India? (pilgrims bathe in the waters at Varanasi)

11. What is the physical, mental, and spiritual discipline which originated in ancient India called? (demonstrate some poses)

12. Which ancient Hindu text describes human sexual behaviour? (Oo er Missus!)

13. What is an automated rickshaw called?

14. What is Banghra a style of?

15. SONG. 'Jai Ho', A R Rahman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FArc18Muso

Who hosted 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire' in the UK?

It returned last year hosted by?

ROUND 2. TV & Film

16. What is the Indian film industry called?

17. Which 1968 'Carry On' film had an Indian theme?

18. Which 1983 James Bond film was shot predominantly in and around the city of Udaphur?

19. Who wrote the book 'A Passage To India'?

20. Which 1984 Indiana Jones film was set in India?

21. Who starred as Indiana Jones in the series of films?

Who starred as his father in 'The Crystal Skull' movie?

Is it actually possible for them to be father and son, age wise?

22. The marigold flower lends itself to which kitchen item?

23. 'Coronation Street' features which Indian corner shop owner?

24. 'The Simpsons' features which Indian character, also in the role of a shop owner?

25. SONG. 'Whispering Grass', Don Estelle & Windsor Davies - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10dmK7O-KSY

Which UK comedy series set in India is this song associated with?

What was shouted at the end of each episode?

26. SONG. 'The Bare Necessities', 'The Jungle Book' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dhSdnDb3tk

What was the name of the Indian boy raised by wolves and other animals in the 1894 Rudyard Kipling book 'The Jungle Book'?

Other characters were? - BALOO, SHERE KHAN, BAGHEERA & KAA

ROUND 3 . People & Animals

27. Who is this? She was known as 'Empress Of India' from 1 May 1876 until her death on 22 January 1901.

28. Name the Indian activist who led the campaign against British rule in the 1920s and 30s?

29. Name the Albanian born Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary, made a saint in 2016?

30. Name the Indian cricketer turned politician. Now Prime Minister of Pakistan?

31. Name the famous Indian chef with a UK TV series in the 1970s?

32. Which Indian mausoleum did Princess Diana sit outside for photos in 1992?

33. Which animal is considered sacred in India?

34. (Nearest guess) How many Bengal tigers are there left in the wild?

35. Which elephants have the smaller ears, African or Indian?

36. Which Indian beers are named after a bird and a snake?

37. SONG. 'Ever So Lonely', Monsoon = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOFmDK_1cVg

What are wind and rain storms called in other parts of the world?

('MONSOON' was first used in British India to refer to big seasonal winds blowing from the Bay Of Bengali and Arabian Sea in the southwest bringing heavy rainfall)

ROUND 4. Food

INTERESTING FACTOID

38. What is the most popular Indian dish in the UK? (It was invented here, not in India)

39. What drink is the most popular in India?

40. What is liquid clarified butter used in Indian cookery called?

41. Which spice is used to colour and flavour Pilau Rice?

What flower does it come from? True or false. It is more valuable than gold?

42. What is the name of this popular Indo/British curry soup?

43. Which Indian inspired breakfast dish is made out of basmati rice, smoked haddock and eggs?

44. What is the name of the popular Indo/British curried salad dish (invented for Queen Victoria)?

45. Spinach based dishes are called what?

46. Chick pea based dishes are called what?

47. Potato based dishes are called what?

48. Lentil based dishes are called what?

49. What is the hottest curry available in the UK?

50. True or False. A Scotch Bonnet pepper is 140 times hotter than a Jalapeño?

51. What is the proper name of Ladies Fingers (green vegetable)?

52. After all that hot food, you will need an Indian ice cream - 'Kulfi' - traditionally they come in which three flavours?

53. Which hand do Indians traditionally eat with?

54. SONG. 'Goodness Gracious Me' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUZCXaStvnc&t=18s

Ask members to identify the singers in this song?

This song was the inspiration for the TV comedy series 'Goodness Gracious Me'.

Here is a YouTube link to one of their best sketches, "I'll have the blandest thing on the menu!"

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6perng

SINGALONG

55. SONG. 'My Sweet Lord', George Harrison - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cl_Erj14Ecv

LYRIC VIDEO FOR A SINGALONG

George Harrison wrote "My Sweet Lord" in praise of which Hindu god?

Which Indian musician inspired George Harrison and introduced him to the sitar?

56. 'Spice Up Your Life', The Spice Girls - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YrcrgrDMvg

LYRIC VIDEO FOR A SINGALONG

IT IS ALSO A GREAT DANCE SONG!

Name The Spice Girls?

BANGRA DANCING

If members fancy a go, here is a 'How To Dance Bangra' video, with some simple moves to learn and try together.

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/dance-steps-for-beginners-punjabi-bhangra-dance-steps-my-kindergarteners-loved-this-one--134545107597800416/

Other videos are available.

TIME TO WIND DOWN AND RELAX

NAMASTE is commonly said in Yoga, whilst bowing heads to each other. It’s meaning is? - I BOW TO YOU

(Full text...

“I bow to you.

My soul honours your soul.

I honour the place in you where

The entire universe resides.

I honour the light, love, truth

Beauty and peace within you,

Because it is also within me.

In sharing these things,

We are united, we are the same,

We are one.”

Sit for a few minutes and enjoy some relaxation Indian chant music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke-OkkEwFFk

Nam comes from the Sanskrit namas, meaning to devote or dedicate oneself. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is thus a vow, an expression of determination, to embrace and manifest our Buddha nature. It is a pledge to oneself to never yield to difficulties and to win over one's suffering.

REFRESHMENTS

Have some Indian food items on stand by for members to taste. We had some poppadoms, onion bhajis, pakoras, dahl, chana masala, nan bread and mango chutney to get stuck into. This made for a great multisensory session.

Ask members to LIST AS MANY INDIAN DISHES AS THEY CAN

Bombay mix

Poppadom

Onion bhaji

Pakora

Samosa

Raita

Mango chutney

Lime pickle

Pilau rice

Korma

Madras

Jalfrezi

Balti

Biryani

Dopiaza

Tikka massala

Rogan Josh

Vindaloo

Bhuna

Phall

Nan bread

Chapati

Yoghurt to cool the palette

ASK MEMBERS TO LIST THE 13 INGREDIENTS ONE WOULD FIND IN CURRY POWDER (TESCO'S HOT)

Coriander seed

Cumin seed

Ginger

Salt

Fenugreek seed

Garlic powder

Chilli powder

Black pepper

Cinnamon

Paprika

Bay leaves

Cardamom

Caraway seed

ACTIVITY

Our main activity this week was creating a 'FRIENDSHIP' banner for our new base. Taking the 'Holi Hindu Festival Of Colours' in March as our link to India, each of us dipped our hands in paints to produce the handprints collage below.

Another activity, for those who wanted one, was to give members a Henna Tattoo on their hand. (Members were made aware that Henna Tattoos last about two weeks before fading.)

ANSWERS

1. NEW DELHI

2. HINDI & ENGLISH

3. YES - 1.339BN

4. MUMBAI

5. HINDUISM 79.8%, ISLAM 14.2%, 6% CHRISTIANITY, SIKHISM, BUDDHISM & JAINISM

6. RUPEE

7. TURBAN

8. SARI

9. BINDI

10. GANGES

11. YOGA

12. KAMA SUTRA

13. TUK TUK

14. PUNJABI DANCE

15. CHRIS TARRANT & JEREMY CLARKSON

16. BOLLYWOOD

17. 'CARRY ON UP THE KHYBER'

18. 'OCTOPUSSY'

19. E.M. FORSTER

20. 'THE TEMPLE OF DOOM'

21. HARRISON FORD & SEAN CONNERY

Not legally, Sean Connery is 90 and Harrison Ford is 78, only 12 years between them.

22. RUBBER GLOVES

23. DEV ALAHAN, PLAYED BY JIMMI HARKISHIN

24. APU, WHO WORKS IN KWIK-E-MART

25. 'IT AIN'T HALF HOT MUM' & "SHUTUP"

26. MOWGLI

27. QUEEN VICTORIA

28. MAHATMA GANDHI

29. MOTHER TERESA

30. IMRAN KHAN

31. MADHUR JAFFREY

32. TAJ MAHAL

33. COW

34. FEWER THAN 2,000

35. INDIAN (Apparently they are roughly the same shape as the country in which they live!)

36. KINGFISHER & COBRA

37. HURRICANES FORM OVER THE NORTH ATLANTIC AND NORTHEAST PACIFIC OCEANS, TYPHOONS IN THE NORTHWEST PACIFIC & CYCLONES IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC AND INDIAN OCEAN

38. CHICKEN TIKKA MASSALA (A British invention)

39. TEA OR CHAI (Assam, Darjeeling or Ceylon)

40. GHEE

41. SAFFRON - THE STAMEN OF THE CROCUS

TRUE - Saffron costs ($11 per gram). Each Crocus sativus flower yields just three strands of aromatic saffron - reason enough for it being the most expensive spice in the world by weight and more valuable than gold.

42. MULLIGATAWNY

43. KEDGEREE

44. CORONATION CHICKEN

45. SAAG

46. CHANA

47. ALOO

48. DAHL

49. PHALL

50. TRUE

51. OKRA

52. - PISTACHIO, CARDAMOM & SAFFRON

(Mango and Coconut are also common flavours)

53. RIGHT

54. PETER SELLERS & SOPHIA LOREN

55. KRISHNA & RAVI SHANKAR

56. BABY SPICE - EMMA BUNTON, GINGER SPICE - GERI HALIWELL, POSH SPICE - VICTORIA BECKHAM NÉE ADAMS, SPORTY SPICE - MELANIE CHISHOLM & SCARY SPICE - MELANIE BROWN