Indian Living

Animals

A profound respect for animal life is an integral part of Indian culture. In Gujerat, sacred cows spend the latter part of their lives in retirement homes. At the Sonpur Fair, buyers choose elephants as if they were choosing a life-long friend. In Rajastan, rats have their very own temple; and in Haryana, children play hide-and-go-seek with cobras. 08DR IJSCA 52 min.

Art and Crafts

Indian artists have been able to strike a balance between tradition and innovation; some of them are able to work on both sides of the scale. In Madras, Chandralekka has chosen to revolutionize the Bharat Natyam, the sacred temple dance. The villagers living in the region of Mithlia have managed to turn their traditional paintings into works of art that they export all over the world. Govinda, on the other hand, teaches the Martial art of Kalaripayatt, just as it was taught at the time of the warrior-princes of Kerala. And the famous Kapoor family has been making films for four generations. 08DR IJSCA 52 min.

Children

In India children embody purity. Only children are allowed to wear robes of the gods during Rama Festival in Benares and the fire celebrations in Orissa. In Punjab, Yoga is learning to wield a sword in remembrance of his ancestors. In Mumbai (Bombay), Smita is learning to become a doctor in order to help the underprivileged. 08DR IJSCA 52 min.

Cities and Places

"Highly Recommended. Takes the viewer to four cities/places, focusing on specific individuals and families at each location, describing their situation and adding a human touch to the visual element." -EMRO Review

Stones have a memory. In India they can tell many stories. In Rajastan, in the city of Jaisalmer, you can still hear the cries of the desert merchants. In Khajuraho, stones are sensual; they speak of love and of pleasure. In Pondichery, stones smell a perfume of France, while in Kolkata, formerly Calcutta, in the palaces that once belonged to rajas, stone is living proof of the grandeur of the British Empire. 07DR

Level 1 - IJSCA 45 min.

Level 2 - CA 52 min.

Festivals and Rituals

"Highly Recommended. An interesting look into the Indian culture and the Hindu religion, this documentary focuses on the many holidays celebrated in India, such as the 10-day celebration of the Hindu deity, Ganesh." -EMRO Review

Indians have more holidays on their calendar than anyone else in the world. Just about any event merits a celebration. In Mumbai (Bombay), there is a festival in honor of Ganesh, the god with the elephant head, which lasts several days. In Southern India, at springtime, bulls are free to roam through village squares. In Kerala, when the gods speak through men's mouths, what could have been a show becomes a sacred ritual; and in Gujerat young girls are allowed to choose their husbands during a fair. 08DR IJSCA 52 min.

Work

Unemployment is not a social ill affecting Indian society. While the country can proudly lay claim to having the world's best computer scientists, it has also managed to preserve thousands of other professions, from some of the humblest to some of the most prestigious professions in this world. Nilsson sculpts statues of gods all year long in Kolkata (Calcutta). In the city of Tirumalai, Subramanyan shaves heads in reverence to his god. In Palatina, Santosh carries rich Jains' pilgrims on his shoulders, and in Kerala, known as the "Venice of the East," Mathew sails ferries across one of its beautiful green lagoon. 08DR IJSCA 52 min.