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Episode 2

The Real Marigold Hotel Series 4
Episode 2 of 4

The group travel to India’s largest golden temple to explore Hinduism before taking a night train to Madurai to experience the sights and sounds of the Chithirai festival.

It is the group's second week in India, and the senior citizens have settled into their new home on the coast in Puducherry. Keen to find a cure for an old injury, Henry, accompanied by Paul, visits one of the region’s leading hospitals, where yoga is combined with western medicine. They join a regular therapy class, which ends with surprising results for Henry.

Meanwhile, John and Susie try their hand at cooking a traditional Tamil feast with the help of a local chef. There are a large number of dishes involved, and serving it up on banana leaves to the rest of the group proves extremely challenging, but is much appreciated by the others - for many of whom eating with their hands is a first.

Chuckle brother Paul decides to keep out of the kitchen, but braves the chaotic roads instead. He throws himself headlong into his first Indian driving lesson, and finds that the experience is completely different to driving in the UK.

Keen to explore the spiritual side of India and learn more about Hinduism, some of the group head to the city of Vellore to explore India’s largest golden temple, which is gilded with a ton and a half of real gold. Britt is overwhelmed by the cow prayers, and Zandra feels that retirement in India could bring real peace.

Later in the week, some of the group enjoy the challenge of India’s public transport when they catch the sleeper train to Madurai, the cultural heart of Tamil Nadu. But before embarking on their journey, they must find their way through southern India’s busiest station. Once in Madurai, they head to the famous Chithirai festival and rise to the spirit of the occasion by dressing up in traditional outfits.

58 minutes

On TV

Next Wednesday 16:15
±«Óãtv Two

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Clip

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:00

    Shankar Mahadevan & Surjo Bhattacharya

    Thom Karuvil

  • 00:04

    Abhijeet Bhattacharya & Kavita Krishnamurthy

    Meri Jaane Jana

  • 00:05

    Indian Vibes

    Mathar

Credits

Narrator Tom Hollander
Participant John Altman
Participant Duncan Bannatyne
Participant Susie Blake
Participant Henry Blofeld
Participant Barbara Dickson
Participant Britt Ekland
Participant Paul Chuckle
Participant Zandra Rhodes
Series Producer Naomi Templeton
Series Producer Ben Archard
Executive Producer David Clews
Executive Producer Caroline Davies
Production Company Two Four Productions

Broadcasts

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