HINDU HOLIDAY

Year Published: 1930’

Format: 16mm

Description: This film takes viewers to India in the 1930’s for the traditional festival called Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashami. The film is narrated by Don Beddoe (:14) and it enters India through temple gates (:25). Buildings which are over 1,500 years old are shown with intricate architecture (:31). A close up shot shows sacred animals, gods and goddesses along the walls (1:58). A pool sits adjacent to the temple which had been used by an east Indian prince and his thousand wives (1:20). Inhabitants today are seen washing up prior to the holiday occasion (1:25). Dussehra is held annually in October (1:31). Market stalls are seen overloaded with dates, figs and other products as civilians run through out to make final preparations for the event (1:54). Mendicant priests are pictured with face paintings and jewelry (2:17). The holy bull called Nandi is seen as devout pass under it (2:28) and plant a kiss on it as they pray for strength and vitality (2:32). The streetways are decorated with flowers, tapestries and flags as pedestrians walk through in costume (2:39). A great lamp feast is enacted to celebrate the God Krishna’s victory over a demon (2:53). A woman lights a lamp over the sacred elephant’s trunk (2:57). Nuts and silver coins are set at the elephant’s feet (3:02) and the decorated animal is seen walking out (3:05). Crowds fill the palace of the Maharaja which rules over a territory of 300,000 square miles (3:22). The Maharaja and his tall umbrella then step out of the palace (3:35). The parade begins and the elephants are lined up (3:54) as crowds surround the procession. Flutes and drums are played along with the parade (4:18). As the Viceroy had been in attendance another parade was added which included a historic pageant show of various transportation methods over the years (5:00). Civilians dressed as bears and dancing down the line follow (5:09). A golden carved litter is shown which had been used to transport the Maharaja (5:24) as well as pack camels loaded with spices (5:27) and other camels dragging a covered wagon (5:31). A stage coach (5:37), ox carts and carriages with riders in costume (5:43) are then paraded down the streets. Victorian era carriages are led by camel rather than horse (6:13). As the parade concludes, spectators head to an area where the Maharaja sprays them with a mixture of magenta perfume and rare oils (6:40) which is to be a forgery of friendship between the people and the Maharaja. Civilians then spread out as the ceremony ends (6:55) and some head to the amusement park (6:58). A small Ferris wheel is pictured here which is operated by hand (7:02) as well as a merry go round (7:16) and a spinning table (7:31). Catch as Catch Can Wrestling follows (7:57). Markings viewed on a priest’s head are to denote the cast (8:06). While some attend the amusement park and rides, others head to the Shrine of the Great Horse (5:15). The film concludes and was produced by the Central Film Company (8:34). Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashami , Dasara or Dashain is a major Hindu festival celebrated at the end of Navaratri every year. It is observed on the tenth day in the Hindu calendar month of Ashvin or Kartik, the sixth and seventh month of the Hindu Luni-Solar Calendar respectively, which typically falls in the Gregorian months of September and October. Celebrations include processions to a river or ocean front that involve carrying clay statues of Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya, accompanied by music and chants, after which the images are immersed in the water for dissolution and farewell. Elsewhere, on Dasara, towering effigies of Ravan, symbolising evil, are burnt with fireworks, marking evil's destruction.

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Transcription

through Temple Gates we enter India that spicy land that is somewhere east of Suz here people that worship all things beautiful have built glorious temples the tower heavenward in Never Dying Splendor concrete dreams of long forgotten sculptors carved with extreme delicacy and richness living Stone more than 1500 years old precise as if sculptured but yesterday they defy the centuries without crumbling sacred animals range row upon row with innumerable gods and goddesses all massed in a complexity of form ad joining the temple stands the Magnificent pool called Tula kulum whose richness and Splendor dates back to the time when it was a pleasure Palace of an East Indian Prince here his thousand wives splashed in the warm perfumed Waters where men now gather to bathe before a holiday occasion and all over the city all old and young are getting their annual scrubbing for the Great Festival of ducera held every October at the public pump while the crowd awaits its turn little CA is bathed by her beaming mother the market stalls are piled high with dates figs and other Delicacies while along the busy streets people rush to and fro making last minute preparations already a lively group of Notch dancers with it one man Orchestra has attracted the young Blades of the district and gives this Dashing Young Dandy something to think about all roads lead to the Celebration and mendicant priests come wearing necklaces of sacred Bal nuts on the road they pass the giant figure of nandi the Holy Bull to denote their humility The Devout Bend low and pass beneath the huge paw then kiss it praying for the strength and vitality the animal portrays already the streets are gay decorated with flags flowers tapestries canopies costumes in blues Reds and yellows richly ornate in the spirit of the East for this is the great lamp Feast celebrating a god krishna's victory over a demon a married woman waves a lighted lamp around the sacred elephant's trunk and places Bal nuts a coconut and a silver coin at its feet then the elephant is brought out decorated with a cloth of gold precious stones and garlands of flower treading slowly to the muted measure of drums and flutes he seems to sense his own importance on this great occasion with fanatic enthusiasm the crowd surge around the Palace of the Maharaja who rules over a territory of 300,000 square miles and whose wealth is measured in millions resplendant in Jewels the Maharaja comes out under his everpresent umbrella to review his subjects who believe that only he can cast out the Devils from their souls and protect them from the evil ghosts that fill the air and now the grand parade is ready to begin the elephants are lined up in company formation all arrayed in Holiday trappings while the crowd rushes in to line the path of the procession how India loves pageantry color the flash of jewels waving flags and stirring music they Delight in the sheer frenzy of display the muffled rapidy of thin High flutes and rhythmic drums stir their whole beings to worship for they live in a world of religion idols and outward pageantry are but their symbols of religious ideas outward forms of inner thoughts little Lakme with the Jimmy Durant nose has secured a front row seat with our pet wat it and now because of the special occasion of a visit by the vicroy another parade is added it is an historic pageant showing the various means of transportation in India's history from earliest times dancing bears always a source of entertainment in the East take part in the procession but baby doesn't like Bears this golden carved litter once carried a proud princes and this elaborate Affair transported a Maharaja packed camels loaded with spices sandalwood and Ivory more camels dragging a covered wagon not unlike those of our own prairies also the stage coach and a camel cart with small wheels moro's carts and carriages their attendants wearing the costumes of bygone days one with a Devil's Mask a caravan of the ancient vehicles of generations of dead men this woman watching the parade might almost be in it and now in gorgeous array come the carriages of the Victorian era to us the gay NS of course these are drawn by camels instead of a tandem team of Bays but east is east and west is West and so finally the parades come to an end but the fund's just beginning they push and jostle each other anxious to be the first at the ceremony so unusual that it could take place only in India so now the crowd is not on fire but by order of the Maharaja they are being doused with a mixture of magenta perfume and rare oils let stain their white clothing red a pond of everlasting friendship between the Maharaja and his subjects the formal ceremon is now over everyone seeks his own pleasure many go to the amusement park where they enjoy a ride on the granddaddy of all Ferris wheels it's propelled by hand and doesn't go very high but they get a thrill out of it just the same and the little horses on the mer around are like everything else in India they Tread On Air shades of Coney Island a spinning table as I live probably some enterprising Yanks show it to him well we having fun here's the town champ he must have boo on his Gandy pants uh-oh there he goes garma the Hindu Jim londos entertains the crowd with the ancient sport of of catches catch can even priests want to see the wrestling match markings denote the cast but not all priests are at the games some gather before the Shrine of the giant horse where in Sanskrit it is written all beauty is of god therefore all beauty is Holy n

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