BAHUBALI

 BAHUBALI...Carved from a single block of granite over a 1000 years ago at Shravanabelagola in Hassan District Karnataka stands the 57 foot high Godly Jain image of Lord Bahubali. Every 12 years the Mahamastakabhisheka festival is held and a gigantic scaffolding is erected around the statue, pilgrim devotees climb the 700 sacred steps bare footed to pay homage...We were blessed to attend and witness the effigy firstly cleansed with water then anointed with milk, rice flour, turmeric and sugar cane juice.(3:15)

SHIVA LINGAM

 SHIVA LINGAM...Annually on the occasion of Shivarathri, devotees ritually parade the Shiva Lingam through the streets of Kasaragod the auto rickshaw palanquin used is surreally bizarre so I followed it a while for a few approaches. The message is “One God One World Family”.(2:22)

SWAMI

SWAMI...

AYYAPPA DEVOTIONAL 

ANANTHAPURA

ANANTHAPURA...Situated 4 kilometres from the town of Kumbla is the Ananthapadmanabhaswamy lake temple, measuring 2 acres in size...It’s the only lake temple in Kerala and is the home of Babia the guardian crocodile who is vegetarian and eats only gruel made from rice and molasses given by devotees at 12 noon when we were lucky to catch a glimpse of the sacred reptile (2:25)

BEEDI WORKS

  These delightful little handmade smokes are produced by the nimble fingers of the comrade ladies at the Kasaragod workers Beedi co-op society on Nayaks road here in the municipality. I was warmly welcomed to record the manufacture and smoke a few while the overseer conveyed the day’s newspaper report that happened to be a story about the health benefits of cow urine as a cosmetic.(2:29)

JUGGERNAUT

 JUGGERNAUT...Twice yearly the temple dutiful of Kumta on the Konkani coast heave their enormous juggernaut up and down Car Street where the townsfolk hurl a bombardment of bananas in hope that fruits penetrate the sacred cart, to do so brings good luck.(2:52)

THENGAYERU

THENGAYERU...A refreshing celebration at Palakunnu Shree Bhagavathi Temple is the annual coconut smashing ritual...hundreds of coconuts are ceremonially dashed to the rhythm of drums.

WELL OF DEATH

 WELL OF DEATH...No visit to Palakunnu bharini would be complete without the fairground and the 3 Star Maruti Car Circus...dicing with their lives on a rickety planked wall this sideshow defies gravity (2:25)

BUFFALO RACING

In olden day’s after a hard mornings ploughing, farmers would rush home for lunch across the paddy fields with their pairs of buffalo, this eventually became a sport and is now practiced regularly at organised events throughout the southern district of Dakshina Kannada in Karnataka...competition is fierce for the fastest team title and prize of gold bar...and no meeting would be complete without a brass and drums orchestra to keep a steady program (2:00)

FIRE JUMPING

Up on Leopard Hill (Pullikunnu) the Temple holds an annual festival of Theyyam and entertainment, every night for seven days the temple priests perform a fire jumping ceremony, this is not magic...this is divine.(2:00)

QUICK LUNCH

With twenty years of experience Vasanth Vihar is the best Pure Vegetarian restaurant in Kasaragod...here’s a fast speed film of the lunch session with a little look behind the scenes in the kitchen where curry magic is created 

THEYYAM

THEYYAM AT ANAVADUKKAL THARAVAD TEMPLE...Practiced only in the northernmost districts of Kerala is the sect of Theyyam Hinduism...This cult goes back in history centuries and is divine to followers...during the ceremony the Theyyam artists become a manifestation of God and so to receive blessings from them brings sanctification and serendipity.(2:30)

FISHY BUSINESS

The municipality of Kasaragod is situated on the coast and being close to Mangalore harbour has a busy and thriving fish market...Here’s a high speed film of the telegenic trading place on a bustling day with some 1960’s Malayalam comedy music...naya-paisa-illa...which means “the smallest coin of money I have not got”...a handy bite of Malayalam to know when traders try the hard sell.(1:40)

KALAMKANIPPU

KALAMKANIPPU...(Pot Festival)...Performed only in the village of Pallakunnu and no other place this celebration is annually practiced...thousands of ladies from five neighbouring panchayats converge on Shree Bhagavathi Temple with earthenware pots full of rice, jaggery and coconuts...on arrival the men of the temple mix and cook the offerings in large vessels, then refill the pots for the womenfolk to take home the following day when cool with a blended stew of everyone’s rice and a different pot to that they had brought...the normally tranquil holy place is a hive of frantic activity for the day all to the beat of rhythmic drums.(3:33)

SNIPPETS

Snippets of 2018 seasons short videos 

INDIA 2018... After an action packed five months secret squirrel cinematography safari in South India...I’ve produced twenty short videos for your entertainment...mostly serious documentaries but some of a comic nature...here’s a few snippets of the seasons offerings.