Vision of Documentaries

A documentary can be defined as something which is short, which conveys a message and exudes authenticity. It can also be called the vision of reality or mirror of life as it is based on factual information. Its generally a composition of historical records which has a political base and covers personal stories. It deals with the query of complexity with which we approach our relationship in real life. Voice is disembodied from the face and makes use of images and sounds in an interesting way. It raises ethical issues but the consent to show such issues is incalculably essential.

A documentary can be as short as ten minutes but it needs a lot of pain and effort to think about a social issue and expose it. The way of tackling the question is more important than the question itself. Nobody should feel offended after watching it. Documentaries do not need words; it can convey an idea through gestures. Even big stories can be told without words. One example of this would be Anita Balachandran’s film “He Ram” which focuses on the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. The way in which the whole thing is shown, is simply incredible. The very famous adage “Time Flies” is demonstrated to be true. The hands of the clock are shown to appear like that of a bird and at that very moment Gandhiji is killed; the bird is shown to have flown away from the clock bleeding all over. This movie has a lot of evocative imagery with birds, houses, footsteps, falling leaves with the background song, “Ud Jayega Hans Akela”.

In 1949, a movie called “Blood of the Beast” showed how animals were mercilessly slaughtered in the abattoir. Jean Rouch, a filmmaker in the history of documentary film making once said that ‘direct cinema is the counterfeit of journalism.’ In 1961, the camera was used as a psychoanalytical stimulant in the movie ‘A Chronicle of Summer.’ The concept of realism is very important in documentary film making. Realism is basically a style used to create an illusion for reality. Chris Marker addressed documentary film making as ‘something that leaves boredom in the end amongst the audience.’ There are very few people who enjoy a documentary because they show reality and not fiction. A documentary is an interpretation of a document and the idea is imperative.

Kashmir : A True Beauty

Perched at the very edge of India, Kashmir is a land apart. Surrounded by absolute greenery, hills and valleys lies the most blessed temple “Vaishno Devi” where Maa Durga, Maa Saraswati and Maa Lakshmi have formed an incarnation in the outward appearance of “pindies” (black stones).

Situated on the top of a mountain, the view leaves an indelible imprint on our minds. Its one of the magical creations in north India and it wouldn’t be wrong if we call it “Heaven on Earth”. No matter what your age or background, Kashmir holds an adventure for you. It might be the sledge ride on snow covered mountains, or the 14 km climb from Katra, the town that never sleeps, to the Vaishno Devi temple, or the special helicopter services and even the horse ride.

Special availability of wheel chairs for the physically challenged has also been very well taken care of. Though your feet will be freezing cold when you enter the temple, you will be mesmerized with the exquisite form of the three Goddesses the moment you cast your eyes on the holy shrine. With people chanting “Jai Mata Di” all the way to the top, the stress is not felt at all.

Towards northern Kashmir lies Patni Top and Natha Top, both covered with snow during winters with temperatures below zero. These places leave no livelihood for the inhabitants, other than pulling sledges, selling woolen coats and gumboots and clicking photographs of the tourists. The place near by these hill stations is Udhampur, which very closely resembles the villages in Enid Blyton’s novels.

The station situated in the middle of the valleys leaves us an impression of something which we imagine only in fairy tales. Along with nature’s beauty, the people of Kashmir are also gifted with both inward and outward beauty that is the beauty of mind, soul and body. People here are extremely benevolent, helpful and friendly. For anyone who loves nature, Kashmir is a dream destination. This charming state has it all, with truly transcendent scenery, exceptionally friendly locals and gorgeous little villages, all of which give a unique feeling to the tourist. Kashmir will surely win you over with all its charms.

Cricket Controversies

Cricket is a religion in our country and it is very sad to see that this religion is being subjugated by some unscrupulous elements. Its not just once but the same so called “mistakes” have been repetitive in the same match against India. Blame the wrong umpiring or the umpire, the game is lost in the end. After looking at the injustice done to our country it’s high time that the ICC takes strict actions against the ones who are guilty. Not only this, but it should also stop Buckner from umpiring any match which is against India. This match should be a learning lesson for all the umpires as we are in an age where technology has boomed up rapidly; so it’s always wise to use it. The need to consult anybody on the field should not rise when the third umpire is always available. It’s pretty obvious that this will lead to biasness and will not come out with an unprejudiced action. Thus the third umpire must be made of use in times of doubts to avoid hurting the sentiments of cricket lovers; as one small scar in umpiring will build up permanent scratches between countries. Even if India decides to forgive and forget, the statistics can’t be changed and when we have a look at it 10 yrs down the line, we will only get to see a lost game.

My Culture

India is a land of culture, values and ethics. Ranging from the Himalayas till the extreme south of Kanyakumari India is filled with different languages, traditions and festivals. Out of such a diverse ethnicity I belong to South India. My grandparents belong to Hassan district in Karnataka but later on shifted to Bangalore. Hassan district was the seat of the Hoysala Empire which ruled large parts of south India from Belur Halebidu as its capital during the period 1000 - 1334 CE. Today Hassan is primarily known worldwide for its Hoysala architecture and is a true treasure of about fifty sculptural marvels tucked away in several villages and towns of the district. Hassan is also well known nationally for modern technology.

Our mother tongue is Mysore Iyengar Tamil different from that spoken in Chennai. We are basically Hebbar Iyengars belonging to Bangalore. The traditional dress for young girls is half saree which is worn with a long skirt-blouse and a dupatta. For boys it’s a dhoti which is white in color. Ladies wear Madisar which is worn by the Brahmin community especially Iyers and Iyengars. Madisars are available in silk and cotton. The main God we follow is Lord Vishnu and Lord Srinivasa. A community of Hebbar Iyengars an ancient Brahmin community settled in this area for more than a thousand years. An inscription in Shantigrama indicates that the founder was a Brahmin from Kashi. Hassan Iyengars, a different Brahmin community are well known all over south Karnataka for their tasty condiment preparations like cakes, puffs, biscuits and breads etc. Iyengar bakeries are a common feature in most towns and cities of Karnataka. Its cuisine is a mix of Mysore, Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada districts resulting in tasty specialities like midigayi pickle (small raw mango), sandige, avalakki (beaten rice), and talipittu (akki rotti made of rice flour.)

Our Guru is Guru Ramanujacharya (Alvars). We also worship Andal (Goda Devi). During the month of December Tiruppavai (a set of 30 Shlokas) are sung at home and in temples till Makkar Sankranti. Ugadi marks the beginning of our new year across Karnataka. Gokulashtami is the main festival in our community.