[Bedhead]

XIII - Ghandi

So, accompanied by Boudicca, the one-time queen of the Iceni, we resume our search for the prodigal sons and daughters of London.

Our last jaunt took in the troublesome colonials of the old British Empire, and we resume with another repudiator of the imperial yoke. However, Ghandi is now so venerated in the country that once imprisoned him for sedition, I’ve elevated him to the status of a saint.

The statue of Ghandi in Tavistock Square was erected in 1968; he sits here stoically, patiently enduring the English weather. It is almost as if, in one last act of spite, the British establishment has sentenced him to an eternity of drizzle.

His image and his words, however, can now be seen in bright colours all over London – adorning restaurants; the headquarters of insurance companies; opticians and tube stations. He is as much a hero of London as any of its Kings, Queens, Archbishops or Prime Ministers.