India: As seen by Lawrence Copley Thaw and Mrs. Thaw on the Lawrence Copley Thaw Trans-Asia Expedition

Duration: 12:00

Year Published: 1936

Creator: Lawrence Copley Thaw

Complete Record: Mr. Thaw makes the point that his sponsors made it possible to photograph ceremonies rarely seen by any but a favored few. “And because times and customs change, this unique camera record may offer American audiences their only opportunity to see the unmatched splendors of the ceremonial life of India.” This is true. A map of India is used for orientation purposes. Statistics given for number of principalities and people in India. Oxen used to pump water shown blindfolded and going around in circle. Shot of crafts of India: Hand weaving of cloth; gold and silver woven into cloth; young boys doing fine embroidery. Camels shown at camel market; merchants sitting in stalls working on the crafts they sell. Sandals are being made out of American motor car tires. There are woodworkers an candy makers with their wares covered with silver and gold. Coppersmiths working in stalls along street market; Dancers from Northwest India dance on lawn with Indian orchestra as accompaniment. One dance looks like a Whirling Dervish dance of Sufis. School children leave all their shoes outside. They memorize the Koran by intoning it out loud. Muslims gather outside Guma Mandi Mosque by thousands for prayers. Funeral pryers burning on the side of the Ganges River. Bathing in the Ganges. Shravanabelagola, a major Jain pilgrim center, is a sleepy town settled around the two hills, Chandragiri and Vindhyagiri, with the stepped well Kalyani nestled between them. The 57-foot tall statue of Bhagwan (Lord) Bahubali Gomateshwara, the largest monolith in the world, at the top of Vindhyagri Hill, is the city’s claim to fame. Shots of crowd climbing the hill; school children, families, foreigners alike on their quest for Lord Bahubali on that particularly sunny day, but the sun couldn’t beat down their enthusiasm. Carriers available for the elderly, and one lady looked particularly smug sitting on one, but the gutsy ones preferred the tougher option, the steps. The climb was not very steep and was made comfortable by the gradual steps and the soothing view of the Kalyani. The Basadis (shrines) and the well-preserved inscriptions on the Vindhyagiri date back to a period starting from 600 to 1830 CE, with the inscriptions providing insights into the life of ascetics of that era. A priest at the foot of Lord Bahubali's statue A priest at the foot of Lord Bahubali's statue Empire of powerful princes. Palaces and fortifications shown. In contrast there are shots of the lavish northeast gardens and the Taj Mahal. More architectural detail of palaces is documented. Display and ornamentation mark the ceremonies of these palaces. One of these ceremonies is a Punjabi birthday celebration. Film depicts the India of military display. One of these displays is for a wedding. Soldiers on walking on ground and mounted on camels in orderly procession. Phalanxes of soldiers mounted on camels do maneuvers. Camels pull gunnery carts. Looks vaguely like Star Wars. Ornamented camel attire, carriages made of solid gold, decorated elephants, motor cars fitted for hunting expeditions. Wedding is full of pomp and brilliance. There is remarkable parading and display. Perhaps the last authentic footage of full Indian pomp, State banquet. Ceremony goes on for days. View of the General Motors “mobile home” leaving in procession down a road. Final view of a city in silhouette as the sun sets and then lit up at night.