India Speaks - Part 3 (1933)

then if a kind stranger picks you up feel around until you hug people and from what was a place operty they brought out their ill-gotten treasure even their Rajas are bound by the laws of theft and must steal from one another at least once a year otherwise they will lose caste and a new Rajah will be chosen for standards the clothes love sport and will drop everything to be in on a hunt they recklessly risked their lives for mere love of the game and will stop at nothing to drive a man killer out of ambush the following morning we gathered in the jungle at the edge of the gear forest the Raja had provided royal a for all his guests in the way of hunting elephants and equipment he had given orders that no lion was to be shot except in case of danger to human life our object was merely to drive one into a place where it could be captured by the beat as the capture of an Indian lion is a rare event sportsmen from all many of them were skeptical about our chances for like myself they had never seen a lot Indian species besides the 58 elephants belonged to the Rajah many hunting elephants had been brought from neighbouring provinces by princes and potentates want to do favor a custom stretching out in a long line the trained beasts gradually formed a great circle for miles in diameter then reinforced by the full beat shouting and using all sorts of noise making devices they started slowly toward a common center the purpose of the great circle was to drive animals into a dry riverbed which had formed a natural depression where it would be possible to capture a lion alive it was interesting to watch the sagacious animal as they picked their way weather footing was dangerous they broke down trees and pushed away underbrush to make travel as easy as possible for their rival we progressed slowly because of the jungle grass which was so high that animals could sneak into cover unseen even if we had not been instructed not pursuit it would have been difficult to hit an animal in such obstructed terrain now the great circle of men and beasts had narrowed into a comparatively small area in the centre of which was the big pit I heard the mahute drive my elephant up to a spot from whence I could see inside the depression Lux was with us his majesty the king of beasts over a quarter of a ton of fierce fighting machinery while the indian lions nothing that lives he never attacks man unless driven to desperation the striped killer the Lions only rival force a jungle he too had been caught in the circle both champions of their time evenly matched in size and weight in an arena which was a natural setting [Music] [Music] the Tigers unexpected it had taken the lion by surprise but his Majesty's fury was roused only death could stop him now the tiger seemed to realize this and tried to escape then they met in a death struggle in midair [Applause] [Music] [Music] journey would have to be made on the backs of Hardy ox like animals called yaks a yuck train was just getting ready to leave here travelers must band together for mutual protection against the groups of robber monks who frequent the mountain passes the yoke is controlled by a rope through his nose and the nose of a yacht has all the stretching qualities of india-rubber while waiting for my Caravan I saw a demonstration of falconry which is practiced extensively by these people this so-called Falcon is in reality our trained Golden Eagle the usual prey of these birds are hares and Hill partridges but some of them have been trained to fly at ibex and small mountain goats to demonstrate the ability of his bird mr. burton pulled off the hood and flew him at a chick or a bird resembling our pigeon [Music] [Applause] like a wolf train hunting dog the puffin brings his quarry to the feet of his master thus adding variety to the menu of the Tibetan family birds are of course highly valued by their owners our journey eastward began over the most desolate country in Asia no wonder the people of Tibet are poverty-stricken as there is so little land that can be cultivated or made to grow anything but the dividends have at least one great blessing in their herds of yachts the cows give a rich milk jock skin gives them leather and tents the woolly hides make them warm clothing best of all the Yaak takes the dividend where he wants to go and gets him safely back again as the snow got deeper there was no vegetation except bunches of coarse grass which the horses refused to eat though the Ox poured it out and ate it with relish up we went into the clouds my heart pounded like a trip remedy I thought my chest would burst my head rang with unearthly music for I certainly was at this height nearer the Angels than I had ever been before or since 19,000 feet above sea level weather is neither animal nor bird no tree and still we climb at the summit of the past the trail was lost under deep snow there was nothing for us to do but let the Ox guide themselves we prayed they would not drop us suddenly into some snow filled Canyon I could hear the tippet ins behind me muttering their own money pardon me whom they believed all storms are caused by the god mogul who claims the souls of travelers who perish in the snow but once over the highest pass there was a distinct change in the weather one moment we were in a bitter 70 mile visit and a half hour later we were in sight of a pleasant rolling claim offering a promise of comparative warmth and comfort it was here we hope to find a respite from the rigors of the past few weeks but this happy anticipation was swiftly and rudely sharpened just as we reached the plain we were set upon by a group of hard riding wild-looking bandit unless time that I can tell it I was seized my package was completely ransacked I was tied up and brought to a small village of yucks in tents called yurts that the bandits were little better than savages was evident for me for a mongrel dog which had attached itself to a puppy was poorly shot for no reason at all just before we entered the yurt but they gave me nothing to eat or drink my cigarettes they evidently considered the most highly prized loot they had taken from me they enjoyed them hugely group of the curious would appear at the door of the yurt Imperium as though anxious to be looking on when I finally begged for mercy I heard hoofbeats and voices outside my predicament inside the yurt was interrupted by the entrance of an old friend it was the old Buddhist Lama whom I had met in Darjeeling five years before he spoke rapidly in English which the others could not understand all my belongings were immediately returned to me and we were soon trekking eastward again a few hours later we passed under a mountain long tunnel ruled out of solid rock by the action of some prehistoric River a Lama said we were now in the forbidden Valley soon I should see the glory of Asia Taos area from the law he told me there was but one other way out of the valley north over the Prine Anglia into the Gobi Desert an almost impossible journey this secret entrance to the valley had been prepared by nature the Lama told me to look back I saw a curious rock formation above the tunnel entrance see said the Lama if those three key stones were released it would close this entrance or ever I shuddered as I realized what would happen it would three millions of tons of granite the whole side of the great mountain above us would be tossed into the very spot where we were now standing and now as we came around the base of the mountain I saw a sight I shall never forget the lamasery have run along all by the dividend the bride of Buddha it was the symbol of a strange faith whose disciples worship a living god of their own creation some terrible cataclysm of nature had thrown up the volcanic rock from which Ranga long reared its mighty head straight up a thousand feet above the floor of the ballet which surrounded it as protection against Mogan stood these three chortles holding the crushed bones of the last three lamas who had ruled ranga long it all seemed like the fulfillment of some fantastic dream this was a weird creation of an unknown people in a terrible wilderness there was a story of struggle and blood in every massive stone which had been carried up those Heights by the puny hands of men we toiled wearily up the road which led to its summit all money padmi whom the jewel in the heart of the locust but that curious face have anything to do with the creation of a living God could it mean the sacred virgin whom I had come so far to see I was burning with curiosity to see her what would she be like would she be ignorant dirty uncouth like the timid UNS among whom she had been raised now in the outer courtyard at the summit our animals were being unloaded many other pilgrims were plotting up the past below us I found out why the lama told me that the festival of conception Mon LOM as it was called was to take place at once but first the ceremony of driving out of Devils would take place that would give us a little time a number of monks were watching me with narrowed pig-like I then I saw her standing on a balcony she was braum boy like a figure concealed in monk like rolls just a momentary glimpse for the priests were watching me with cold suspicion but even in those ugly garments I could tell that she belonged to my race the Lama was talking with a group of monks he was evidently giving them some kind of explanation of my presence as I approached they greeted me with forced civility I turned for one more look at the girl the Lama evidently not wanting us to meet under the watchful eyes of the monks took her inside I wondered what he would tell her when I was shown to my quarters despite my fatigue I I could not sleep I kept thinking of the girl and the terrible fate in store for these great horns have been falling for days in the courtyard fantastic costumes and gigantic masks a big brother they have been a year in the making by phonetic monks inspired by a lifetime of devil writing here is the effigy of the dead God a tram ghulam parts of his body a mummified human remains he is supposed to be the actual father of the Living God created by the festival of conception monks prepare for this so-called miracle by rigorous training called lunga it is a secret which enables them to dance for incredible lengths of time without stopping for food or rest it is possible that some drug is used in this training for as days go by their bodily energy increases and they show no signs of fatigue their ideas of demons portrayed by the masks show much imagination and real artistry every mask represents a demon who symbolizes some sin masks are also used to conceal the real identity of the father of the unborn God 17 miles over the valley and are then relayed a hundred miles across the Himalayas telling that the festival of conception will soon begin terms are arriving from all directions in many kinds of conveyances to take part in the celebration they are laden with presents with which they hope to secure the favours of the Living God to be created [Music] superstition is so strong the pilgrims will give everything they possess at the lamas demanding even the poor Shepard skippers driving them across mountains and pouring icy streams to be present at mononym for days they have been arriving thus but when they leave most of them will be empty-handed and the priests will be rich the plains the hidden canyons the very mountaintops all contribute to this endless stream of humanity which pours into ramble on to witness this weird shamanistic ritual the actual ceremony has begun by a sob Lama as with all primitive people's rhythm plays an important part in arousing the religious emotional with Gong and symbol he begins a soft insistent peak at the same time reading from the holy manuscripts which are so ancient they have fallen apart from usage in a compliment to this the prayer wheels are turned thousands of a mani padmi home whose rise to good up countless prayer beads are clicked checking off the sins of transgressors against the laws of Buddha the wind and water wheels are kept in the unceasing motion all this to the increasing cadence of the clanging of cymbal and the beating of bronze [Music] on the filthy floors of Atonement chambers monks and pilgrims confess their sins competing with one another in recitals of wickedness slowly the rhythm increases in sound and tempo the skeleton dancers disciples of Wong Dom have been keeping this up for five days without apparent sustenance of any kind a constant reminder to the Tibetan of the Shawna's of death the lamas begin to assume a fixed air as though under the influence of self-hypnosis the dancers too are beginning to increase the speed of their grotesque gyrations it was evident in every sight and sound that all this was driving definitely towards some sort of emotional climax as I watched the spectacle my curiosity became more strained for I was the only white man to have ever witnessed this entire ceremony the entire courtyard was now in a turmoil spectators and dancers seemed to be in an excited state of money the idea behind all this had a terrific impelling power the creation of a living God happens only once in a generation it is the greatest event that ever happens in Tibet excited myself I claim to a spot where I could see 200 advantage I had seen little of the old Lama since I had been here but now I caught sight of it he seemed to be in a violent argument with some monks were they talking about me or about the white girl whatever it was they seemed to dominate the Lama and he finally gave him and let him know it was easy for me to understand how these dancing monks held such control over the people they've worked themselves into a mad frenzy as they performed their unbelievable antics and contortion the masks they wore seemed to be real faces I could see what a tremendous impression they were making on the Watchers and I felt the uncanny influence myself I was watching for a glimpse of the white girl but in such a cloud it seemed [Music] now I was interrupted by the llama he told me that against his will he was being forced to proceed to the settlement but if the worst happened he had a plan to prevent it he told me to go at once to the other side of the valley where forces were waiting on which the girl and I would escape over the great tree nine reisher into the gobi desert from attending halt in a sudden burst of music a change in tempo I saw now that the llama was virtually a prisoner as some monks came for him and led him away toward the chanting hall there was nothing I could do I started for myself malignant human eyes seemed to flare up at me from behind the mask of the demon month as he danced devilishly below I had told my bearer to take my things to the other side of the valley where the ponies were waiting the chanting hall was filled with monks now all singing their own money padmi hum was in a crazy crescendo the old llama now merely an effigy of power stood on the raised offer the image of mogh impaired down as though in clamp [Music] I made up my mind I was going to see what happened for money padmi whom hundreds of voices raised in that fair but it was no longer a player it was a horrible incantation I could see something being moved through the clouds it was an enormous palanquin worn on the shoulders of several sub Lamas I could not see what was inside whatever it was I must know I look for a spot where I could watch unseen voices were raised in religious exultation the meaning of this tremendous rhythm of spectacle and sound became suddenly clear for I could see inside the palanquin it was she the white girl to the sound of a great chorus of Imani padmi wounds she was carried down the island toward the altar where stood the old Lama his face a mask his body of frozen statue he was helpless so was high but nothing be done to avert the power of the priests the terrible procedure of the shamanistic sacrifice this was the ceremony of purification and if the gods in the person of the Lama gave the right sign she would be given to these lobes and Lamas who would possess the jewel in the heart of the Lotus she would be the bride of Buddha - the feeling of terrible helplessness I stood riveted to the spot and watched her the scene was one of fury suggestiveness as she approached the off [Music] the Lama raised his hands his gesture was one of anger and denial amongst glared at him but he refusing to give the right signs I heard the voices of the monks their emani's changing to a volume of fury then something happened with a great Lama Sara began to slide a million tons of Rakesh down into the valley where I was supposed to be and rammed along was a ruin I thought the girl and the Lama must have been killed how I've reached the horses and the great pre nang glacier will always be a mystery to me somehow I found myself riding with the llama over the mountains of jagged ice but our troubles were not over yet the foot hole for man and beast was treacherous and dangerous horses and mules had to be dragged over awful crevasses by main strength one of my pack ponies had become foot saw his hot worn and cut by frozen splinters he slipped I made every effort to save him he made a gallant effort to save himself the lead rope broke I was discouraged and despondent I almost wished it had been me instead of the brave beat but finally we reached comparatively easy going and the lama told me about the girl she was saved and he had tried to persuade her to escape with us but she refused the Tibetans were her people she said and the only friend she had ever known their religion was her religion and if it was the will of Buddha that she become the mother of a living God then she considered it her duty to bow to that command she would stay at Ram Kalani and after showing me the way out over the Gobi Desert the Lama intended to return to help her while I went off toward the nearest seaport and home [Music]