sridhar@tekchips.UUCP (S Sridhar) (02/02/86)
Yesterday (Sat , feb 1), there was an amazing 2-hr show entitled
Our Finite World: India. It was aired on CNN at 9 PM (Pacific time).
I thought it was very nicely produced. It was produced by Turner
Broadcasting Systems and in a gripping 2 hour period gave more
than just a kaleidescopic (sp?) view of the myriad facets of the
Indian scene. The narrator was Ben "Gandhi" Kingsley and he was
splendid.
The show comprised 15 minute segments on the various different
geographical parts of India and focussed on the travails, tribulations
and the aspirations of the people. The focus was mostly on rural
india and I thought that the prevailing mood was captured very well.
The various areas and the subjects that were featured were:
Varanasi --- The Ganges, the Purification of Ganga project.
Thar Desert --- the cruel but magnificent. focus was on the
water and power problems faced by the people
at large in this desert state (Rajasthan).
Vellore, Tamil Nadu --- A women's forum whose main charter is to
improve the rural woman's lot and be made
aware of their rights. Featured was a woman
Kala who though educated, was not allowed
to work; but she now is playing a beacon role
in raising the rural woman's consciouness.
Silent Valley, Kerala --- Featured was a science teacher who stresses
the need and importance of teaching science
in the vernacular; how public consciousness
was raised and their support mobilized in
thwarting the csonstruction of a hydroelextric
power plant. The shots of the beautiful Silent
Valley forest, Kerala's "last untouched frontier"
were exquisite.
Delhi --- Jama Masjid, India Gate and life around Chandni Chowk.
Also there was an extensive segment about the struggle
waged by the "street artists" to gain much-desreved
recognition. They aspire to build an artists colony
in Shadipur replete with living quarters, galleries and also an
auditorium to air their performances.
Also featured was a children's art competetion at Lodhi
Gardens: Topic: India 20 years from now. The children
in their drawings expressed a highly vivid and indeed realistic
view of the future. There was one entry by a little cutsy
girl who drew a map of india and filled it with people
and with lots of people hanging off from the borders !!
Bombay --- the pains and pleasures of an exploding city; the
highly used and abused suburban railway system that
"disgorges 4 million passengers everday". Also featured
was citizen groups that helped the less privileged to create
their own jobs and thereby achieve sel reliance. The foundry
shop of Premier Automobiles and a brief profile of some of
the foundry men from the "country" who flock to the city
in search of that elusive job.
Tehri Garhwal --- the focus was of course on the celebrated
Chipko ("to hug") movement and its leading trailblazer
Sundar Lal Bahuguna. Especially touching was the profile
of an 80 year old woman who with her steely grit and
determination defended her right to maintain the
ecological balance in the Garhwal Himalyas.
Acchung (sp?) UP ---- underscored the importance of mass communication
like TV, in improving farming techniques, planting
high yield seeds etc.
Ahmedabad --- the textile mills; featured was the growing number of
women who are now in the textile mainstream; profile
of a 40 year old woman who is very active in the Textile
Labour Association;
Threaded thru the entire programm was of course Rajiv Gandhi who offered
explanations for the need for India to modernise, while at the same
time maintain its spiritual link with a glorious heritage.
The program ended with a ten minute commentary by Kingsley reflecting on the
future of India that is bursting at its seams. The greatest asset that
India has is its "vast bank of wisdom drawn from 5000 years of a glorious
civilization."
I'm pretty sure that there will be a re-run of this program. (Maybe this
itself was one). I strongly recommend you to watch it.
--Sridhar
Beaverton, Ore.das@orstcs.UUCP (das) (02/08/86)
Whereis CALCUTTA or is it soo popular that it needs no mention ? ----- das@orstcs