Apollo 13: Houston, Weve Got a Problem PublicResourceOrg 2026-09-22 | Apollo 13: Houston, Weve Got a Problem
Island of Hope, Island of Tears (NARA HD Print) PublicResourceOrg 2018-01-09 | Island of Hope, Island of Tears The story of Ellis Island. The American immigration experience. National Park Service Film by Charles Guggenheim With Gene Hackman NTIS AVA15996VNB1 - 1992. This version comes from a the National Archives High-Def theater print. From 1892-1954, Ellis Island was the port of entry for millions of European immigrants. Fascinating archival footage tells the moving story of families with dreams of opportunity, leaving their homes with what they could carry. Rebroadcast on the Internet made possible by Joseph McFadden of Philadelphia. A version of this copy is available for download at the Internet Archive: archive.org/details/gov.ntis.ava15996vnb1 This work is in the public domain and is a Work of the U.S. Government. Here is the contract between the producer and the government: archive.org/download/gov.ntis.ava15996vnb1/Ellis_Island.MP-325.pdf
Island of Hope, Island of Tears (DVD Print) PublicResourceOrg 2017-12-08 | Island of Hope, Island of TearsThe story of Ellis IslandThe American immigration experienceNational Park ServiceFilm by Charles GuggenheimWith Gene HackmanNTIS AVA15996VNB1 - 1992. This version comes from a DVD.From 1892-1954, Ellis Island was the port of entry for millions of European immigrants. Fascinating archival footage tells the moving story of families with dreams of opportunity, leaving their homes with what they could carry.Rebroadcast on the Internet made possible by Joseph McFadden of Philadelphia.A version of this copy is available for download at the Internet Archive: archive.org/details/gov.ntis.ava15996vnb1This work is in the public domain and is a Work of the U.S. Government. Here is the contract between the producer and the government: archive.org/download/gov.ntis.ava15996vnb1/Ellis_Island.MP-325.pdf
Mahatma, Episode 2: Harmony PublicResourceOrg 2017-08-18 | From non-violence, follow Gandhiji's other precepts including that of harmony or universal brotherhood. It means harmonious relationships among all human beings, of human beings with other living beings, with all existence and also harmony within oneself. Gandhiji's whole life was a relentless struggle for achieving communal harmony, especially among Hindus and Muslims, and for removal of 'untouchability' and social equality between the so-called 'untouchables', or Dalits and caste Hindus. Through his non-violent movements, in which even ordinary and illiterate women could participate in large numbers, he did more for their emancipation and for gender equality than any other reformer. Throughout the freedom struggle, his emphasis remained on improving the conditions of the poor, the weak, the downtrodden and on revival of the neglected villages in India. He lived, and also died, for building up a harmonious social order.Mahatma Program Notes by Y.P.AnandDevised and Designed by Kamalini DuttProject Director L.D. MandloiAssociates: Ved M. Rao and IrfanFrom Doordarshan ArchivesOn October 11, 1906, Mahatma Gandhi had first propounded his philosophy and technique of Satyagraha ('holding on to Truth') in his address to the 3,000 Indians assembled at Johannesburg in South Africa to protest against the 'Black' Ordinance, which sought to severely curtail their rights as citizens. The year 2006-07 marks the centenary of the birth of Gandhiji's Satyagraha.In order to commemorate this historic occasion, Doordarshan Archives presents here a serial entitled MAHATMA, covering selected aspects of Gandhiji's philosophy and message under the headings of Non-violence (Ahimsa), Harmony, Simplicity, Discipline, Co-operation, and Trusteeship. The serial has been compiled by Shri Brijendra Rehi, and the presentation has been made mainly through the inspirational anecdotes as expressed by a wide range of scholars, workers and followers of Gandhiji's teachings and precepts, always remembering that Gandhiji had said, 'My life is my message.'
Mahatma, Episode 1: Non-violence PublicResourceOrg 2017-08-18 | Gandhiji had said, 'Ahimsa is the means, Truth is the end.' Non-violence to him meant not only a negative state of harmlessness but a positive state of love, of being good even to the evildoer of resisting the wrong-doer through truthfulness, humility, tolerance, compassion, and kindness. It is not a method of coercion but that of conversion, of faith in human goodness, of right means for the just ends.His concept and practice of non-violence are best exemplified in the suffering that he went through during his last days in Noakhali, Kolkata, Bihar, and Delhi dousing the flames of communal hatred and bringing peace and harmony wherever he went. His end at the hands of an assassin on January 30, 1948, with HEY RAM on his lips, proved his eternal faith in non-violence as the ultimate mission of human civilization.Mahatma Program Notes by Y.P.AnandDevised and Designed by Kamalini DuttProject Director L.D. MandloiAssociates: Ved M. Rao and IrfanFrom Doordarshan ArchivesOn October 11, 1906, Mahatma Gandhi had first propounded his philosophy and technique of Satyagraha ('holding on to Truth') in his address to the 3,000 Indians assembled at Johannesburg in South Africa to protest against the 'Black' Ordinance, which sought to severely curtail their rights as citizens. The year 2006-07 marks the centenary of the birth of Gandhiji's Satyagraha.
Ustad Amjad Ali Khans tribute to Mahatma Gandhi PublicResourceOrg 2017-08-18 | Supplement to the Mahatma DVDMahatma Program Notes by Y.P.AnandDevised and Designed by Kamalini DuttProject Director L.D. MandloiAssociates: Ved M. Rao and IrfanFrom Doordarshan ArchivesOn October 11, 1906, Mahatma Gandhi had first propounded his philosophy and technique of Satyagraha ('holding on to Truth') in his address to the 3,000 Indians assembled at Johannesburg in South Africa to protest against the 'Black' Ordinance, which sought to severely curtail their rights as citizens. The year 2006-07 marks the centenary of the birth of Gandhiji's Satyagraha.In order to commemorate this historic occasion, Doordarshan Archives presents here a serial entitled MAHATMA, covering selected aspects of Gandhiji's philosophy and message under the headings of Non-violence (Ahimsa), Harmony, Simplicity, Discipline, Co-operation, and Trusteeship. The serial has been compiled by Shri Brijendra Rehi, and the presentation has been made mainly through the inspirational anecdotes as expressed by a wide range of scholars, workers and followers of Gandhiji's teachings and precepts, always remembering that Gandhiji had said, 'My life is my message.'
Kalanidhi Dance: Traditional Kuchipudi from Maryland PublicResourceOrg 2017-08-18 | SPEAKER: Kalanidhi Dance CompanyEVENT DATE: 2013/08/14RUNNING TIME: 58 minutesDESCRIPTION:Kalanidhi Dance Company was founded in 2005. Its artistic approach is to explore creative and contemporary ideas through the vocabulary of Kuchipudi, while retaining the essence and integrity of the classical form. Dancers include Supraja Chittari, Ankitha Durvasula, Ramya Durvasula, Pragnya Thamire and Deviga Valiyil.
Sreevidhya Chandramouli with Poovalur Sriji: South Indian Classical Music from Oregon PublicResourceOrg 2017-08-18 | SPEAKER: Sreevidhya Chandramouli, Poovalur SrijiEVENT DATE: 2009/08/20RUNNING TIME: 64 minutesDESCRIPTION:Sreevidhya Chandramouli plays the vina, a plucked Indian lute with a fret board spanning three and a half octaves. She was trained in the Karaikudi vina tradition, the only school of south Indian vina players that goes back more than ten generations. Also featured is Poovalur Sriji on the mridangam.Speaker Biography: Sreevidhya Chandramouli is a tenth generation vina player in the Karaikudi tradition of Carnatic (South Indian classical) music. She began learning this instrument at the age of four, began performing with her mother from the age of nine, and gave her first solo performance when she was sixteen. In addition to her traditional training, she received a master's degree in music from the University of Madras. She is also an experienced vocalist and visual artist. Sreevidhya has been a regular performer on All India Radio and Indian Doordashan (TV), and has toured widely in Asia, Europe, and North America. She has been featured in major music festivals in India, Germany, and the Netherlands. Sreevidhya has been living in Portland, Oregon since the late 1980s, where she teaches South Indian music in her home. She has served as visiting artist at the University of Washington, and has taught the Music of India course at the University of Oregon School of Music. She is pursuing the art of vina-making in Chennai, India, and conducts workshops in vina maintenance in Portland. She is also a founding member of Dhvani, a non-profit organization based in Portland, dedicated to the teaching, preservation, and dissemination of Indian arts.Speaker Biography: Poovalur Sriji (Srinivasan) studied South Indian drumming with his father P. A. Venkataraman. Poovalur has performed and recorded with leading artists from both South and North Indian traditions, and western performers such as Yehudi Menuhin, Mark O'Connor, John Bergamo, and Glen Velez. The album Tabula Rasa, on which he composed and performed with Bela Fleck, V. M. Bhatt, and J. P. Chen, was nominated for a Grammy. Poovalur is currently a faculty member at the University of North Texas. He has also taught at the California Institute of the Arts and San Diego State University. He is a founding member of the group Brahmah, and directs the SNEW and the South Indian Cross Cultural Ensemble.
Surati: Classical and Folk Indian Dance from New Jersey PublicResourceOrg 2017-08-18 | From the Library of CongressSPEAKER: Surati Dance GroupEVENT DATE: 2008/11/19RUNNING TIME: 88 minutesDESCRIPTION:Surati performs Indian classial and folk dance from New Jersey, another in the Homegrown Concert Series sponsored by the American Folklife Center.Speaker Biography: The Surati Dance Group, founded and directed by Rimli Roy, presents the Bharatanatyam, Oddisi and Manipuri styles of Indian dance in beautifully choreographed stage performances, where "old" and "new" intertwine in a way that give their audiences not only rich experience, but also inspiration and education about the wealth and vitality of the Indian classical dance both in India and in the multicultural context of the United States.
Mahatma, Episode 6: Trusteeship PublicResourceOrg 2017-08-18 | Gandhiji's theory of Trusteeship, or social ownership, was the most definitive doctrine of his political economy. It was his alternative to the capitalist order, which leads to inequality, deprivation and violence, as well as to state ownership under communism, which leads to the loss of individual freedom and initiative. He paraphrased the basic concept from the Ishopanishad thus: 'Earn your crores by all means. But understand that your wealth is not yours, it belongs to the people. Take what you require for your legitimate needs, and use the remainder for the society.'Under trusteeship, the character of production will be determined by social necessity and not by personal whim or greed. It is a means of transforming the present capital ist order into an egalitarian one, in which a decent minimum wage is assured to all. It is best summed up in Gandhiji's own words: 'Give all, gain all. Keep all, lose all.'Mahatma Program Notes by Y.P.AnandDevised and Designed by Kamalini DuttProject Director L.D. MandloiAssociates: Ved M. Rao and IrfanFrom Doordarshan ArchivesOn October 11, 1906, Mahatma Gandhi had first propounded his philosophy and technique of Satyagraha ('holding on to Truth') in his address to the 3,000 Indians assembled at Johannesburg in South Africa to protest against the 'Black' Ordinance, which sought to severely curtail their rights as citizens. The year 2006-07 marks the centenary of the birth of Gandhiji's Satyagraha.In order to commemorate this historic occasion, Doordarshan Archives presents here a serial entitled MAHATMA, covering selected aspects of Gandhiji's philosophy and message under the headings of Non-violence (Ahimsa), Harmony, Simplicity, Discipline, Co-operation, and Trusteeship. The serial has been compiled by Shri Brijendra Rehi, and the presentation has been made mainly through the inspirational anecdotes as expressed by a wide range of scholars, workers and followers of Gandhiji's teachings and precepts, always remembering that Gandhiji had said, 'My life is my message.'
Mahatma, Episode 5: Co-operation PublicResourceOrg 2017-08-18 | Co-operation is essential for the practice of nonviolence and harmony. Even during the 'Noncooperation' movement, Gandhiji would cooperate with the authorities in the conduct of their duties. H is various satyagraha movements became possible only because of co-operation among large masses of people. The Salt Satyagraha in 1930 was the best example of mass participation, including that by women, in a completely non-violent struggle. He believed in carrying forward the family tradition of co-operation into all spheres of social life.Competition that hurts, or what he called as 'soul-corroding', is a sign of violence. He encouraged co-operative effort in the field of khadi production, in farming and in various other such areas. He believed that land yielded maximum return when worked co-operatively.Mahatma Program Notes by Y.P.AnandDevised and Designed by Kamalini DuttProject Director L.D. MandloiAssociates: Ved M. Rao and IrfanFrom Doordarshan ArchivesOn October 11, 1906, Mahatma Gandhi had first propounded his philosophy and technique of Satyagraha ('holding on to Truth') in his address to the 3,000 Indians assembled at Johannesburg in South Africa to protest against the 'Black' Ordinance, which sought to severely curtail their rights as citizens. The year 2006-07 marks the centenary of the birth of Gandhiji's Satyagraha.In order to commemorate this historic occasion, Doordarshan Archives presents here a serial entitled MAHATMA, covering selected aspects of Gandhiji's philosophy and message under the headings of Non-violence (Ahimsa), Harmony, Simplicity, Discipline, Co-operation, and Trusteeship. The serial has been compiled by Shri Brijendra Rehi, and the presentation has been made mainly through the inspirational anecdotes as expressed by a wide range of scholars, workers and followers of Gandhiji's teachings and precepts, always remembering that Gandhiji had said, 'My life is my message.'
Mahatma, Episode 4: Discipline PublicResourceOrg 2017-08-18 | Discipline in thought, word and deed, was a basic tenet of Gandhiji's teaching and of his own life. H is concept of freedom itself meant Swaraj, or 'self-rule', as he considered that 'man is a self-governing being'. Discipline was an essential ingredient of non-violent conduct. Even when being in prison, he would insist that he and his fellow satyagrahis behaved as ideal and disciplined prisoners, and put their whole self to the work allotted to them.Gandhiji stated that 'The highest form of freedom carried with it the greatest measure of discipline and humility', and, 'Democracy disciplined and enlightened is the finest thing in the world.' He also considered that 'Mass discipline is an essential condition for people who aspire to be a great nation.' He was a strict disciplinarian for observance of even ordinary rules of the Ashrams in which he lived. He always insisted on punctuality and would not countenance wastage of even a minute of time.Mahatma Program Notes by Y.P.AnandDevised and Designed by Kamalini DuttProject Director L.D. MandloiAssociates: Ved M. Rao and IrfanFrom Doordarshan ArchivesOn October 11, 1906, Mahatma Gandhi had first propounded his philosophy and technique of Satyagraha ('holding on to Truth') in his address to the 3,000 Indians assembled at Johannesburg in South Africa to protest against the 'Black' Ordinance, which sought to severely curtail their rights as citizens. The year 2006-07 marks the centenary of the birth of Gandhiji's Satyagraha.In order to commemorate this historic occasion, Doordarshan Archives presents here a serial entitled MAHATMA, covering selected aspects of Gandhiji's philosophy and message under the headings of Non-violence (Ahimsa), Harmony, Simplicity, Discipline, Co-operation, and Trusteeship. The serial has been compiled by Shri Brijendra Rehi, and the presentation has been made mainly through the inspirational anecdotes as expressed by a wide range of scholars, workers and followers of Gandhiji's teachings and precepts, always remembering that Gandhiji had said, 'My life is my message.'
Mahatma, Episode 3: Simplicity PublicResourceOrg 2017-08-18 | Simplicity too is an essential part of Gandhian non-violent conduct. To Gandhiji, it was the essence of universality. Luxurious living is an impossible proposition for any society as a whole. He, therefore, insisted that all scriptures have given to humankind the ideal of 'plain living and high thinking'. He emphasized that there was beauty and art in simplicity and it did not require money to be neat, clean and dignified. He held pomp and pageantry as synonymous with vulgarity.With a simple short dhoti as his dress, Gandhiji could identify himself with the Daridranarayans of India, and in 1931, during the Round Table Conference in London, his going to the Buckingham Palace in the same dress, made him a true representative of the Indian nation. He would not waste a piece of paper, a grain of rice, or a drop of water. As he stated, 'There is goodness and greatness in simplicity; not in wealth.'Mahatma Program Notes by Y.P.AnandDevised and Designed by Kamalini DuttProject Director L.D. MandloiAssociates: Ved M. Rao and IrfanFrom Doordarshan ArchivesOn October 11, 1906, Mahatma Gandhi had first propounded his philosophy and technique of Satyagraha ('holding on to Truth') in his address to the 3,000 Indians assembled at Johannesburg in South Africa to protest against the 'Black' Ordinance, which sought to severely curtail their rights as citizens. The year 2006-07 marks the centenary of the birth of Gandhiji's Satyagraha.In order to commemorate this historic occasion, Doordarshan Archives presents here a serial entitled MAHATMA, covering selected aspects of Gandhiji's philosophy and message under the headings of Non-violence (Ahimsa), Harmony, Simplicity, Discipline, Co-operation, and Trusteeship. The serial has been compiled by Shri Brijendra Rehi, and the presentation has been made mainly through the inspirational anecdotes as expressed by a wide range of scholars, workers and followers of Gandhiji's teachings and precepts, always remembering that Gandhiji had said, 'My life is my message.'
Bharat Ek Koj Supplement: Dhrupad with shots of Indian Temples PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Koj - The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterSupplement to Episode 1Dhrupad with shots of Indian Temples
Bharat Ek Koj Supplement: Song Praising Indra I PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Koj - The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterSupplement to Episode 3Song Praising Indra I
Bharat Ek Koj Supplement: Ode to Water PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Koj - The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterSupplement to Episode 3Ode to water
Bharat Ek Koj Supplement: Poem from Tagore’s Gitanjali PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Koj - The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterSupplement to Episode 53Poem from Tagore’s Gitanjali
Bharat Ek Koj Supplement: Amir Khusro’s Qawwali PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Koj - The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterSupplement to Episode 53Amir Khusro’s Qawwali
Bharat Ek Koj Supplement: Nasadiya Sukta from Rigveda PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Koj - The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterSupplement to Episode 53Nasadiya Sukta from Rigveda
Bharat Ek Khoj 53: Epilogue PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 53: EpilogueNehru commented that science may be on the verge of discovering vital mysteries. Ignoring the ‘why’ of philosophy, science would go on asking ‘how’ giving greater content and meaning to life.Nehru considered Vedas the earliest books that humanity possessed, behind which lay ages of civilised existence, during which the Indus Valley civilisation had grown. The visuals recapitulating the earlier episodes show, Nachiketa questioning: What is soul? What are space and time? The death-god Yama replies: Brahman is supreme, manifest in Om that is imperishable. In the epic Mahabharata, Arjuna trembles at the prospect of killing the relatives in War, till Krishna counsels him to forsake weakness and face the ordained duties. One’s soul is everlasting and allows only the right of action in one’s given life.The Buddha preaches without any reference to God or another world. He relies on logic and experience, and asks people to seek the truth in their own minds. Ashoka is stricken with remorse in spite of his triumph in the Kalinga war and discusses the transience of everything before surrendering to the Buddha. The Bhakti movement with the saint-poets like Basavanna spread Saguna and Nirguna songs among the masses. We move to the advent of Islam and the surge of Sufism with its message that puts love for men at par with love for God. Amir Khusro is seen singing Persian and Brajbhasha lyrics. Kabir appears with transcendental songs of wisdom and religion and shares mystic thoughts with the bemused Sultan. Akbar discourses on his newly found faith, Din-e-llahi. The scenario now captures the encounter between Aurangzeb and Shivaji.During Tipu Sultan’s reign in the 18th century, the European power is on its way to become Indian rulers. Under the rule of the British, Bengal is plundered to support the Industrial revolution in England. In the 1857 revolt, Mangal Pandey is seen to pull the first trigger, with the vow to throw the ‘white’ regime to the rivers. Rammohun Roy opposes Sati, and Swami Vivekananda raises a powerful voice against racial distinctions. Bal Gangadhar Tilak appears in the late 19th century with his Extremist faction and joins forces with Dadabhai Naoroji, in the latter’s demand: ‘Freedom is our birthright’. Now comes Gandhi who radically re-defines non-violence to mean alleviation of suffering, rise of the lowest echelons of society, and decline of the British imperialism. The 1930 turmoil of India and the Ballia ‘Bandh’ lead to the spread of the battle cry of ‘Do or Die‘ that reverberates throughout India in August 1942. In another half decade, India wins freedom on 15 August 1947.Nehru concludes his epic saga of re-discovering his motherland with the powerful prayer by Tagore from Gitanjali: Where the mind is without fear and the head held high; Where knowledge is free; Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 52: Do or Die PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 52: Do or DieWith Om Puri as Nigam, Ravi Jhankal as Superintendent of Police, Pankaj Berry as Ramanand, Devendra Malhotra as Chitto Pandey, Maqsoom Ali as Paras, Irshad Hashmi as Agyat Baba, Sohaila Kapur-Limaye as janki Devi, and John Holyer as British Officer I. Playback by Karsan Sangathia. Script consultants are Prof. Bipan Chandra, Dr. Radhey Sham Sharma, and Parasnath Mishra and the script is by Atul Tiwari.The scene opens with Nehru being taken to the Ahmadnagar Fort jail. The time is September 1939 and World War II is about to begin. The Congress has laid down a dual policy in regard to the War. There is opposition to Fascism, Nazism and Japanese militarism, but also an emphasis on freedom for India. Nehru reiterates that only a free India could take proper part in such warfare.The scene swiftly switches to 7th August, 1942 in Mumbai where the All-India Congress Committee considered and debated in public, what has since come to be known as the ‘Quit India Resolution’. The resolution was finally passed late in the evening of 8th August 1942. A few hours later, in the early morning of 9th, a large number of leaders were arrested all over the country. The song-and-dance sequence shows how the German ‘fiends’ are coming and the British ‘canines’ are about to flee with tails curled under their legs!In a nerve—centre of popular resistance, Ballia, discussions are on among minor leaders on arrangements for Gandhi’s impending visit to nearby Banaras and making the non-violence movement a success, when news arrives of Gandhi’s arrest on 9th August. There is immense public resentment expressed through the call of Ballia ‘Bandh’. Gandhi is removed to an unknown destination and the populace resolve to ‘Do or Die’ against this miscarriage of justice, in a non-violent manner, by holding a strike in Ballia. The police are flabbergasted as the number of people in the procession far outnumber the available bullets! Defying the power of the Establishment, people sing: Vijayee Vishwa Tiranga Pyara… Barricades are put up to obstruct rail lines. Every compartment carries Congress-flags and the slogan ’Vande Mataram’ rends the air. The local English ADM negotiates with jailed mass-leader, Radhamohun Singh with an offer of freedom, provided, they pacify the Ballia crowds. The brave response is: Today Ballia is burning, tomorrow England will!The situation worsens and the authorities concede that the Ballia is out of control and the jail-gates are thrown open to free political prisoners.Nehru summarises that after prominent leaders were suddenly removed, no one seemed to know what should be done. Protests were spontaneous, and reactions were extraordinarily widespread both in towns and villages. It was remarkable how British authority ceased to function over many areas, both rural and urban. This happened in Bihar and Bengal, and the whole district of Ballia, had to be ‘re-conquered’.Nehru is released from the mountain prison of Almora on 15 June 1945, and walks out to the jubilant crowd sloganeering lustily: Mahatma Gandhi Zindabad! Karenge Ya Marenge!Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 46: Sir Syed Ahmed Khan PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 46: Sir Syed Ahmed KhanWith Mohan Maharishi as Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Mohini Sharma as Begum Syed Ahmed Khan, Ahmed Khan as Nawab Mehrnood, John Holyer as Mr. Shakespeare, Moraq Holyer as Mrs. Shakespeare, Shashi Sharma as Sir Syeds Mother, Dev Malhotra as Maulana Altai Hussain Hail, Irfan Khan as Samiullah, John Holyer as Lord Canning, and Munira Surti as Khala. The script is by Javed Siddiqi.Nehru notes that after the 1857 Mutiny, the British government deliberately repressed the Indian Muslims to a greater extent than they did the Hindus, which especially affected those sections from which the new middle class might have emerged. British policy towards them underwent a change in the 1870’s and became more favourable. In this process, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan played a crucial role. He was anxious to make them accept English education and thus draw them out of their conservative shell.The scene opens dramatically with the Nawab of Moradabad launching a revengeful attack at midnight on the local British collector and Sir Syed thwarting them, explaining the inevitability of the prevailing British Raj and wisdom in accepting the same. The brave effort is duly recognised by the authorities and Sir Syed, while declining a Jagir, is rewarded with a princely lump sum and a monthly pension. In his alignment for British help and cooperation, he repeatedly tries to prove that Muslims as a whole did not rebel during the 1857 Mutiny and that many indeed remained loyal to the British power.To Lord Canning, the new Governor General, Sir Syed pleads for aid in creating a ‘scientific’ society for the Muslims. His efforts to open an English school for the community are stiffly resisted by the Muslims. With his concerted efforts, the Madarsa is finally established at Ghazipur where five languages are taught - Urdu, English, Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit. He resolves to publish a newspaper and introduce teaching of science since it is closely connected with nature. He also expresses a keenness to visit Europe, to study their progress and development.Nehru observes, through an array of colourful period-paintings and letters, how Sir Syed was much impressed by the European civilisation. On his return the resolve to convert the Madarsa into a college is doubly strengthened and he collects donations personally. Rousing poems are heard on the theme of education for the deprived community. On behalf of the authorities, 74 acres of land, the munificence of Henry Lawrence, comes handy in realising Sir Syed’s dream of founding the Anglo-Muhammadn Oriental College in 1875, eventually to become University of Aligarh. One of the declared objects of the college was ‘to make the Mussalmans of India worthy and useful subjects of the British crown’, as quoted by Nehru.There is the other momentous event of establishing the National Congress and request from its founding fathers like Sir Surendranath Banerjee and Badruddin Tayebji to Sir Syed for joining the same. As Nehru notes, while Sir Syed succeeded in beginning the English education among the Muslims and diverting the Muslim mind from the political movement, many prominent Muslims nonetheless joined the National Congress. British policy became progressively pro-Muslim, in favour of those elements among the moderate Muslims who were opposed to the National movement.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 50: And Gandhi Came, Part II PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 50: And Gandhi Came, Part IIWith Shabana Azmi as Rangamma, Om Puri as Patel Range Gowda, Ila Arun as Gangamma, Pallavi Joshi as Ratna, Virendra Saxena as Rachanna, Irfan Khan as Bade Khan, Bhavana Mukativala as Radhamma, and Chandrakant Kale as the Harikatha Singer. Playback by Chandrakant Kale, Ranjana Joglekar, Jolly Mukherjee, Pankaj Mitra, Anand Kumar, and Shobha Joshi Excerpts from Kanthapura by Raja Rao.Nehru notes that against the all-pervading fear amongst Indian people of the British Raj, Gandhi’s quiet and determined voice was raised, ‘Be not afraid’. Suddenly, the black pall of fear was lifted from the people’s shoulders. To the ordinary village folks, it made all the difference.The song picks up the refrain that the Congress would hereafter rule in the rural front and initiate Rama Raj by abolishing Ravana Raj of the aliens. While Murthy declines to appoint an advocate to plead for him, Rangamma’s visit to the town to look for a defence lawyer is in vain. She returns with the news that Murthy has been sentenced to a three-month imprisonment. Rangamma and Ratna now pick up the cudgel and begin organising the female front of volunteers after the model of Sarojini Naidu, Annie Besant and Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay. They resolve not to fight back, even if beaten. There are mild protestations from the ilk of Narayan not to allow their female folk go in for public demonstrations.News comes that Murthy is released, but the nightmare is not over. The tidings of the Dundee March and Salt Satyagraha trickle in to enthuse the villagers no end. People decide to observe Maun (silence) to strengthen the Congress. There is tumultuous singing of another favourite Bhajan of Gandhi, by Narsinh Mehta: Vaishnavajanato Tene Kahiye…Further news trickles in that the police has lathi-charged the corps of volunteers at Mahatma’s prayer meeting. This only steels the people’s resolve not to pay tax and offer passive resistance. A new phenomenon is women taking out processions and picketing in front of liquor-shops to stop their men folk from alcoholism. The tax-evasion campaign takes an ugly turn, with the police auctioning off the landed property of the defaulters in Kanthapura. Women, under the guidance of the hiding men, put up resistance, but the police open indiscriminate fire killing many and injuring several. There is chaos now from a failed resistance, with people leaving Kanthapura en masse for Kashipura near Mysore and leaders like Murthy, Rangamma and Ratna imprisoned for six months. There is also news trickling in that at the apex, Nehru and Gandhi do not quite agree on non-violence.Nehru observes that, by 1930, Gandhi seemed, to his countrymen, able to link the past with the future and to make the present appear as a stepping-stone to the future of life and hope. Thus he affected a vast psychological revolution not only among those who followed his lead, but also among his opponents and those neutrals who were still ambivalent.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 51: Separatism PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 51: SeparatismWith K.K. Raina as Majid, S.M. Zahee as Hamid Ali, Harish Patel as Lala Makhanial, Ahmed Khan as Dr. Ahsan, Aparajita Krishna as Khursheed, Irfan Khan as Saleem, Sohaila Kapur-Limaye as Nafisa, Lubna Siddiqi as Shaheen, and Satish Kaushik as Pandit. The script is by Javed Siddiqi and the consultant is Asghar Ali Engineer.Nehru notes that during the post-mutiny period, all the leading men among Indian Muslims, including Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, were products of the old traditional education, although some of them were influenced by new ideas. Thanks to Gandhi’s leadership, a united Hindu-Muslim front was forged against the British. The Congress spearheaded the non—cooperation movement, started in 1920 by Gandhi and the Khilafat Committee. In 1922, Gandhi announced a new phase of civil disobedience leading to the ultimate defiance of paying taxes, but called it off later. Amidst the Hindu-Muslim collaboration crumbling at the edges, M.A. Jinnah, the Muslim League leader, walked out of the Congress. While Gandhi languished in jail, a parliamentary commission under Sir John Simon arrived in 1928 to make a review of the Montague-Chelmsford reforms of 1927 only to be greeted by massive demonstrations throughout India. The Congress, with Gandhi released, rallied around a boycott of Simon Commission. An angry mob shouts slogans: ‘Simon! Go back’ against stiff police resistance. Sir Mohammad Iqbal (who wrote the fiery nationalist poem Sare jehan Se Achha…) plays a vital role in influencing the newly growing middle class and the younger generation. Emerging leaders like Dr. Ansari are confabulating to provide a sense of direction to the Muslim masses at nodal centres like Allahabad and Aligarh. They discuss how Ali Brothers (Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali) had played a prominent role in the Khilafat movement and suffered imprisonment for the Congress in the 1920’s. When, in 1930, news comes that Mohammad Ali is no more, the condolence meeting resolves that Lucknow city would observe a a total closure as a mark of respect to his departed soul. But some Hindu shopkeepers object on the ground that Ali was a Muslim. This takes most leaders by surprise,’as Ali,’ besides having chaired a Congress session, Harish Patel was part of Gandhi’s no tax agitation and Nehru’s socialistic campaign.In retaliation against this Hindu resistance, many Muslim shopkeepers Ahmed Khan refuse to bring down shutters for Bhagat Singh, even though he died for the cause of India’s freedom. Enforced closures result in riots, to the utter dismay of the higher leadership who declare that Hindus and Muslims are as indivisible as the air and the sky.The drama takes the separatism forward, in holding central and provincial elections under the Act of 1935. Muslim League is revamped under Jinnah and the rivalry between the Congress and the Muslim League gathers momentum in the electioneering campaigns. The results go overwhelmingly in favour of the Congress in most provinces and their government is established in 1937.Nehru observes that Indian Nationalism, as represented by the Congress, opposed British imperialism. Jinnah had propounded a theory that India consisted of ’two nations‘: Hindu and Muslim. From this theory developed the concept of ‘Pakistan’, or the splitting up of India: as a direct offshoot of the ‘Divide-and—rule’ policy of the British.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 45: Mahatma Phule PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 45: Mahatma PhuleWith Sadashiv Amrapurkar as Mahatma Phule, Achyut Potdar as Govindrao, Mohan Gokhale as Vishnu Pant Thatte, and Shubhangi Sangvai as Savitri. Playback is by Pankaj Mitra, Jolly Mukharji, Hemant Kulkarni, Sharad Jambhekar, and Arun Ingle. The script is by Gulan Kripalani.Nehru opines that caste, which was meant to develop individuality and freedom, had become a monstrous degradation, the opposite of what it was meant to be. With the spread of English education and administration, there was evidence of a large number of depressed classes and untouchables. Dalit was a new designation applying to a number of castes at the bottom of the scale. The untouchables were engaged in scavenging or unclean work. There were staunch reformers like Jyotirao Phule and their organisations like ‘Satya Shodh Sangstha’, established in 1848, which tried to spread education among the depressed classes and untouchables to give a new sense of respectability to the lowest hierarchies of society.We see Phule, a fledgling reformer, attempting to get his message of self-purification across to a like- minded body and recalling the travails of a Shudra (member of the lowest caste) in a marriage reception. When his dream of a school for Shudra children comes true, he exhorts them to take up education in all earnest and his wife Savitri helps in teaching the girls. Hoodlums sprinkle cow-dung on Savitri and Phule is accused of violating divine texts by the orthodox. Phule is thrown out of his home, but he bravely utilises his new residence to continue teaching Shudras. His movement gathers momentum, but hired killers threaten Phule with physical assault. Without losing composure, Phule declares that Savitri would carry on teaching even the daughters of these very assassins. They are taken aback by his gesture.Savitri meets a homeless Brahmin widow who becomes pregnant after being seduced by her own kin. Phule magnanimously provides refuge as her plight could be anybody’s regardless of caste. He starts a refugee home for such women and dissuades barbers from ignominiously shaving heads of widows. In 1873, Phule’s new book Ghulamgiri (The Practice of Slavery) against exploitation by the upper castes creates social furore. Like Rammohun‘s ‘Brahmo Samaj’, there is reformist ‘Prarthana Samaj’ in Maharashtra, but the practising preachers like Govind Ranade are not averse to surreptitiously having a second marriage with a pre-puberty girl! A mortally ill Brahmin, Vishnu Shastry Chiplankar, declines to be treated by a lower-caste physician sent by Phule. Ironically, the same doctor has to provide a death certificate for cremation.The real India, as preached by Phule, lives in its villages where people lead an undignified life. Phule dies in 1890, but his message does not find favour even in the National Congress until 1932, when Gandhi favours passing such a resolution in the Yarvada Congress session.Nehru points out that casteism had let loose inequity and oppression by the Brahmins on the lower castes and needed urgent redressing through the spread of education.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 47: Vivekananda PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 47: VivekanandaWith Alok Nath as Vivekananda, Vipin Sharma as Ramkrishna Paramhansa, Ashok Banthia as Maharaja Mangal Singh, Arjun Raina as Maharaja of Khetri, Narayan Pati as Mahendra Gupta, Sudhir Kulkarni as Sarat Chandra, Anand Mishra as Devendranath Tagore, Subrata Bose as Keshubchandra Sen, and Jasjeet as the dancer. Playback is by Chhaya Ganguly, Pankaj Mitra, and Jolly Mukharjee. Script by Gulan Kripalani.Nehru records that the real impact of the West came to Bengal in the 19th century through technological changes and their dynamic consequences. The first reaction, limited to the small English—educated middle class, was one of admiration and acceptance of almost everything Western. The counter-attempt by Raja Rammohun Roy was to adapt Hinduism to this new environment and start ‘Brahmo Samaj’ on rationalist and social reform basis. Another notable reform movement in the late 19th century was by Swami Dayananda Saraswati that struck root in the form of ‘Arya Samaj’ among the Hindus of the United Province and the Punjab with the slogan: ‘Back to the Vedas’.Another person in Bengal, whose life and precepts considerably influenced the new English-educated classes, was Ramakrishna Paramahansa, a simple man who searched for self-realisation. He even met and lived with Muslim and Christian mystics emphasising: All roads lead to truth. One of his chief disciples was Swami Vivekananda, who founded the non-sectarian Ramakrishna Mission of service.Young Naren’s queries of mystic nature lead him to Ramakrishna at Dakshineshwar, whom he charms with his Nirguna song: O mind, return to your own abode, forsaking your useless sojourn in material worlds as an uninvited stranger … Ramakrishna embraces him as the one for whom he was waiting so long. While Naren is eager to experience Nirvikalpa Samadhi (salvation, by total absorption in the universal identity), the Master chides him for his self-absorption, rather than be a huge tree to provide refuge to others!After the Master’s demise in 1886, Naren moves to a dilapidated house in Baranagar and leads a life of austerity. At Hathras railway station, he meets Sarat Chandra Gupta who becomes his first disciple (Swami Sadananda). At Khetri, Maharaja Ajit Singh becomes his friend and disciple, where he listens to a Bhajan from a Baiji and calls her ‘mother’.After travelling throughout the country for three years, he reaches Kanya Kumari and, to everybody’s consternation, swims across the sea to the southernmost rock ( ‘Vivekananda Rock’) and sits all night in deep meditation. The vast panorama of India passes before his mind’s eye with its past, present and future. On return to Khetri, the Maharaja suggests that he should assume the name of ‘Vivekananda’. With financial help from him and others, Vivekananda proceeds to America to attend the Parliament of Religions, convened in Chicago, in 1893.There his address, opening with: ‘Sisters and Brothers of America!’, meets with thunderous applause. He declares that like all rivers finding a confluence in the sea, all religions ultimately end in one common God. Purity, sanctity and cordiality to all are not the property of any one religion. Nehru observes that Vivekananda laid stress on liberty and equality: ‘Liberty of thought and action is the only condition in life, of growth and well-being; where it does not exist, the man, the race, the nation must go’.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 49: And Gandhi Came, Part I PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 49: And Gandhi Came, Part IWith Shabana Azmi as Rangamma, Om Puri as Patel Range Gowda, Ila Arun as Gangamma, Savita Bajaj as Venkamma, Pallavi Joshi as Ratna, Virendra Saxena as Rachanna, Piyush Mishra as Murthy, Irfan Khan as Bade Khan, Sudhir Kulkarni as Bhatt, and Bhavana Mukativala as Radhamma. Playback by Chandrakant Kale, Ranjana Joglekar, Jolly Mukherjee, Pankaj Mitra, Anand Kumar, and Shobha Joshi Excerpts from Kanthapura by Raja Rao.Nehru notes that when World War I started, politics in India was at a low ebb. This was chiefly because of the split in the Congress between two sections, the radicals and the moderates, and also because of wartime restrictions and regulations. And then Gandhi came. He was like a powerful current of fresh air that made Indians stretch themselves and take deep breaths. He seemed to emerge from the millions of India, speaking their language and incessantly drawing attention to their appalling condition.The sprawling photographs of Gandhi illustrate how he entered the Congress and made it a democratic, mass organisation. The peasants rolled in and the Congress assumed the look of a vast agrarian organ with a strong sprinkling of the middle class. Industrial workers too came in as individuals.The ensuing drama draws from the episodes of Raja Rao’s novel, Kanthapura, that is embedded in those traumatic times. Even the traditional Harikatha gatherings are redolent with the consciousness that Mahatma Gandhi has newly instilled. Gandhi is depicted as the new incarnation of Vishnu who has come to rid the British oppression. There is resistance to provide accommodation to the newly-posted village-official, symptomatic of the troubled times. The word spreads on the efficacy of spinning thread daily by the Charkha (spinning wheel) and the message of assimilating the Achhoots (the untouchables) is driven in against the prevailing notions of community discrimination. Like many a village in India, Kanthapura is agog with Gandhian spirit.The protagonists Kashinath and Murthy, and even the village women Rangamma and Ratna, are involved in lively debates on the socio-political issues, in the face of the police antagonism. Murthy, the staunch Gandhian, undertakes a 3-day fast for self-purification, barring a daily drink of three glasses of water. The villagers, including the Patel, commiserate with him, but Murthy, drawing his inspiration from Gandhi’s many fasts, is adamant. We hear Gandhi’s favourite Ramdhun for congregational singing: Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram… Gandhi’s ideas of truth, love, divinity and non-violence are animatedly discussed, alongside the need for daily spinning of cotton yarn as an act of self- reliance for weaving hand-spun clothes.Amidst the spreading ethos of Charkha distribution, Murthy is arrested. Commenting on such far-reaching impact of Gandhi on the village folks, Nehru avers that this astonishingly vital man, full of self-confidence and an unusual kind of power, standing for equality and freedom of each individual but measuring all this in terms of the poorest, fascinated the masses of India and attracted them like a magnet.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 43: 1857, Part II PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 43: 1857, Part IIWith Om Puri as Soldier 1, Ravi Jhankal as Soldier 2, Murlidhar as Soldier 3, Piyush Mishra as Soldier 4, Ratna Pathak-Shah as Rani of Jhansi, K.K. Rana as Azimullah Kahn, Surenda Sharma as Tatya Tope, Anang Desai as Nana Saheb, Mohan Gokhale as Vishnu Pant, C.V. Kamerkar as Krishnji Pant, and Tom Alter as Henry Lawrence. Playback is by Murlidhar and Karsan Sangathia, and the script is by Iqtidar Alam Khan.Nehru opines that the 1857 Revolt that completed 100 years of British presence in India since Plassey, was essentially a feudal rising, though undoubtedly there were nationalistic elements in it. Those who had joined the Revolt were, as a rule, the disinherited and those deprived of their power and privileges, or those who feared that some such fate awaited them.In the ensuing drama, the loyalty of the rank and file is sought to be strengthened in the name of continued Mughal rule, and the belief that the British rule in India being limited to only 100 years is cited aloud. Mughal Firman is proclaimed from Red Fort ramparts, laying down a new hierarchy and setting up an administration. While the patriotic music announces farther marches to Kanpur and Oudh, the British muster troops on the Ridge, north of Delhi, and attempt to explain away their ‘mistakes’ in Lucknow and elsewhere. After the city falls to a British assault and, after another orgy of looting and indiscriminate massacre, the emperor is exiled to Rangoon.The rebellion is now seen in the vast Indo-Gangetic plain where Oudh becomes the main arena of a genuine populist uprising rooted in rural support. In Lucknow, although the British Collector assiduously cultivates Nana Sahib, the adopted son of the last Peshwa, with promises of protection by General Wheeler, the mutineers prevail upon him to replace the Mughal as their figurehead and provide leadership. Assuming the defunct Peshwa—ship, Nana Sahib takes the surrender of the 400British in Kanpur. There are, however, two massacres of hapless British captives and, in the face of the avenging British forces now approaching from Allahabad, Nana Sahib and his able Marathi commander Tantia Topi escape to Nepal, never to be heard of again. Even after the recapture of Kanpur by the British, the rebel-held Lucknow sees a defiant stand developing into a remarkable siege.The final scenes of defiance occur in the south of Yamuna in the Bundelkhand territory of Jhansi. Once the local British community has taken refuge in the small fort and gets massacred while being evacuated, the Queen, who had parted with funds and guns to the mutineers marching off to Agra and Delhi, raises troops and leads them herself, most courageously, to repulse the British assault, but dies fighting heroically as ‘the best and the bravest’ of the rebel leaders. The battle is seen in graphic details with many gory hangings of the rebel prisoners from the surrounding trees.Nehru notes that, after the Revolt was violently crushed, the royal proclamation of 1858 transferred all rights enjoyed by the East India Company to the British Crown and Queen Victoria became the Queen of India. In the drama, the musicians bemoan the end of the dream to make the land free of foreign occupants by a united Hindu-Muslim regime. Nehru further observes that by 1877, the ‘Empress of India’ was also decorated ‘Kaiser-i-Hind’.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 44: Indigo Revolt PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 44: Indigo RevoltWith Om Puri as Nabakrisima Banergee., Virendra Saxena as Madhav, Tom Alter as Larmour, Achyut Potdar as Damga, Vijay Kashyap as Harish Mukheriee, Devendra Malhotra as Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar, Ranjana Gaur as Malati, Satish Kaushik as Ramgopal Ghosh, Irfan Khan as Michael Madhusudan Butt, and the script is by Gulan Kripalani.Nehru observes that when the English first occupied India, there was a sufficiently developed base of industry and the chief business of the East India Company was to carry Indian manufactured goods like textiles and spices to Europe. With the industrial revolution taking place in England, the Indian market was to be opened to British manufacturers. This exclusion extended to other foreign markets as well and the flow of Indian goods was prevented within the country itself. Consequently Indian textile industry collapsed, affecting a vast number of weavers and artisans, followed by other industries like shipbuilding, metalwork, and crafts. Nehru further observes that with the rapidly increasing unemployment and poverty, the classic colonial economy built up.-India then became a predominantly agricultural country supplying raw material to Industrial England at a low price and in turn, providing a market for England’s finished goods.The hapless peasants are stopped from cultivating rice and, instead, forced to switch over to indigo, a necessary raw material for the British industry, to be purchased at a low price. Refusal is met with stern admonition and even physical torture. The intellectual weapon to counter the evil is a compelling Bengali play Neel Darpan (The Indigo Mirror) by Deenabandhu Mitra. The first scene shows the oppression of a poor peasant by the British contractor, making indigo cultivation obligatory unless he is provided the services of a comely maiden. The second scene displays the common man’s perception of resistance through humour and banter, until the stick- wielding police close down the play already declared illegal.The helpless peasants rue their fate of giving up rice—cultivation in favour of Indigo—farming and recall the meaningful efforts of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, the noted philanthropist and social reformer. The British officials use Indian spies to collect information on organised resistance. Educated Indians send mass—petitions to British India Association drawing Lord Canning’s attention. Meanwhile, the torture-machinery continues unabated to provide punitive punishment to the opposing leaders. The scared villagers maintain stoic silence, till they find the ringleader Madhav tortured to death, his corpse thrown into the river and his widow sneering in the face of the dumb society. They revolt by setting indigo godowns and houses of the scheming English contractors on fire and rampaging the British property.Eventually, the Indigo Revolt has the desired impact - making the British stop forced indigo cultivation altogether. Vidyasagar’s efforts for widow remarriage, promotion of women’s education, abolition of Koolin polygamy and child-marriage are seen.As Nehru notes, the 19th century saw in India two Englands living side by side: one of high intellectual attainment and political maturity and the other of savage penal codes and brutal behaviour.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 36: Aurangzeb, Part II PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 36: Aurangzeb, Part IIWith Om Puri as Aurangzeb, Sudhir Dalvi as Shah Jahan, Surekha Sikri as Jahan Ara, Ahmed Khan as Aquil Khan, Ved Thapar as Shahbaz Khan, Sohaila Kapur Limaye as Roshan Ara, Surendra Pal as Dara Shikoh, and Aparajita Krishna as Nadira. The dancers are Anita Ordia, Gauri Sharma, and Yuvak Biradari. Playback by Afroze Bano and Shobha Joshi. The script is by Javed Siddiqi.The denouement leads inexorably to Aurangzeb imprisoning his father and not sparing any of the brothers.After Murad joins action with Aurangzeb both move north together to fight Shah Jahan’s army with a strong artillery-detachment and ample cash enrichment from Bijapur and Golconda indemnities. They win hands down. In 1658, a second and more decisive battle finds the dilettante Dara with a dazzling array of 50,000 facing the resolute Aurangzeb with his dust- smothered veterans from the Deccan. The gunners are allowed to wreak devastation and Dara’s forces are decimated.Aurangzeb occupies Agra. Dropping all pretense of rescuing Shah Jahan from the ‘infidel’ influence of Dara, he besieges the fort and denies even supply of water bargaining for opening the fort-gates. He then confines the ailing emperor amongst the marble- terraces of his Agra fort, where he remains under the lonely care of daughter Jahan-Ara as a semi—senile spectre of his former glory, until death comes eight years later.The feckless Murad is warned by his well-wishers and still enjoys Kathak dance in his court. During another spree of drunkenness and Kathak Mujra, he is inveigled by Aurangzeb’s men and unceremoniously beheaded. Shuja, re-emerging from Bengal, is defeated once more, and Aurangzeb flees to the distant Arakans and finally unto oblivion. Dara continues to flit from camp to camp through the Punjab, Sind and Gujarat, and is engaged in Ajmer. Having lost his beloved wife en route, he is betrayed and turned over to Aurangzeb. Still a popular figure especially with Delhi’s non-Muslims, he is paraded through the streets in chains to their utter dismay and is hacked to death.Nehru notes that the last of the ‘Grand Mughals’, Aurangzeb, tried to put the clock back and, in the process, broke it up. The Mughal rulers were strong, so long as they put themselves in line with the genius of the nation and tried to work for a common nationality and a synthesis of the various elements in the country. When Aurangzeb began to oppose this movement and suppress it, and to function more as a Muslim than an Indian ruler, the Mughal Empire began to break up after he died as a broken man at the age of 90, in 1707.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 38: Shivaji, Part II PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 38: Shivaji, Part IIWith Naseeruddin Shah as Shivaji, Om Puri as Aurangzeb, Achyut Potdar as Shahfi, Sunila Pradhan as Jiiabai, Ahmed Kahn as Afzal Khan, Sudhir Kulkarni as Gopinath Pant, Chandrakant Kale as Shridhar Pant, Ravindra Sathe as Sampat Rao, Vishwajit Pradhan as Rustam Khan, and Ayub Khan as Yaqub Khan. Playback by Ravindra Sathe, Chandrakant Kale, and Madhuri Purandhare. Script by Govind P. Deshpande.Nehru noted that Shivaji, having openly raised the standard of revolt, sacked the city of Surat, sparing the English and their factory, and enforced the Chowth (one-fourth) tax payment, as he did in other distant parts of the Mughal dominions in western India.Since the Marathas stood no chance of driving them off, there is negotiation conducted by Afzal’s trusted envoy Krishnaji Shastry. Shivaji would make a token recognition of Bijapur’s suzerainty and Afzal would leave Shivaji in undisturbed possession of his forts. In making Shivaji’s personal submission, the two men meet at the foot of the Pratapgarh hill after supposedly dispensing with their individual attendants and weapons. When they embrace, Shivaji lethally sinks a hidden weapon into Afzal’s abdomen killing him, and leads the Marathas to victory.The Mughal army relentlessly harries every fort and captures Pune, Shivaji’s capital, where Shaista takes residence. As the ballad describes the events, Shivaji enters the heavily fortified city in disguise, crawls into Shaista’s bedroom, and injures him. Shaista escapes, and the raiders withdraw without plunder but the affair is a blow to Mughal pride.Breaking out of the hills in 1664, Shivaji leads his forces north into Gujarat and ransacks the great port of Surat for forty days, sparing only the well- defended English ‘factory’ (fortified warehouse). Aurangzeb now sends another large Mughal army, under the valorous Jai Singh who secures fort after fort. By 1665, Shivaji, cornered near Purandhar, sues again for terms. A sincere jai Sigh counsels Shivaji to combine Shakti (might) with Yukti (logic). jai Singh also advises him to travel to Agra to attend the emperor in person, and sends his son Ram Singh as a surety for Shivaji’s safety. Shivaji feels slighted at Aurangzeb’s court where his presence is barely acknowledged as a 5000-Mansabdar. After an angry encounter with the emperor, he is detained in a virtual house arrest. True to form, the mortified Shivaji escapes buried in a basket of confectionary and reaches Maharashtra unharmed.In 1674, Shivaji appoints himself as Chhatrapati (king) and remains an independent sovereign till his death in 1680, leaving a Maratha kingdom of great but ill-defined extent. In the early decades of the 18th century, the Marathas act collectively, but by 1740, the big Maratha families begin to peel away, although they recognise the authority of the Peshwa of Pune. In the wake of Ahmed Shah Abdali’s plunder of Delhi in 1756 and subsequent withdrawal, Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao pushes into the Punjab. But without the support of the Rajputs and Jats, the political advantage is lost and the Marathas go under decisively to Abdali’s Afghan army at Panipat in 1761.As Nehru comments, the Panipat defeat of the Marathas weakened them no end, just when the British East India Company was emerging as an important territorial power of India.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 39: Company Bahadur PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 39: Company BahadurWith Amrish Puri as Raza Khan, Jalal Agha as Robert Cave , Tom Alter as Sykes, Rajendra Gupta as Raja Nandkumar, Richard Lane-Smith as Middleton, and C.R. Woodward as Johnson. The dancers are Hemswarna Mirajkar and Yuvak Biradari.Nehru observed that the hundred years that followed the death of Aurangzeb in 1707 saw a complicated and many-sided struggle for mastery over India. The Mughal Empire rapidly fell to pieces and their Subehdars (viceroys) and Mansabdars (governors) began to function as semi-independent rulers. The real protagonists for power in India during the 18th century were four: two Indians factions - the Marathas, Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan in the south; two foreign factions - the British and the French.Nehru further observes that in Bengal, Lord Clive, with treason and forgery, won the battle of Plassey in 1757, a date that marks the unsavoury beginning of the British empire in India. This was followed by another and more decisive win at the battle of Buxar between the British and the deposed Mir Qasim in alliance with the emperor Shah Alam and the Nawab of Awadh in 1764, and all that remained of the Mughal power in northern India was shattered.The drama unfolds with the rapid succession of Nawabs of Bengal to the now titular Raja Nanda Kumar. The successors are increasingly emasculated from their revenue-earning capacity by the Company and Clive now insists on a more skewed treaty for earnings from comprehensive taxation on all items other than salt. Not satisfied, Clive invites Raza Khan, an old hand from Nawab Alibardi Khan’s time, to join the top echelon. Nanda Kumar is confined to the capital Murshidabad while Clive has freedom of the commercial capital Kolkata, after the Company has extracted the highly-lucrative Diwani (revenue- administration) of Bengal-Bihar-Orissa.A scheming Clive is seen enjoying Kathak dance in typical period costume, while pressure is mounted for appointing British civilians for the junior revenue jobs at Nawab’s cost. A desperate Raza, wishing to plan for efficient revenue—machinery prevalent in Alibardi’s time is pushed to the wall. Incidents of British graft in Purnea and Dinajpur mount, and the exchequer is on the brink of bankruptcy. Protestations by Raza fall on deaf ears. As Nehru records, an early consequence of the British rule in Bengal and Bihar was a terrible famine, which ravaged the two provinces in 1770, killing over a third of the population of this rich, vast and densely-populated area.Warren Hastings appears on the scene and the signed document by Raza is now put to forged use by virtually blackmailing him, besides physically assaulting him surreptitiously. Hasting’s case against Raza is the last straw and the exalted man dies of a broken heart in 1791. Looking back over this period, Nehru says, it almost seems that the British succeeded in dominating India by a succession of fortuitous circumstances and lucky flukes. With remarkably little effort, they won a great empire and enormous wealth, which helped to make them the leading powerProducer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 35: Aurangzeb, Part I PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 35: Aurangzeb, Part IWith Om Puri as Aurangzeb, Sudhir Dalvi as Shah Jahan, Surekha Sikri as Jahan Ara, Ahmed Khan as Aquil Khan, Devendra Malhotra as Baba Lals Shah, Surendra Pal as Dara Shikoh, Ved Thapar as Shahbaz Khan, Sohaila Kapur Limaye as Roshan Ara, Shiv Sharma as Murad, Irfana Joshi as Mallika, and the script by Javed Siddiqi.Nehru remarked that Akbar’s empire spread far in north and south and his grand rule continued to evoke admiration all over Asia and Europe.The scene opens in 1656 with prince Aurangzeb, as Shah Jahan’s governor in Mughal Deccan, driving a hard bargain with Golconda’s queen. He demands a hefty indemnity, against acceptance of Mughal over- lordship by Golconda, which had put up a hard-fought resistance and colluded with Bijapur earlier. Their wealth had always been a preoccupation of the redoubtable Aurangzeb. But soon the interests of the empire and Deccan policy are subordinated to considerations of the succession. This happened under orders of Shah Jahan, at the behest of Dara Shikoh, Auragzeb’s eldest brother. The next year, exactly the same situation recurs when Aurangzeb invades Bijapur upon the death of Muhammad Adil Shah and Dara Shikoh intervenes anxious to thwart his brother’s chance of succeeding, Twice disappointed, Aurangzeb has to be content again with an indemnity plus territory.While Dara Shikoh is Shah Jahan’s favourite, his designated mouthpiece and heir, and the only Delhi-based contender with the reigns of imperial patronage in his hands, his one fault is that he is not an orthodox Muslim, As a scholar of some repute, he loves to consort with Sufis, Hindus and Christians. Shah Jahan is taken gravely ill in 1657. This information is willfully suppressed and Aurangzeb, already deeply frustrated, gets this news from his faithful sister Roshan-Ara. The suspicious Aurangzeb now fears the worst and writes to Dara, alleging suppression of the news of father’s death. The latter, preoccupied with a Kathak dance, is taken aback but being more interested in Peers and Fakirs, shows no inclination to take up the cudgels of the empire.Meanwhile, the rumour of the emperor’s death, or incapacity, spreads and the scare is enough to send the potential successors to arms. While the shrewd Aurangzeb bides his time, Prince Shuja, another brother and governor of Bengal, is quickly in the field after a hasty coronation. The youngest brother, Murad, follows suit in Gujarat anointed by Gujarati priests. However, on getting a conciliatory letter from Aurangzeb in which a division of the empire is offered, Murad commiserates and joins forces with him. Dara’s desperate attempts to save the situation with the Emperor’s knowledge and sympathy from the other sister Jahan-Ara is of no avail, as Aurangzeb is still distrustful of his placatory missives. While Aurangzeb and Murad are spoiling for fight, Dara is unwilling to battle. He is still keen to abdicate in favour of Aurangzeb and join the ranks of Fakirs. Aurangzeb’s pretense that he and Murad are coming to see an ailing father wears too thin. With great reluctance, Dara prepares for war, initially protesting his relative inexperience and with eventual courage born out of his desperation.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 41: The Bengal Renaissance and Raja Rammohun Roy PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 41: The Bengal Renaissance and Raja Rammohun RoyWith Anang Desai as Rammohun Roy, Urmila Bhatt as Mother, Tom Alter as Derozio, Richard Lane-Smith as Edward Hyde East, John Holyer as Benfinck, Arjun Raina as Ram Kamal, Vishnu Sharma as Dwarakanath, Narayan Pati as Radhakant, Sankalp Dubey as Krishna Mohan, and Satish Kaushik as Ram Gopal. Playback is by Jolly Mukherjee, the consultant on Brahmo Samaj is Indrani Acharya, and the script is by Gulan Kripalani.Nehru observes that as the British became dominant in India as the foremost global power, they represented a new historic force that ushered in many changes inducted from the West. Bengal witnessed and experienced these agrarian, technical, educational and intellectual changes long before any other region of India, as it had a clear 50 years of British rule before it spread over wider areas. In the 18th century, a towering personality arose in Bengal, Raja Rammohun Roy, who combined in himself the old learning and the new. More than a scholar he was a reformer and tried to reform his own faith, ridding it of evil practices like Sati, that were associated with it.The drama opens with a hapless girl being dragged to the funeral pyre of her dead husband. Rammohun discovers to his horror that it was his sister-in-law, just widowed, who had committed Sati with his mother’s tacit approval. Revolting against the cruel custom, he calls for a gathering of scholars, where he forcefully argues against it and calls it murder quoting religious treatises. They vow to spread the message to schools and colleges against Sati and Koolin polygamy that makes several women widows at one stroke. There is immediate social repercussion from the orthodox community, forcing Rammohun to resign from the membership of Hindu College, which he had founded. The movement, however, spreads and the British educational evangelist, Derozio, supports it along with protests against child-marriage.Deeply versed in Indian thoughts and philosophy, a scholar in Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic and adept in Greek, Latin and Hebrew besides English, Rammohun proves a formidable force against the diehard orthodoxy spearheaded by Radha Kanta Deb and forges ahead against idolatry of Hinduism and resolves to establish a monistic Brahmo Sabha. He also persuades a reluctant William Bentinck, the British Viceroy, to persuade the Press to support the reformist movement. We hear the new Brahmo Sabha singing choral Dhrupad to praise one God and to profess egalitarianism against all castes and creeds. Rammohun proceeds to translate the Upanishads into Bengali to spread religious awareness.Against stiff resistance, even from within his family, Rammohun carries on with the reformist movement, when Radha Kanta Deb’s group puts up contrary petitions to the Privy Council. Derozio’s drive for modern education, with readings from his inspiring poetry in the Hindu College, also gathers momentum, but he himself gets expelled. Rammohun decides to travel to England to carry his message in the teeth of opposition against sea-voyage. Meanwhile, Bentinck legally prohibits Sati and Rammohun has the additional task of countering the mass petitions. He never returns from England, dying there in 1833.Nehru concludes that the spread of new knowledge continued till the 20th century and Bengal played a dominant role in British Indian life.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 40: Tipu Sultan PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 40: Tipu SultanWith Salim Ghouse as Tipu Sultan, Tom Alter as Dubuke, Vijay Kashyap as Purnaiyya, Ravi Jhankal as Mir Sadiq, Aparajita Krishna as Ruqqaya, John Holyer as Weliesly, Brian Canavan as Cornwallis, Declan Hill as Stuart, S.C. Makheeja as Mahadji Shinde, Lalit Tiwari as Announcer, and the script is by Javed Siddiqi.There is an opening panorama of several Impressionist paintings showing, as Nehru observes, the 1st to 4th Mysore Wars towards the closing years of the 18th century fought by Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan. They were formidable adversaries, who inflicted severe defeat on the British and came near to breaking the power of the East India Company. In the scene, we see Haider on his deathbed extracting promises from son Tipu to continue resistance to the British and motivate men to draw inspiration from the American War of Independence. If they could defeat the English, why not us? Upon Haider’s demise in 1783, Tipu symbolically forsakes the throne until the last rites and concentrates on organising joint efforts to drive the British out. For this purpose, he sends envoys to the Peshwa Nana Sahib of the Marathas, the Nizam of Hyderabad and Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula of Oudh. With remarkable prescience, he plans to mobilise foreign powers too against his adversary by sending missions to the Ottoman Sultan of Turkey in Constantinople and to King Louis XVI of France in Versailles.While, on the home front, he attempts to re-organise the governance of his kingdom on systematic basis, his joint efforts prove futile with Nana Sahib refusing to trust him and the Nizam openly preferring the English to Tipu. His overtures abroad in Turkey come to nothing and Louis XVI, despite professing friendliness, sends only skilled technicians and gardeners but no army. Tipu, outnumbered and outgunned, is faced with a treaty on humiliating terms - an eight-figure indemnity, the surrender of half his territories, and British custody of his two sons, aged only 8 and 10, as surety.Unexpectedly the terms are all complied with by the ‘Tiger of Mysore’ and while he is busy restoring his truncated kingdom to an enviable prosperity, there is an extenuating fact that the victorious Napoleon has made no secret of his design on the British in India. Governor General Wellesley hails Napoleon’s correspondence with Tipu as the needed pretext to lay siege on Mysore. Srirangapatnam is stormed and sacked with devilish ardour. Tipu fights bravely to the end, is betrayed and goes down with a rare show of bravery along with some 9000 Mysore troupes.Nehru notes that Tipu’s final defeat in 1799 by the British left the field clear for the final contest between the Marathas and the British East India Company. Every other ruler acknowledged the influence of one or the other. While the Nizam bought permanent peace by ceding territory, the Marathas, after some notable initial victories over the British, were finally crushed by 1818 and accepted the overlordship of the East India Company. The British then became the unchallenged sovereign of a great part of India, governing the country directly or through puppet princes.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 42: 1857, Part I PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 42: 1857, Part IWith Om Puri as Soldier 1, Ravi Jhankal as Soldier 2, Murlidhar as Soldier 3, Piyush Mishra as Soldier 4, Ratna Pathak-Shah as Rani of Jhansi, Anjan Shrivastava as Wajid Ail Shah, Tom Alter as Colonel Smyth, John Holyer as Colonel Outram, Mohan Gokhale as Vishnu Pant, C.V. Kamerkar as Krishnji Pant, and Pankaj Berry as Mangal Pandey. Playback is by Murlidhar and Karsan Sangathia, and the script is by Iqtidar Alam Khan.Nehru notes that, after nearly 100 years of British rule, the Bengal peasantry was devastated by famine and crushed by new economic burdens, while the new intelligentsia looked to the West and hoped for progress coming through English liberalism, as also in Western and Southern India. But in the upper provinces, the people generally suffered from the rapacity and ignorance of the officials of the East India Company. Absolute power over vast numbers of people had turned their heads and they suffered no check or hindrance.The scene opens with two Brahmins preparing to leave for the capital to meet Ahalyabai Holkar, Malwa, in anticipation of her benevolence. While availing of the Brahmins‘ frugal hospitality, the Indian Sipahi group’s music apprises them of the many changes wrought by the British, who wield the ‘trader’s balance in one hand and the martial sword in the other’, and about the ouster of Indian lords taking place in Orissa, Bihar and Tanjore. The drama shows the Queen of Jhansi being capitulated to Major Elise of the British against a paltry pension and abode in the Gwalior fort.The music narrates the agony in Bengal and then the breaking point - how cartridges of the new rifle are being greased with a tallow, probably containing both pigs‘ and cows’ fat and how these cartridges need to be bitten open with the teeth, thus defiling faiths of both Hindus and Muslims. The dramatic event of the Sepoy, Mangal Pandey articulating the protest, being gunned down in full view of others and becoming the first martyr proves the last straw.At Meerut, a particularly insensitive British command court-martials 85 troopers for refusing to use suspect cartridges and then publicly humiliates them in front of the entire garrison. Next day, their comrades—in-arms rise to free them, break into the armoury and begin massacring the local European community. After some initial hesitation about Lucknow or Kanpur, the mutineers head for Delhi and seek out the higher authority of the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar. Already 82 years old and having neither subjects nor troops, the effete king first hesitates, but finally endorses the insurgents‘ cause. With the Mughal co- option, the regimental mutiny acquires the character of political revolt whose legitimacy as the rightful representative of the old order, is no doubt superior to the challenged British regime.As the events of 1857 unmistakably show, the old order was being restored : ⇧Contents⇧ : Bahadur Shah was appointing a governing council; Oudh had erupted; Kanpur had fallen; and Agra, Allahabad, Varanasi and Gwalior seethed with dissent. The symbolic feudal head in Delhi was a good enough rallying point for one and all.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 34: Golden Hind PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 34: Golden HindWith Vijay Arora as Jehangir, Sudhir Kulkarni as Shanticlas, Charan Saluja as Tapidas, Siraj Khan as Hari Vaishya, Ashish Duggal as Qilij Khan, John Holyer as Thomas Roe, Jean Maneckjee as Admiral Saldana, and Mushtaq Khan as Asaf Khan.Nehru notes that in Jehangir and Shah Jahan’s time, the ‘Grand Moghuls’ were so well established that it attracted trade and commerce from far and wide - Iran, Iraq, Egypt and other outlying countries. Meanwhile, the Europeans also came to the western coast. From their port of Bassein, the Portuguese had acquired an adjacent trickle of islands (including Ban Bahia, or Bombay), which afforded good shelter for their shipping and, later on, extracting ‘protection money’ from the Indian merchants for letting their goods reach the Red Sea by affording naval security. During Jehangir‘s time, the British navy defeated the Portuguese in Indian seas and Sir Thomas Roe, an ambassador of James I of England, presented himself at court in 1615 and succeeded in getting permission to start ‘factories’: starting with Surat and then founding Madras in 1639. The drama unfolds these entangled trading phenomena.We find the Surat traders’ guild discussing seriously about their linkages with the Portuguese vis-a-vis the Ahmedabad traders who seem to be opposed to paying the ‘protection money’, and the emerging English naval power. They are unwilling to get involved with the warfare for the sea-power among the Europeans and wish to concentrate on trade by placating whosoever is in control of the high seas. When a particularly nefarious Portuguese agent is slain anonymously, the matters reach a head and the Portuguese obstruct the imperial merchandise. Shanti Das, the chief of the guild, gets panicky at this affront to the royalty and takes the matter to Agra, where he gets to know about the latest machinations of the English.While prince Khurram, in charge of the west coast, is afraid of enraging the well-entrenched Portuguese, Shanti Das’s guild, true to their business instincts, want to remain clear of the European power-conflict, as long as their merchandise of assuredly high quality reaches safe to the Red Sea ports. Roe‘s hobnobbing at Jehangir’s court is for nothing short of undisputed rights of passage against the Portuguese. Jehangir, in turn, is keen on getting good gifts like the English horses, although the perilous sea-journey could kill the bulk of the animals in transit. Presenting clear evidence of their superior naval power and offering supply of sophisticated weapons, Roe wins the day.Nehru comments that although the British now controlled the sea- routes and practically drove away the Portuguese (except for Goa), this bore no significance for the Mughal rulers or their advisers. When the Mughal Empire was visibly weakening during Aurangzeb’s reign, the British made an organised bid to increase their possessions by war in 1685, but were defeated. Even then, the overflowing energies of Europe were spreading out in India and the east, just when India’s political and economic condition was rapidly declining to forestall the new upsurge.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 37: Shivaji, Part I PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 37: Shivaji, Part IWith Naseeruddin Shah as Shivaji, Achyut Potdar as Shahfi, Anang Desai as Dadoji Konddeo, Sunila Pradhan as Jiiabai, Mahendra Raghuvanshi as Bajirao, Chandrakant Kale as Shridhar Pant, and Ravindra Sathe as Sampat Rao. Playback by Ravindra Sathe, Chandrakant Kale, and Madhuri Purandhare. Script by Govind P. Deshpande.Nehru notes that during the declining years of the Mughal Empire, there was a ferment of revivalist sentiment, which was a mixture of religion and nationalism. When a great empire was breaking up and many adventurers, Indian and foreign, were trying to carve out principalities for themselves, it was not nationalism at all in its present sense. An equally important factor was the cracking up of the economic structure and repeated peasant uprisings, some of them on a big scale. The Marathas, especially, had a wider conception, a principle of national attachment which united their chiefs as in one common cause. In the growth and consolidation of the new Maratha power, Shivaji, born in 1627, became the symbol of a resurgent Hindu nationalism.The scene opens with a dialogue between a fort-keeper beholden to his task and a fellow storyteller who recounts the glory, valour and inspirational leadership evinced by Shivaji. The folk-poet Srivallabh’s balladic songs re-create the halcyon days of Shivaji. Bereaved son of Shahuji and brought up by Dadaji Konde, he has begun collecting complaints in his Jagir from the oppressed peasants, harassed by the marauding soldiers of both Mughals and Adilshahi kingdom of Bijapur. Shivaji has the highest regard for his widowed-motherjijabai and takes oath, under her guidance, at the hill- top temple of ‘Mata Bhavani’, to revive Hindu kingship at a time of awesome and orthodox Muslim supremacy.The ballads relate how Shivaji pines to break away from the shackles of the Bijapur thralldom and chalks out a daring strategy to capture forts in the Western Ghats and along the adjacent Konkan coast. To start with, it is ‘assault’, not ‘conflict’ of Purandhar fort, as a test case. He appeals to a rival Chieftain Shankaraji to use his energy and courage, and become the fort-keeper. The ploy succeeds and an ally is born. There is a round of thanks-giving prayers at the Bhavani temple.Nehru comments that while the empire was rent by strife and revolt, the new Maratha power thus began growing in western India. As an ideal guerrilla leader of hardened mountaineers whose cavalry could go far and wide, Shivaji drew inspiration from the classics and traditions to build up the Marathas as a strong fighting group, gave them a nationalist background, and made them into a formidable fighting force.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 33: Akbar, Part II PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 33: Akbar, Part IIWith Kulbhushan Kharbanda as Akbar, Ila Arun as Jodhabai, Vijay Arora as Salim, Pankaj Berry as Abul Fazal, Vinod Rathod as Tansen, Surendar Pal as Man Singh, Aparajita as Salima, and Ranajay Bahadur as Azeez Koka.Nehru mentions that Babur is an attractive person, bold and adventurous, fond of art and literature. Akbar, his grandson, is even more adventurous and had greater qualities, daring and reckless, an able general, and yet gentle and compassionate, an idealist and a dreamer, but also a man of action and a leader of men who roused passionate loyalty in his followers. No wonder, he had a brilliant reign, under which the Mughal Empire flourished the most.In the ensuing drama, we see Akbar in the sunset years of his life, missing some of his intimate courtiers like Birbal. He diverts his mind by listening to Mian Tansen extolling raga Mian-ki Malhar. He suddenly takes ill and poisoning is suspected, as Akbar’s many conquests are now overshadowed by rivalry and rebellion. In Salim’s camp, the prince is reluctant to quell the unrest in Bengal, despite Raja Man Singh’s exhortation. Instead, he proceeds to Allahabad to be near Agra, the seat of power. Akbar is surprised at this move and also worried about the unrest in Ahmadnagar. He sends Abdur Rahim there to support prince Murad. The unconcerned Murad is immersed in wine and alcohol, and Akbar tries to retrieve the situation by calling him back.Akbar is seen enjoying Tansen’s rendering of raga Jai Jaiwanti when he hears the news of Murad’s demise, brought by Abul-Fazl from Deccan. The bereaved king seeks solace from queen Jodhabai by presenting her a portrait of Murad. At the cost of enraging Akbar, Salim proceeds to Agra with a large army and, in a blatant assumption of Indian sovereignty, has his own genealogy inscribed on an Ashoka pillar, Abul-Fazl, sent to deal with the prince, is murdered. Akbar receives the sad news while listening to Tansen’s soothing raga Darbari Kanada. While Jodhabai remonstrates with him to control Salim, the latter’s rare encounter with the father results in Salim getting resoundingly slapped and being interned. Akbar’s extra indulgence for his eldest grandson Khusrau over Salim’s head gets unstuck and there is no counting on the third son Daniyal either. Salim furtively resorts to alcoholism again. The rest is painfully brief, with a critically-ill Akbar breathing his last, while hearing Tansen’s raga Bhairavi in the background and a joyous Salim assuming the throne. The visuals capture the panorama of Akbar’s monumental architecture of Fatehpur Sikri and Buland Darwaza.Nehru concludes that Akbar, in his long reign from 1556-1605, had erected edifices that lasted for another 100 years, in spite of inadequate successors.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 31: Rana Sanga, Ibrahim Lodi and Babur PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 31: Rana Sanga, Ibrahim Lodi and BaburWith Lalit Tiwari as Babur, Anang Desai as Ibrahim Lodi, Ravi Jhankal as Rana Sanga, Devendra Malhotra as Ajjaji, Surender Sharma as Dilawar Khan, Mahendra Raghuvanshi as Makan, Navtej Hundal as Tardi Beg, Ashok Banthia as Prithviraj, and Adil Rana as Miyan Kakkar. Playback by Murlidhar and Jasvinder Singh. Songs composed by Kuldip Singh.As Nehru observes, while Vijaynagar was flourishing in the south and the petty sultanates reigned in Delhi in the 14th and 15th centuries, there were individual strongholds of Orissa, Bengal and Awadh in the east, and Gujarat, Malwa and Rajasthan in the west. In the and Babur north, however, the Turkish, Afghan and Moghul conquests resulted in rapid development of India’s contacts with Central and Western Asia. Babur, a prince of the Timurind line, established himself on the throne of Delhi in 1526 and his frank diary Babur-Nama remains a graphic guide to his tempestuous times in India.Under Rana Kumbha of Mewar, the great plateau of capital Chittor was fortified. Drawing upon James Tod’s Annal and Antiquities of Rajasthan, the curtain opens on Mewar where the princes Prithviraj, Jaimal and Sangram Singha (later Rana Sanga), sons of King Raimal, are seen heading for a remote-dwelling Yogin to foretell their royal destiny. With the prophecy favouring Rana Sanga, the braggart Prithviraj eliminates Jaimal and attacks and injures Rana Sanga. Prithviraj is consequently banished from the kingdom, yielding the throne to Rana Sanga. Even with a single hand and a single leg, Rana Sanga is fiercely patriotic and contemplates power beyond Ibrahim Lodi in Delhi by inviting Babur.Babur, on receiving the missive from Rana Sanga, launches his successful bid in 1525 with a highly mobile force and with the new gunpowder technology. There have been terminal rivalries after the death of the powerful king Sikander Lodi, amidst his son and successor Ibrahim Lodi in Delhi and his sibling in Jaunpur. In 1526, Babur’s army meets Ibrahim Lodi’s troops with the latter’s advantage of 10:1 at Panipat and wins through a superior strategy by attacking on the two flanks as well as from behind, turning the enemy’s bulk into his disadvantage.Rana Sanga, who had encouraged Babur to invade, simply hoped for a Lodi rout and then a Mughal withdrawal, leaving the coast clear for his own ambitions. As the song of Guru Nanak conveys, Babur’s final coming to India was a matter of moral degradation for India. He moves out to give battle, amidst unfavourable soothsaying, defection of forts and a desertion of Indian recruits. He turns on the Rajputs, though much superior in number, at Khanua and has a fiercely-contested fight, relying, on semi-fortified arrangement of ditches and chained carts interspersed with artillery and matchlock-men. According to Tod’s Annals, defeat results from treachery, making Sanga retreat and leaving the Mughals supreme in the heartland of North India.After winning his spurs at Panipat and Khanua, Babur sends Humayun, his favourite eldest son and designated heir, to Afghanistan. When told that Humayun is ill, he offers his own life and takes to bed, never to get up again. He is buried in his favourite garden in Kabul.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 32: Akbar, Part I PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-03 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 32: Akbar, Part IWith Kulbhushan Kharbanda as Akbar, Virendra Sexena as Birbal, Harish Patel as Todar Mai, Rajesh Vivek as Sheikh Mubarak, Pankaj Berry as Abul Fazai, Irfan Khan as Badayuni, Puneet Issar as Rana Pratap, S.P. Dubey as Abdul-Nabi, Surendar Pal as Man Singh, Arun Bakshi as Atga Khan, and Ayub Khan as Munim Khan.As Nehru noted, Babur died within four years of his coming to India and much of his time was spent in fighting and laying out a splendid capital in Agra. Hankering for Central Asia, Babur had won an empire in India; scorning Central Asia, Humayun lost the whole empire in India. Humayun encountered Sher Shah Suri, a well-prepared Afghan contender for sovereignty and, in the ensuing tussle in 1540 near Kanauj, he barely escaped with his life, but the Mughal troops were decimated. Humayun became a fugitive. The enthroned Sher Shah Suri had a short reign, installing energetic administrative reforms with excellent roads, horse-backed postal systems and stylised monuments. His remarkable reign came to an end in 1545 with his death.By 1555, Humayun reclaimed Delhi, but stumbled to his death next year. His son Akbar, barely 13, came out of the seraglio where he was under protection of uncle Bayram Khan, as regent, and reigned from 1556-1605. Drawing from Abul-Fazl’s imperial memoir Akbar-Nama, we see scenes of market prices being controlled (with Akbar intervening incognito). The young king proceeds to marry Jodhabai, the Rajput princess of Amber, and abolishes the discriminating Jaziya tax on the Hindus. As Nehru observes, Akbar surrounds himself with a group of brilliant men devoted to him and his ideals among whom are famous brothers Abul-Fazl and Fyzee, humorist Birbal, the trusted Rajput Raja Man Singh and the valiant general Abdul Rahim Khankhana.But the quarrel continues with the orthodox Ulemma, to whom the Sufi saint Sheikh Mubarak is hauled up. While most Rajput chiefs are amalgamated in the imperial system of broad-based Omrah (nobility), Rana Udai Singh of Mewar, and his valorous son Pratap Singh, prove recalcitrant, notwithstanding Man Singh’s honest persuasions. Akbar lays a punitive siege of Chittor, but despite the defeat at Haldighat, and flight of Udai Singh and Pratap Sigh to sanctuary in the hills Chittor is never re-occupied.As Nehru states, his royal court became a meeting place, almost an Ibadatkhana (prayer-hall), every Friday, for men of all faiths and those who had new ideas or inventions. His tolerance of views and his encouragement of all kinds of beliefs and opinions, including Sufism, angered some of the more orthodox Muslims like the Sayyads. Included in Akbar’s theological forays are, as we find, Portuguese priests. In 1580, the padres hastened from Goa confident of the most sensational conversion of all times! In the event, they are disappointed as were all other disputants.Akbar’s quest for spiritual enlightenment was to seek a faith that would satisfy the needs of his realm as well as his conscience. As a result, he came up with a new religious order Din-E-Ilahi. The cultural amalgamation of Hindu and Muslim in north India took a giant step forward, with Akbar as popular with the Hindus as with the Muslims.Producer DoordarshanLanguage HindiCreditsUploaded by Public.Resource.OrgBased on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of IndiaWith Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal NehruOm Puri as the NarratorProduced and Directed by Shyam BenegalChief Assistant Director was Mandeep KakkarExecutive Producer Raj PlusScript by Shama Zaldi and Sunil ShanbagA production of Doordarshan
Bharat Ek Khoj 29: Feudalism in India PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-02 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 29: Feudalism in IndiaWith Salim Ghouse as Ramaraya, Ila Arun as Heggaditi, Pallavi Joshi as Mallige, Siraj Khan as Saguna, Ajay Kumar as Achyutadevaraya, Vijayan Nair as Pedda Tirumala, Vijay Rani Nair as Varadamba, Sudhir Kulkarni as Selappa, and Bhupendra Sandhu as Javara.Nehru recounts that while India had widespread monarchy, the hold of its power differed from that of European feudalism where the king had the authority over all persons and things within his domain. In a hierarchy of authority, both the land and the people belonged to the feudal lord. In India, in contrast, the king had the right only to collect taxes from the land and the revenue-collecting power was all he could delegate to others. Thus, the individual peasant paid his due to the aristocrat revenue-collector who, in turn, paid it to the king.The scenario opens with a bullock-cart race, which the common man is hugely enjoying. Enacting episodes from Masti’s Kannada novel Mallige, the landless labourer, Saguna, and his fiancee are accosted by the revenue-collector’s wife who lords over them, having fixed Mallige’s marriage somewhere else. The Iovelorn couple takes recourse to a holy Swamiji who advises prudence and declines to intervene. Undeterred, they pursue Swamiji to his urban ashram and he now advises them not to go against the lady for six months. The lady still insists on getting Mallige settled after five months, when the desperate couple catches hold of the Naik, the higher intermediary and seeks his intervention, which finally comes.The scene shifts to the declining Vijaynagar Empire and its decadent feudalism. Rama Raya, Krishna’s powerful son-in-law, thwarts Achyuta Deva Raya, royal treasurer and the nominated successor of Krishna Deva Raya, in his aspiration for the throne. Trouble is brewing in Chudamandal under Udaya Varman and needs to be subjugated. In the ensuing battle under Achyuta Raya, the ace rebel Shilappa is taken prisoner. Achyuta dies in 1542.Nehru notes that amidst all these internecine feuds, the peasant is unaffected, as there is no advantage in dispossessing him. The twin concepts of landlord system as well as full ownership by the individual peasant of his patch of land were both introduced much later by the British and had disastrous results.
Bharat Ek Khoj 28: The Vijayanagar Empire PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-02 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 28: The Vijayanagar Empire With Om Puri as Krishnadevaraya, Salim Ghouse as Ramaraya, Anjan Srivastava as Appaji, Richard Lane-Smith as Father Luiz, Fr. Tasso as Domingo Paes, K.K. Raghuvanshi as the Ambassador, Ajay Kumar as Achyutadevaraya, and Muneera Surati as Mother.Nehru records how, late in the 14th century, Timur Lang, the Turk, swooped down from the north and smashed up the Delhi Sultanate. After this terrible affliction, North India remained weak and divided into small potentates. But South India was comparatively well off with Vijaynagar as the largest and most powerful of the southern kingdoms. This state and the city attracted many Hindu refugees from the north. From contemporary accounts, it appears that the city was incredibly rich and beautiful. Said Abdur-Razzak, a traveller from Central Asia: The city is such that eye has not seen nor ear heard of any palace resembling it upon the whole earth. There were arcades and magnificent galleries for the bazaars, and rising above them all was the palace of the king, surrounded by many rivulets and streams flowing through channels of cut stone, polished and even…With splendid aerial views of Vijaynagar, we can hear Nehru approvingly quoting Domingo Paes, the Portuguese visitor who came in 1522 AD after visiting the Italian cities of the Renaissance: The city of Vijaynagar is as large as Rome and very beautiful to the sight; it is full of charm and wonder: with its innumerable lakes and waterways and fruit gardens. It is the best-provided city in the world and everything abounds. The chambers of the palace are a mass of ivory, with roses and lotuses carved in ivory at the top; it is so rich and beautiful that you would hardly find anywhere another such…In the ensuing drama, Krishna Deva Raya is seen occupying the throne after some palace intrigues upstaging the aspirant Achyuta Deva Raya. Nehru quotes Paes: He is the most feared and perfect king that could possibly be, cheerful of disposition and very merry: he is one that seeks to honour foreigners, and receives them kindly, asking about all their affairs whatever their condition may be. We witness the king watching classical Kuchipudi dance presenting Mandodari Sabdam and eulogising Ravana in the same breath as the King and confabulating on expanding the northern boundaries to Bijapur. To ‘honour the foreigners’ is evidenced in receiving the Portuguese delegation and their gifts. Deals are struck with their Governor Albuquerque of Goa to procure horses and guns, beside trade relations, in preference to the Arab trade for horses.Events noted in the Portuguese diary are: retention of an outstanding swordsman from Malaysia for training the infantry and arrangements made with Albuquerque to get Portuguese expertise for improving Vijaynagar’s water distribution system. Bijapur is subjugated and so is Kalinga, with the latter’s prince held captive. In the widespread kingdom, many temples are built with the king emerging to represent godhead. The haughty Kalinga prince’s duel with the Malaysian swordsman results in the former’s defeat, followed by suicide. Bijapur’s recalcitrant rebel Adil Khan is subjugated. The ageing king is taken ill and his attempts to fix the succession issue prove futile, with the vast empire showing signs of decay. Even when the Deccan kings began teaming up among themselves, the sprawling empire refused to read the signs on the wall.
Bharat Ek Khoj 30: The Fall of Vijayanagar PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-02 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 30: The Fall of VijayanagarWith Salim Ghouse as Ramaraya, Anang Desai as Effendi Aslam Baig, Pankai Berry as Ibrahim Qutub Shah, Ahmed Khan as Hussain Nizam Shah, Arjun Raina as Ali Adil Shah, Raniana Gaur as Tirumalamba, and Rakesh Dhar as Tirumala.As Nehru notes, in the sunset years of the Hindu kingdom of Vijaynagar, it faced the Bahmani kingdom in the other great state of Gulbarga. The latter is now slit into five states: Bijapur, Golconda, Bidar, Berar and Ahmednagar. There are ample incidents for the involvement of the sultanates in the Vijaynagar succession and vice versa. To enhance his chances, Rama Raya seeks the aid of Bijapur. In fact, Rama Raya seen as a consummate intriguer is safely ensconced as a regent and proceeds to pursue a tortuous policy of advancing Vijaynagar’s frontiers by exploiting the rivalries among Bijapur, Golconda and the other Bahmani successors.As the events here show, Rama Raya succeeds in fomenting mutual enmities only too well. During 20 years of complex intrigues where Rama Raya believes in making personal appearances rather than sending emissaries, loyal or otherwise, he provokes the sultanates to such an extent that they come to fear for their very survival. He invites, for instance, Adil Shah of Bijapur and entertains him to a spectacular torch- fire dance, before professing fraternal affection for him. This immediately sows discord against Bijapur amongst other sultanates. It appears likely that Rama Raya occasionally outrages their Islamic sensibilities by intruding while ‘namaz’ is being offered by a sultan.Certainly, and fatally, Rama Raya overstretches those frayed loyalties on which Vijaynagar’s cohesion had depended. In the drama, this becomes evident when the four sultans from the Qutub Shahi, Nizam Shahi, Adil Shahi and Ibrahim Shahi clans patch up their differences and consolidate their gains by judicious inter-marriages in 1564. While Rama Raya refuses to pay heed to the ‘writing on the wall’ and remains blind in his faith in Vijaynagar’s superiority, the four sultans turn on him in concert. To meet the gathering storm, Rama Raya summons his Nayaks even from as far south as Madurai. Most do respond, but the Vijaynagar forces are, as seen in the battle scenes, catastrophically routed in the battle of Talikota in 1565. Rama Raya himself is wounded, a fact initially concealed to prevent loss of morale, but eventually beheaded, and the losses are colossal.The magnificent city of Vijaynagar, seen with its massive walls and ingeniously designed gatehouses is deserted and the Nayaks withdraw to their individual territories. Still the city, like the kingdom, appears to have suffered less from the conquering fanatics and more from the deepening internal crisis of authority paving the way, among others, for foreign invasions including those by the Portuguese from the high seas.
Bharat Ek Khoj 25: Delhi Sultanate Part II, Prithviraj Raso (II) & Alauddin Khilji PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-02 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 25: Delhi Sultanate Part II, Prithviraj Raso (II) & Alauddin KhiljiWith K.K. Raina as Shahabuddin Ghori, Vijay Kashyap as Chand Bardai, Achyut Potdar as Makwana, Ravi Jhankal as Prithviraj, Ahmed Khan as Mahmud Gazni, S.K. Makhija as Jaichand, Suman Dubey as Vasir, Nisha Singh as Sanyukta, Irfan Khan as Al-Beruni, and Salim Arif as Firdausi.We eavesdrop into the bedchamber of Prithviraj and his lovely bride having an idyllic union, with Samjukta serenading her lover. But the bliss is short-lived, as there are rumblings of war needing him to march out, but without any support from other kings due to his illicit affair. The Langa song narrates his fateful fight against Shahab-ud-Din Ghori once again when Prithviraj is defeated and held captive. There is no reciprocation of the earlier chivalrous treatment meted out to the Afghan Sultan, and the Rajput king is blinded and thrown into prison. He is repentant for neglecting his fighting skills by being immersed in dalliance. The song revives a legend that Prithviraj avails of an offer to hit his target blindfolded and strikes a fatal arrow on the Sultan’s heart by following his voice of command. Nehru muses that Prithviraj lost his life, throne and Delhi, the seat of empire all for the love of a woman. But his love story is still sung and he is a hero, while Jaichand is looked upon almost as a traitor.As noted by Nehru, Delhi passed into the hands of invaders and the throne was captured by the Slave dynasty ruler Qutb-ud-Din Aibak who started building the famous Qutb Minar. 1290 AD saw the end of the Slave dynasty and a great Afghan ruler, Alauddin Khilji, ascended the throne in Delhi. The Afghans, initially rigid in their faith, came as fierce warriors and made India their home and many of them even married Indian women. Alauddin himself married a Hindu lady, and so did his son.The unfolding drama shows how Alauddin plans with his minister to develop espionage network, watch the aristocrats and their social relationships like marriages and keep the army in battle-ready condition. On the economic front, he arranges control of prices and market norms for ‘profit plus’ for conducting business. On the religion front, mass conversions take place, as this helps the Hindus to avoid the vexatious Jiziya tax. The drama also shows the Sultan’s rapid reprisal system on receiving complaints of bribery and use of force, wherever called for. His policy helps in extracting largesse from Gujarat and South Indian kingdoms.
Bharat Ek Khoj 26: Delhi Sultanate, Part III, Padmavat & The Tughlak Dynasty PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-02 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 26: Delhi Sultanate, Part III, Padmavat & The Tughlak DynastyWith Om Puri as Alauddin Khilji Rajendra Gupta as Ratansen, Seema Kelkar as Padmavati, Vaishali Dandekar as Jogan S. M. Zaheer as Qazi, Rakesh Shrivastava as Raghav Chetan, Navtej Hundal as Sarja, Ragesh Asthana Gora, and Ajay Monga as Badal. Playback by Ila Arun, Manak Mandali, Shamsuddin, Chander Gandharva, and Ishwar Datt Mathur.Nehru notes that the Rajput forces of Chittor became weakened in the early 14th century as a result of Afghan plundering and dominance. The legend of the Afghan Sultan’s lust for the charming queen Padmavati of Chittor was a typical instance of morbid feudalism in operation, as recorded in Malik Mohammedjayasi‘s ‘Padmavat’.The dramatic saga starts with the particular misbehaviour of Tantrik Raghav Chetan who was expelled by Rana Ratansen of Chittor. Dying for revenge, he appears in Alauddin’s court and instigates him with tales of Padamvati’s beauty- no less than a heavenly fairy’s, apart from the five other ‘jewels’ of Chittor like the hunter-tiger and preying bird. Ratan Sigh rebuffs the usual messenger from the Sultan, demanding these assets, and the Chittor fort is laid siege upon by the mighty Afghan forces. When the Rana’s army gets depleted, the Rajasthani folkdance ‘Ghumar’ is arranged as a morale-booster. In order to save the army’s further shrinkage, Ratansen agrees to a compromise formula to meet the Sultan and allow him to see the queen from a distance to satisfy his curiosity. After the proverbial Rajput hospitality is availed of and the queen is appropriately viewed, the unsuspecting Rana is ensnared into Afghan captivity and brought to Delhi as prisoner.The entertainment in Alauddin’s court is on with a Kathak danseuse performing Padhant. Temptation of high reward brings the dancer incognito to Chittor, to coax the desperate queen to come to Delhi as a Yogin to rescue Ratansen. Gora and Badal, two faithful followers of Padmavati, save her from falling into the Sultan’s trap, reach Delhi, daringly free the Rana from bondage and gallop away on a waiting horse.Nehru moves on to Mohammad Bin Tughlaq who, too, had spread his empire far and wide like Alauddin’s. He ruled in the early 14th century and had along reign of 47 years. His son, Feroze Shah Tughlaq, one of the well-known Sultans of Delhi, had a Hindu mother and so did Ghyas-ud-Din Tughlaq. As recorded by Nehru, the Afghan rulers and their minions merged well with India. Their dynasties became completely Indianised with their roots in this country, looking upon India as their homeland, and the rest of the world as foreign.Nehru infers that it is wrong to talk about a Muslim invasion, as Islam did not invade India, it had come to India some centuries earlier. There was a Turkish invasion (Mahmud), and an Afghan invasion, and then a Mughal invasion. But the Afghans were from a border group, hardly strangers to India, and the period of their political dominance should be called the Indo-Afghan period.
Bharat Ek Khoj 27: Synthesis PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-02 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 27: SynthesisWith Pankaj Berry as Lorik, Aparajita as Krishna, Lubna Siddiqi as Chanda, Murlidhar as Bajur, Mahendra Raghuvanshi as Bantha, Alopi Verma as Roopchand, Amrik Gill as Mehar, Ashutosh Pathak as VBaman, and Poonam Jha as Brahaspati. Playback is by Kuldip Singh, Murlidhar, Jasvinder Singh, and Ratan Sharma. Songs composed by Kuldip Singh.Nehru refers to the effect of the Turk-Afghan conquest as twofold. On the one hand, those who remained in the Afghan-occupied territory became more rigid and exclusive retiring into their shells and trying to protect themselves from foreign influences. On the other hand, there was a gradual approach towards these foreign ways both in thought and life. A synthesis emerged especially in music, which, rooted in old Indian classical pattern, developed in many directions. The popular languages were also developed at the same time.The wave of Bhakti movement was spreading fast to remove caste and creed barriers. In the south, there was Sant Namdev who moved to the north and preached Bhakti to the common man through his lilting songs. Muslim mysticism and Sufism grew, one of whose most venerable Peers was Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer Sharif. One of his famous disciples was Amir Khusrau, a Turk who was a contemporary of Namdev in the 14th century. He was a poet of the first rank in Persian, the court language of the Afghans, and also a musician who introduced many innovations in the Indian classical ragas and musical instruments. We hear some of his Sufi songs and those of Mullah Daud during the time of Feroze Shah Tughlaq.In a romantic interlude, we listen to the Langa Singer playing on the Ravanhatta instrument describing to King Rupchand the ethereal beauty of one princess Chanda married to Vaman, but ignored and unhappy, and now back in her father’s fold. The musical narrative describes together with visuals how the handsome Lorik, shining like the sun, steals Chanda’s heart. Taking grave risks, Lorik climbs up a rope to Chanda’s chambers and after mutual passion, is reluctantly turned away. In the teeth of Vaman’s remonstrations, Lorik and Chanda cross the flooded river and move to the other shore to set up an idyllic abode. With the passage of time, the hapless Maina spends days and nights in sorrow and anger. The repentant Lorik eventually returns. A gracious Maina agrees to accept Chanda in the royal household, but the forlorn lady dies meanwhile of snakebite. Lorik, beside himself in grief, gives up his life in Chanda’s funeral pyre. The legends, ascribed to Mullah Daud, are sung with great gusto even today.Back to history, Nehru notes the Saint—poet Ramanand in the south in the 15th century and his still more famous disciple Kabir, a weaver of Banaras, who is professedly neither Hindu nor Muslim. Kabir’s poems and songs became, and are still, very popular crossing all religious barriers. After Kabir, Guru Nanak appears in the north as the venerated founder of Sikhism. We listen to some beautiful Shabads. The growing popular language, Hindi, was encouraged, and an attempt was made to forge symbiotic links between the religious faiths of the Hindus and the Muslims to bring about this synthesis.
Bharat Ek Khoj 21: Bhakti PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-02 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 21: BhaktiWith Vijay Kashyap as Mahendra Varman, Rajesh Vivek as Kapalik, Meeta Vashishth as Devsoma, Harish Patel as Buddhist Monk, Surendra Sharma as Unmattak, Anang Desai as Appar, Ashish Kotwal as Pashupat, and Akhil Mishra as Jain sage. Playback by S.R. Venkatesh, Rajan Easwaran, Sharad Jamhbekar, jolly Mukherjee, Hemant Kulkarni, and V. SaraswatiThe celebrated statue of Nataraja (dancing Shiva) is panned lovingly: his feet, arms, benign face and the evil figure firmly under his foot. Nehru gives the significance of the cosmic dance in Epstein’s words: Shiva dances, creating the world and destroying it, his large rhythms conjure up vast aeons of time and his movements have a relentless magical power of incantation … The accompanying Bhajan seeking direct communion with God is by Shankara, the great saint of the south, whom Nehru described as a man of amazing energy and vast activities - a combination of a philosopher and a scholar; an agnostic and a mystic; a poet and a saint; in addition, a practical reformer and an able organiser building up four great Maths (monasteries) at four far corners of India.By the 7th century, the devotional movement of Bhakti militating against the straitjacket of priesthood swayed through the south. We hear popular songs from Pathu-paattu (Ten Poems) addressed to Murugan (Kartikeya). We also witness the rise of the Bhakti poetry by Alvars, who compose, on Vishnu, large number of Prabandham (verses) that bridge the literary language of court and spoken language of common man.We see the powerful Pallava King Mahendravikram Varman being customarily eulogised in court. The king is a playwright too and his farcical play Mattavilasam is enacted, after a prologue, in his presence. Pouring scorn over the internecine quarrels among the orthodox Brahmins, Buddhists, Jains, Shaivites, Kapaliks (Shakti-worshippers) and Pashupats (sect of Shiva worshippers), the scene shows a burgeoning altercation between a drunkard Kapalik along with female ‘Shakti’ Devasoma and a capricious Buddhist monk, over the former’s lost begging-bowl and the appeal to a Brahmin to solve the dispute. They meet a madcap Pashupat on the way and the scene ends in a confused melee. The amused king consoles some of the indignant viewers that God is above all these sectarian divisions!By the 8th century, the major Nayanar Bhakti-poet Appar is seen singing devotional songs on Shiva, telling followers to always look within for one’s own God. The priests, who feels threatened, prevail upon the king Mahendra Varman to put Appar on a raft in the high seas. But the people rescue him and, when brought to the king, the saint-poet’s words and songs induce the king to follow his path. By the 12th century, the Shaivite reformist movement is seen spearheaded by the Karnataka poet Basavanna and there emerges Lingayat Sampradaya (community) carrying forward a great lyrical—philosophical tradition.By the 13th century, the momentum spreads to Maharashtra and saint jnaneshvar translates Bhagavata Gita into Marathi and people are seen singing in their own language: Adopt the religion of humanity and sing God’s name as you like. Then comes the great saint-poet Tukaram and his devotional Abhangs which are still sung echoing from village to village.
Bharat Ek Khoj 13: Ashoka, Part I PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-02 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 13: Ashoka, Part IWith Om Puri as Ashoka, K.K. Raina as Radhagupta, Ila Arun as Asandhimitra, Aparajita Krishna as Devi, Achyut Potdar as Sukhvihar Virendra Razdan as Bindusara, Maqsoom Ali as Tissa, Anang Desai as Vikrambhatt, Lalit Tiwari as Agivika, S.P. Dubey as Mahendrabhatt, Ravi Kemmu as the Monk, Jaspal Sandhu as Sushima, and Poonam Jha as Wife of Bidndusara.The scene opens in Ashoka’s many-pillared hall in his palace at Pataliputra (dug up in Nehru’s time in an incredible state of preservation). Ashoka, grandson of Chandragupta, succeeded to the great Magadha Empire around 273 BC. Already the empire included a far greater part of India and extended right into Central Asia. Of Ashoka Nehru quotes HG Wells approvingly : ⇧Contents⇧ : Amidst the tens of thousands of names and monarchs that crowd the columns of history … the name of Ashoka shines, and shines almost alone, a star. From the Volga to japan his name is still honoured. China, Tibet, and even lndia, though it has left his doctrine, preserve the tradition of his greatness…There is a discussion in the royal court of Bindusar about the wisdom of Ashoka continuing as a prince, as a viceroy in the north-western province of which Taxila, the university centre, was the capital. There is some confidential information on the incipient feud between the designated Yuvaraj (heir apparent) Sushima and Ashoka related to their incumbency to throne after the imminent demise of the ailing king. The prime minister assesses the espionage report on revolt in Taxila and sends Sushima there. Ashoka is at Ujjain meeting the business-leader there for possible support and obtaining his charming daughter for matrimony. There is an appeal for grant of land to build a Buddhist monastery which finds ready support with Ashoka, notwithstanding some Brahminical resistance. There are complaints about multiple taxation incurred by the business community which Ashoka solves gaining their confidence.The sick Emperor Bindusar is worried about quelling the Taxila unrest and is keen to call Sushima to Pataliputra to make him the heir-apparent. Ashoka anticipates the royal mind and ignoring a command to proceed to Taxila, turns up in the capital. By another sleight of hand, he declares himself as Raj-Pratinidhi (the royal representative) even before Sushima gets a chance. The feud for succession now hots up and the bed-ridden emperor can do precious little. By planning well ahead Sushima’s return route to Pataliputra is obstructed by an outwardly polite Ashoka and Sushima’s plot for a frontal attack next morning is nipped in the bud by a swift assassination. The other princes, who could possibly prove recalcitrant, are also swiftly eliminated The way of Ashoka to his gloried destination is appreciably clear.
Bharat Ek Khoj 15: The Sangam Period and Silappadikaram, Part I PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-02 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 15: The Sangam Period and Silappadikaram, Part IWith Pallavi Joshi as Kannagi, Rakesh Dhar as Kovalan, Anandi as Madhavi, Rekha Parmar as Mother. Choreography by Kanak Rele, Nalanda Nrityakala, Mahavidyalaya, Jayashree Nair, and Upasana Dance Akademi. Additional Play Back by Girishan, Geeta Eshwaran, Prem Kumar, Sethu Madhavan, Anitha Sheshadri, Shobha Ramchandran, S.R. Venkatesh, and Rajan Easwaran.Nehru noted that in South India, for more than 1000 years after the Mauryan Empire had shrunk and finally ceased to be, great states flourished. Unlike the virtually land—locked North India, Southern India was especially noted for its trade by sea. They were also sea-powers and their ships carried merchandise to may distant countries. In the south, Chola, Chera, Pandiya, Chalukya and Pallava Empires were coextensive, from before the first century onwards, with their counterparts in the north. Since repeated invasions in North India did not affect the South directly, they led indirectly to many people from the north moving south including builders and artists, craftsmen and A artisans. The south became a centre of old artistic traditions and remained a stronghold of ancient culture for centuries.The famous Sangam (confluence) literature providing a literary meeting point between the courts and the remote rural areas was a phenomenon of 4th to 1st century BC. With the resonant percussion playing of Mridangam, we witness some of the best Chola sculpture of statuettes and hear recitations of the Sangam poetry Agam verses of internalised romance and love; and Puram verses of ebullient ambience of festivities. Nehru cites the legend of the northern sage Agastya who went to south to establish bonds between the Aryan and Dravidian civilisations.Silappadikaram was the most famous Tamil epic from around the 2nd century BC, by Prince Ilango Adigal, that has its tale rooted in the ordinary lives from the Chera and Pandyan kingdoms, and provides rich cultural knowledge to understand both ancient and modern south Indian thinking. The merchant Kovalan is married to an extraordinarily beautiful Kannagi and they live in a haven of bliss, till Kovalan sees a vivacious courtesan Madhavi displaying her classical dance in Mohiniattam style, accompanied by Sopanam music and instruments of Vina and Edekka. Kovalan is mesmerised and cannot resist bidding 1000 gold-coins to win over Madhavi. When, after her enchanting dance in Dasiattam (present Bharatanatyam) style, Kovalan holds Madhavi in his arms, the whole world is forgotten, let alone the pining Kannagi at home. When eventually Kovalan returns to his place of trade, the bulk of customers have deserted his thriving business. Despite disappointment and occasional efforts to get Kovalan back Madahavi continues her dancing for other chants.Meanwhile a thoroughly repentant Kovalan returns home, all is forgiven by the faithful Kannagi and both set out for the far city of Madurai in search of new business opportunities.
Bharat Ek Khoj 14: Ashoka, Part-II PublicResourceOrg 2016-09-02 | Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of IndiaA Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service BroadcasterEpisode 14: Ashoka, Part-IIWith Om Puri as Ashoka, K.K. Raina as Radhagupta, Pankaj Beri as Town Crier, Nitin Kulkarni as Mahendra, Sadiya as Sanghmitra, Ila Arun as Asandhimitra, Aparajita Krishna as Devi, Achyut Potdar as Sukhvihar Virendra Razdan as Bindusara, Maqsoom Ali as Tissa, Anang Desai as Vikrambhatt, Lalit Tiwari as Agivika, and S.P. Dubey as Mahendrabhatt.Ashoka is now the Emperor and is relaxing with a Vina recital in court. There is an interruption by the Buddhist emissaries from Ujjain on a tiding of gratitude for the nearly-completed monastery. The fun-loving youngest prince Tissa is disrespectful to the visitors and makes matters worse by jocularly climbing on the imperial throne. The vexed Ashoka gives him capital punishment for the gross misdemeanour and mitigates it by granting a reprieve of seven days on the ‘throne’ with boundless merriment! Tissa, already under a Damocles’ sword, hardly enjoys the reprieve and, when finally pardoned, seeks solace in Buddhism.As Nehru notes, only the southeast and a part of the south were beyond the empire’s sway. The old dream of uniting the whole of India under one supreme government fired Ashoka. On the news of skirmishes against the business community by the small Kalinga- rulers and disruptions in trade, Ashoka mounted an all-out attack on Kalinga on the east coast and, despite brave resistance by the independent people of Kalinga, his armies triumphed. There was terrible slaughter in this war, as officially recorded in one of Ashoka’s edict, cited by Nehru: Kalinga was conquered. … 150,000 persons were thence carried away as captive; 100,000 were slain and many times that died. … Thus arose His Sacred Majesty’s remorse for having conquered the Kalinga, because the conquest of a country previously unconquered involves the slaughter, death and carrying away captive of the people. That is a matter of profound sorrow and regret…A highly penitent Ashoka, goes out to re-call his missing brother Tissa. Travelling over hills and dales, the emperor locates Tissa’s monastery, but the monk-brother declines to return, saying he has discovered the ultimate Truth in his new reclusive life under Buddha’s teaching. Ashoka dons monk’s robe himself and both brothers devote themselves to the spread of Tathagata’s gospels of righteousness and goodwill. Ashoka creates public works for the people by digging wells, building roads and hospitals, and planting trees. He creates a unique communication system, by issuing numerous edicts carved in rock and metal spread out all over India. These edicts that are still with us, exhort the cause of education, show respect for all faiths, prohibit animal sacrifice and encourage abstention from alcoholic drinks. Above all, he makes himself available at any hour and at any place to work for the commonwealth.As we see, an ardent Ashoka sends his own son and daughter, Mahendra and Sanghamitra, to Sri Lanka conveying his greeting and Buddha’s message. Nehru records how his ambassadors went to Syria, Egypt, Macedonia, Cyrene and Epirus making an appeal to the mind and the heart. There was no compulsion. His messengers went to Central Asia also, beside Myanmar and Cambodia. Because of the growth of foreign contacts and missionary enterprises trade between India and other countries also grew.
