Episode:1. Bharat Mata Ki Jai

Episode:1. Bharat Mata Ki Jai
The Discovery of India, Bharat ek Khoj (भारत एक खोज)بھارت ایک کھوج
Director: Shyam Benegal
Based on the book by: Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru


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Description of Episode 1, Written by Sumandra Singh

It is a bunch of simple minded villagers whom Nehru is addressing during the time he is on an explorative trip of India like Gandhi. It is the year 1936-37 about which Nehru is talking about. He asks and explains the meaning of nation to the people. It’s not only the land, rivers and resources that constitute the nation but the most integral element are the people of the nation. I see a clear resemblance in the ideas of Nehru and Mathew Arnold (Arnold’s paper titles ‘Imagined Communities’ is a perfect reading stuff for those who have misconceptions about the existence of nation and nationalism). Nehru’s journey is an attempt to understand the essence of the nation. He wants to know what is that makes India ‘India’.
It’s the culture and the people that make the country and bring glory to it.
To introduce us to the culture, Nehru steps back in the history and takes us to the Indus Valley Civilization and recounts the dynamic cultural heritage we are proud of being the predecessors of. He is clearly a winner in making a point about India being a dynamic country where there is life in every aspect of it and how the British Domination has brought a halt to its vehicle of progress. The writing of the book is in synchronization with the time when the nation is waking from a century old slumber and urges for its freedom.
It’s a universally accepted fact that Indian good were in demand in the international market and we had economical and cultural exchanges from Iran, Egypt, Greece, Arabia, Central Asia and almost every corner of the world. We received from these countries, a cultural enhancement and at the same time we added elements to their culture. The evidence of cultural resemblances have been found world over. In-spite of such a complex intermixing of cultural elements India has obtained the credit of maintaining its distinct culture.
Some part of the episode, I may say is devoted to putting to words the geographic beauty of this vast nation and to show the geographical vivacity that India has and the variety that it has from one place to another
Nehru recounts his experiences of being in the company of The Himalaya’s which has been a constant source of inspiration for our epics, folklores, literature and thoughts. He goes on to describe the scenic and mesmerizing beauty of The Himalaya’s and with that he descends to the fields of India with the rivers that originate in The Himalaya.
He informs with supreme authority that it is the river Indus form where India obtains its name. Brahmaputra a river which flows with history too has been remembered along with Yamuna which has been the witness of the raslila’s of Krishna (according to the epics). I feel we may fall short of words in describing the glory of The Ganga, a river which has its presence felt in every fold of live, let it be historical, contemporary, modern, ancient, life and death. Ganga influences ever aspect of human life. Ganga has seen the changing times and has been witness of great many events that have shaped the Indian history and at the same time it has given its sincere contribution in development of cities and civilizations on its shores.
Nehru declares his journeys as practical as they take him closer to the nation’s soul and ignited his critical understanding for the better realization of the history and culture and their interwoven role in shaping the nation.
The diversity in different schools of architecture has been shown in this part. From Buddhist Stupa’s to the high rising Gopuram’s of South Indian temples, this part has summed or wrapped the architectural diversity of India very efficiently.
The journey now takes a different root and now Nehru seeks to understand the intellectual, philosophical and spiritual history of this nation.
Sar Nath, a place near Banaras where Gautham Buddha delivered one of his sermon, has still his voice echoing for the civilization to listen to him and identify the real enemy of human i.e. greed. Buddha has preached that if we wish to get out of this vicious circle of suffering then we must control our greed because greed breeds all the evils in human.
The next historical figure whom Nehru brings on the stage in this very context is no one but the greatest of all kings, Ashoka. The pillars containing the inscriptions by Ashoka throw a substantial amount of light on the principles of that great ruler and his philosophy of equality and tolerance. His love for fellow human being makes him the greatest of all rulers.
Another historical figure that Nehru Talks about is Akbar, who on his quest of knowledge has tried to understand the basic philosophies of all the religions that exist. His quest to understand god had bestowed certain qualities that people rarely possess. Akbar tries to understand the Multi-facet India and comes across a nation that is unique.

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