Thursday 13 October 2011

Udaipur: an email from Dara O'Briain

Woke up find I had an email from Dara O’Briain nestling in my inbox. Last night I tweeted something to him, along the lines of the fact that I had stolen a book by him, Tickling the English, from a hotel in Jaisalmer, and it had gone on a little adventure with me – camel riding, a night in the Thar Desert and it had even seen 11 shooting stars etc. He emailed back fairly promptly, given that it was a Saturday night in the UK, and surely he must be doing a gig at the Apollo, saying that he had also stolen many books over the years from hotels, and how pleased he was to have been around India by proxy. What a lovely chap. I’ll stop stalking him now! 

Over a cookery lesson with Kala and her husband Raju I managed to ask if there were any interesting/amusing stories associated with the making of Octopussey in the town in 1982. Raju said he accidently got caught up with a throng of people and ended up being beaten by a local police man. Not the Roger Moore losing his toupee story I was expecting.  Raju still sees the, ex-police man around town sometimes these days, looking old and worn. Over conversation we made fragrant Chai from scratch, chappati and my favourite aubergine and fruit curry.

Kala in her kitchen.

The tub of chilli lasts them just a few months!

The chappati mixing bowl was her parents' wedding present.

Magi rolling out a chappati.


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