Of Indian Curry and Culture

A collaborative effort of the British Council,UK’s The Open University and National Archives of India,“Beyond the Frame” is a compilation of articles,photographs and letters. “The project centers around socio-political,cultural and intellectual contributions that Indians made to Britain during this period,which is also known for the largest Asian migration to Britain,” says Nasta. Penny Brook,Lead Curator of the India Office Records in London,adds,“This is possibly the first time that material from National Archives of India and British Library has been compiled.”

The display in the exhibition is divided into sections like ‘arts and intellectual life’,‘sports’ and ‘activism and politics’,among others. While one can see heavy influences of intricate art of Gwalior,Khajuraho and Konarak in the1910-11 drawings of the British sculptor Jacob Epstein,information on Indians occupying high posts in Britain is also available in form of official records and photographs. Twenty-four-year-old Abdul Karim,for instance,was Queen Victoria’s secretary and adviser. The early 1920s saw Indian dancer Uday Shankar — inspired by Ajanta caves for his performances — partner with Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova at the Royal Opera House in London. British kitchen also saw significant influences,especially through Mulk Raj Anand’s book Curries and other Indian dishes (1932),and BBC radio’s Indian broadcaster,Venu Chitale,who offered Indian cookery lessons. “The fact that Indians brought with them multiple visions of modernity is interesting,” says Nasta. She points out that several discoveries were made while researching for the exhibition. When English poet,Wilfred Owen died in 1918,tucked in his pocket was a paper penned with verses of Rabindranath Tagore’s Geetanjali. The page is now on

display at the British Council.

The exhibition at the British Council and National Archives is on till December 5 and 30,respectively.