In the last episode of this series, Saima and Maleena talk about the power of talking. Grief can be one of the biggest tests to your mental health. So is there a ‘right’ way to cope with loss? They invite Rabbil to the café to hear his story about how he lost his Aunt and his subsequent struggles with depression. Hypnotherapist Dipti then joins them to give her professional opinion and chat about her own story of grief that inspired her career as a mental health practitioner. Saima opened Masala Wala cafe with her family, a small Pakistani restaurant that serves her mother’s recipes with love and charm. Out of nowhere, she was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer, before she even turned 30. Her life has been dramatically cut short - without treatment, she wouldn’t be here today. After dealing with her diagnosis, she talks frankly on how she’s getting over dying, so she can get on with living. Maleena, a Journalist and Producer, lost her brother when they were both teenagers, after a long battle with leukemia. As she became an adult, her father passed away suddenly and without warning. She shares openly what it’s like growing up with grief, the guilt of being left behind and how her identity as a British Asian was tested to its limits. Together, they bond over their unique perspectives on life and death and ponder the ultimate question - why? Join them for their chat over a cup of chai - this could be the most important podcast of your afterlife... If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this programme you can find support at the BBC Action line for bereavement: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4MmhHDSbdDmTpVJhBs2v4Py/information-and-support-bereavement

Deep, Down & Desi: Brown Girls Do It Too

Dead Talk

Within the British Asian community, care can be a controversial subject. Who should look after you when you’re in your final days and what should you expect from the pros? Saima and Maleena chat about family expectations, the Asian stigma of so-called ‘old people’s homes’ and the benefits of modern palliative care. Kamalpreet pops into the cafe to share her experience of looking after her Gran who suffered from dementia and how she navigated the complexities of the care system before she passed away. Saima opened Masala Wala cafe with her family, a small Pakistani restaurant that serves her mother’s recipes with love and charm. Out of nowhere, she was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer, before she even turned 30. Her life has been dramatically cut short - without treatment, she wouldn’t be here today. After dealing with her diagnosis, she talks frankly on how she’s getting over dying, so she can get on with living. Maleena, a Journalist and Producer, lost her brother when they were both teenagers, after a long battle with leukaemia. As she became an adult, her father passed away suddenly and without warning. She shares openly what it’s like growing up with grief, the guilt of being left behind and how her identity as a British Asian was tested to its limits. Together, they bond over their unique perspectives on life and death and ponder the ultimate question - why? Join them for their chat over a cup of chai - this could be the most important podcast of your afterlife... If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this programme you can find support at the BBC Action line for bereavement: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4MmhHDSbdDmTpVJhBs2v4Py/information-and-support-bereavement

Who Really Cares?

If death is inevitable, then planning for it is essential. But it can also be one of the most daunting things that you have to deal with and too many put it off until the very last minute of life. Maleena chats to Saima in the café about what getting your affairs in order actually means - or the ‘Death Admin’ as she likes to call it. They hear from Dan, who created a will writing start-up that brings the legal process into the modern digital era. And Maleena visits the Garden’s Of Peace, the UK’s largest Muslim cemetery, to hear about how tens-of-thousands have balanced their British Asian identity even after they die. Saima opened Masala Wala cafe with her family, a small Pakistani restaurant that serves her mother’s recipes with love and charm. Out of nowhere, she was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer, before she even turned 30. Her life has been dramatically cut short - without treatment, she wouldn’t be here today. After dealing with her diagnosis, she talks frankly on how she’s getting over dying, so she can get on with living. Maleena, a Journalist and Producer, lost her brother when they were both teenagers, after a long battle with leukaemia. As she became an adult, her father passed away suddenly and without warning. She shares openly what it’s like growing up with grief, the guilt of being left behind and how her identity as a British Asian was tested to its limits. Together, they bond over their unique perspectives on life and death and ponder the ultimate question - why? Join them for their chat over a cup of chai - this could be the most important podcast of your afterlife... If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this programme you can find support at the BBC Action line for bereavement: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4MmhHDSbdDmTpVJhBs2v4Py/information-and-support-bereavement

Death Admin

In this episode of Fresh To Death, Saima and Maleena discuss how honest you can be about your grief and what it’s like dealing with death in unfamiliar surroundings. Maleena uncovers an incredible story of a young woman who goes on holiday with her secret boyfriend and tragically has to return home without him. Back at the café, Saima and Maleena chat about the complex cultural issues when discussing the most personal of circumstances, including who you can share your love and pain with. Saima opened Masala Wala cafe with her family, a small Pakistani restaurant that serves her mother’s recipes with love and charm. Out of nowhere, she was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer, before she even turned 30. Her life has been dramatically cut short - without treatment, she wouldn’t be here today. After dealing with her diagnosis, she talks frankly on how she’s getting over dying, so she can get on with living. Maleena, a Journalist and Producer, lost her brother when they were both teenagers, after a long battle with leukaemia. As she became an adult, her father passed away suddenly and without warning. She shares openly what it’s like growing up with grief, the guilt of being left behind and how her identity as a British Asian was tested to its limits. Together, they bond over their unique perspectives on life and death and ponder the ultimate question - why? Join them for their chat over a cup of chai - this could be the most important podcast of your afterlife... If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this programme you can find support at the BBC Action line for bereavement: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4MmhHDSbdDmTpVJhBs2v4Py/information-and-support-bereavement

Secret Love, Hidden Loss

In this episode of Fresh To Death, Saima and Maleena explore what it's like to deal with death in the family. They speak to Raj, who started a Will writing service for the Sikh community with his wife, before being hit with the cruellest of coincidences. Can the experience of dealing with death as a professional help you grieve your own personal losses? Saima opened Masala Wala cafe with her family, a small Pakistani restaurant that serves her mother’s recipes with love and charm. Out of nowhere, she was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer, before she even turned 30. Her life has been dramatically cut short - without treatment, she wouldn’t be here today. After dealing with her diagnosis, she talks frankly on how she’s getting over dying, so she can get on with living. Maleena, a Journalist and Producer, lost her brother when they were both teenagers, after a long battle with leukaemia. As she became an adult, her father passed away suddenly and without warning. She shares openly what it’s like growing up with grief, the guilt of being left behind and how her identity as a British Asian was tested to its limits. Together, they bond over their unique perspectives on life and death and ponder the ultimate question - why? Join them for their chat over a cup of chai - this could be the most important podcast of your afterlife... If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this programme you can find support at the BBC Action line for bereavement: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4MmhHDSbdDmTpVJhBs2v4Py/information-and-support-bereavement

Raj’s Story.

In this episode of Fresh To Death, Saima and Maleena share their experiences of dealing with death. Saima opened Masala Wala cafe with her family, a small Pakistani restaurant that serves her mother’s recipes with love and charm. Out of nowhere, she was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer, before she even turned 30. Her life has been dramatically cut short - without treatment, she wouldn’t be here today. After dealing with her diagnosis, she talks frankly on how she’s getting over dying, so she can get on with living. Maleena, a Journalist and Producer, lost her brother when they were both teenagers, after a long battle with leukemia. As she became an adult, her father passed away suddenly and without warning. She shares openly what it’s like growing up with grief, the guilt of being left behind and how her identity as a British Asian was tested to its limits. Together, they bond over their unique perspectives on life and death and ponder the ultimate question - why? Join them for their chat over a cup of chai - this could be the most important podcast of your afterlife... If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this programme you can find support at the BBC Action line for bereavement: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4MmhHDSbdDmTpVJhBs2v4Py/information-and-support-bereavement

Our Stories

In a community saturated by talk of babies and marriages, British Asian bereavement is curiously complicated - and often ignored. Family, religious and cultural issues make each passing unique from the mainstream and brings in sharp focus the generational expectations that can cause further heartache at a time of sensitivity. Fresh To Death is out to change that. Restaurateur Saima Thompson is living with a terminal diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer and filmmaker Maleena Pone lost her teenage brother to leukaemia and father to a sudden heart attack. Together, they explore their own perspective of being British Asian women dealing with death - and speak to others with a range of unique perspectives, from will writing to funerals, mental health to cultural traditions. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this programme you can find support at the BBC Action line for bereavement: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4MmhHDSbdDmTpVJhBs2v4Py/information-and-support-bereavement

Welcome to Fresh To Death!

Raul considers the paradox of being an atheist Hindu, but the truth is hard to digest. Raul has always loved the old stories of Hinduism – the monkey gods, elephant heads, and frolicking milkmaids – but he’s not so sure what they actually mean to him, spiritually speaking. Over the series, Raul has come to see Hinduism in a whole new light. But he still needs to ask himself the biggest question yet. After all this reading, talking and meditating – does he believe in any of it? In his quest to find out whether Hinduism has to be a 24/7 commitment or more of a pick ‘n’ mix thing, Raul has a final heart-to-heart with the Pandit Satish K Sharma, reads some of the most outrageous stories in the Vedas and, well, experiences a purge of sorts…

Episode 6: Faitheism

Raul attempts to justify his diet – but will the Pandit have beef with the way he eats? In this episode, Raul weighs up the needs of the planet, the advice of the Hindu scriptures and the demands of his own stomach to figure out if it’s time to give up eating meat. He goes out for breakfast with his comedian friend Kiran Morjaria, entertains his audiences with a story about sausages and returns to the temple to chew it all over with Pandit Satish K Sharma. As a kid, when Raul went to the school dinner hall he’d have to wear a big sticker saying NO BEEF. When he was a teenager, he smuggled meatball marinaras into the house under the cover of darkness. But now, what with climate activists making us all feel guilty, he’s starting to think that Hindus had it right all along. But if humans weren’t supposed to eat meat…why do we find it so darn delicious?!

Episode 5: Meat Me Halfway

Millennia before the West started reassessing the concept of gender, India had the Hijra. When researching for this podcast, Raul was surprised to discover that, in Hinduism, gender non-conformity is nothing new. The origin of the Hijra can be found in ancient Indian folk stories, but they are also a real community of transwomen that live in India today. Many people still believe that they are mystical beings and that they can confer blessings and curses. In this episode Raul investigates the complex subject of gender in Hinduism and in India. He speaks to his comedian friend Sindhu Vee, the trans activist Kalki Subramaniam and, of course, his ever-helpful guide Pandit Satish K Sharma.

Episode 4: He, She, Hijra

What’s the role of marijuana in Hinduism? Raul takes it upon himself to find out. When Raul was 19 years old, he received a surprising call from his mother. It was Maha Shivratri, she said, and officially the one day in the Hindu calendar that smoking marijuana was permitted. (Not by UK law, of course.) This got Raul thinking – maybe his lifestyle was more aligned with the Hindu faith than he thought? In this episode, Raul has a surprising conversation with the Pandit Satish K Sharma, he talks to Hannah Deacon about her battle to get access to medical marijuana for her son and introduces us to the notorious Spekky Rizwan.

Episode 3: Smokin’ Shiva

Raul Kohli discovers that he owes the universe the debt of his body. No pressure then. When it comes to the birds and the bees, Raul was arranged a marriage before he was arranged a sex education lesson. Add to that the confusing depictions of romance in Bollywood films and the fact that Krishna married 18,000 milkmaids, it’s fair to say that there are some mixed messages going on. So, Raul sets out to discover if Hindus are as conservative about sex as his Mum wanted him to believe. In this episode, Raul chats to his comedian friend Anuvab Pal, seeks advice from his pandit, the Hindu scholar Satish K Sharma, bares all to his live audiences and reads the Kama Sutra cover to cover…for research purposes, ok?

Episode 2: Let’s Talk About Sex Shakti

Raul discovers there’s way more to yoga than sexy leggings and expensive beach retreats. As a stand-up comedian, Raul’s mind is always going at a million miles a minute, while his body travels to all four corners of the globe performing comedy to late-night crowds. But this lifestyle is taking its toll, and he wants to find ways to keep the stress down. In this episode, Raul chats to his comedian friend Sukh Ojla, seeks advice from the esteemed scholar Satish K Sharma, finds his flow with wise yogi Ravi Dixit and puts his theories to live comedy audiences. Turns out that, thousands of years before the West started banging on about mindfulness and self-care, Hindus had already found the path to tranquility.

Episode 1: Inner Peace

Comedian Raul Kohli is on a quest to find out if his Hindu upbringing – which he drifted away from long ago – can help him find the answers to life’s big questions. With the help of a Pandit, a yogi, some Hindu comedian friends, a surprise Sikh and other wise gurus, Raul takes us on an adventure back into a 4000-year-old religion. It’s a world of monkey gods, Holy cows, X-rated temples and cannabis-laced milkshakes…and some sincere and serious introspection, of course. With any luck, you’ll be enlightened, entertained and shocked in equal measure. Growing up, religion always felt like a burden to Raul, rather than something that brought him happiness or clarity. Also, given the choice between delicious cheeseburgers and a seemingly complex and strict faith, Hinduism tended to lose out. But recently Raul’s been doing some reading and has started to think that perhaps he’s got Hinduism all wrong? In fact, thinking about it, does he even know what Hinduism actually is? Raul Kohli attempts to wrestle the beliefs of billions of people across thousands of years into the format of a comedy podcast series. Don’t worry – if he doesn’t manage it in this life, he can always try it again in the next.

Welcome To Comic Sanskrit!

In the final episode of this series the team talk about superstition, cat filters, and chat about desi roots with actress Anjli Mohindra "But...Where Are You Really From?" It's a question that all Asian people have been asked - in this brand new podcast we'll use it to explore the roots and history of top notch comedy guests. Join Eshaan, Nim and Sunil as they use this question as a jumping off point into the world of race and identity... Guests in the series include Nihal Arthanayake, Sindhu Vee, Ahir Shah, Kae Kurd and Sadia Azmat.

Episode 6 ft Anjili Mohindra

For most Asian girls, openly chatting about sex is firmly off limits... until now. Enter Poppy, Rubina and Roya. Come on people – its 2019. Brown Girls Do It Too!

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Deep, Down & Desi: Brown Girls Do It Too

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