Who are we? Where do we come from? The rocks know. Hampi – the city of stone hides many stories. Some of them are not from Earth. Travel with this 2 minute film to the UNESCO world heritage site of Hampi. A geological marvel of nature on our planet.
This short film is an artistic interpretation of the living rocks of Hampi. It fuses the wonders of Hampi with digital art to reveal the stories hidden inside the rocks.
Remnants of a once thriving civilisation in the South Indian state of Karnataka, there are more than 1,600 monuments from the Vijayanagara Empire. It was one of the last southern Hindu kingdoms which ruled from the 14th to the 16th century. By 1500 CE, Hampi-Vijayanagara was the world’s second-largest medieval-era city after Beijing, and probably India’s richest at that time.
On a more philosophical note, the story that is hidden in the monuments and stones of Hampi whisper about the chisel of time and its intricate workings. Those of have the patience to be still and the curiosity to listen will discover the secret that binds all things on Earth – our origin and our final destination.
Hampi is an exceptional place. Every person who visits it, finds something unique. As an artist I have used digital art to depict the stories that the rocks of Hampi told me. This is not a documentary, it is a cinematic short film. No rocks were harmed or moved in the making of this video.
Healing Forest is a journey to discover the remarkable healing powers of nature. To find new ways that bring people and forests closer to each other. Join us in this exploration of fascinating forests and inspiring stories of healing from nature.
Our aim is simple. Helping people heal. Helping Forests heal.
Forests are known to have great healing properties. As humans, we have evolved in nature. It’s where we feel most comfortable. It has been scientifically proven that when we spend time in nature, our brain behaves differently. It affects how we feel and think, which has a direct impact on our immunity and healing powers.
Countries like South Korea and Japan have designated healing forests. Forests that one can go to find calm, balance and good health. Forests that help people recover, relax and revive.
To experience the concept first hand, visit this link to try out some Nature Walks, Games and Meditations based on the Japanese concept of Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing.
If this idea interests you, please subscribe to this blog with your email. Here are some of the things we hope to do: Organise nature walks. Publish maps of healing forest trails. Bring out newfilms on the healing powers of nature. Create conscious communities. Provide natural healing tips. Tell stories of inspiring people. Discover fascinating forests that can serve as therapy forests. Do action projects that give back to nature.
Click on these links to read our latest posts and healing stories. Feel free to reach out to us with your thoughts in the comment box below. To know more about this initiative visit the about page.
Please share this with people in your life who may need a moment of calm in their life.
Catch the spirit of India in this short film and get a glimpse of the many wonders that India has to offer. From the Himalayan ranges in the North to the oceans in the South. From the deserts in the West to the rain forests of the East. Experience the many worlds that make up India.
INDIA
Simple to explain. Difficult to understand.
Quick to amaze. Slow to absorb.
Impossible to predict. Certain to enchant.
Always full of adventure. Never short of warmth.
INDIA Easy to love. Hard to forget.
This film ‘India Unravelled’ was made possible through a documentary film fellowship by PSBT. Visit them at http://www.psbt.org
Favourites
Here’s a list of 10 of my personal favourite destinations in India (in no particular order).
Ladakh Spiti Arunachal Sikkim Jodhpur Rann of Kutch Mumbai Hampi Andaman Islands Kerala
Write your favourite place in India in the comment box below and I’ll try to create a film on the most popular choice. Feel free to share, screen, embed this film.
Mountains are like grandmothers. They have many stories to tell. Nestled in the Himalayan ranges of Kumaon in Uttarakhand are some wonderful people, ideas and initiatives. Given below are three simple stories from the region to give you a glimpse of the unwilted life in the mountains.
Children of the mountains
In a world filled with hate, anger and aggression the children of the mountains have an interesting message to give.
A school in the mountains
Chirag is a small primary school run by an NGO of the same name. They have a very different view on what education is and how children should learn. You can volunteer or visit them at Chirag
Gifts from the mountains
Chandi Maati is a small social enterprise working with women from 4 villages in the Himalaya mountains. They make and sell wonderful gifts which help in creating a source of income for these women. You can find them here on Facebook.
Hope these films inspire you to travel to the mountains. There are some amazing stories waiting for you.
A collaborative project to imagine the Universe. A small group of 3d Artists, Writers, Poets and Graphic Designers come together to create works of art inspired by Space. Writers and Poets send in quotes or verse on any theme connected with Space and 3D Artists or Graphic Designers turn the words to visuals by creating images or video. Here’s an example:
Participants for Round 1 of the project are:
WORDS: Purvai Aranya, Jashoda Chettri, Nandita Yata Rai, Deepak Dhamija, Pratik Maheshwari, Varun Sayal, Nitin Das
VISUALS: Diya Sarker, Naina Jain, Arif Hussain, Milin Patel, Mohammed Anwar, Abhinav Yadav, Debashree Pal, Darshan Singh Grewal.
You can view the on-going submissions at this link
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RULES Rule 1: Quote / Poem must be original, and linked to Space theme. For visuals, the artist can select space elements, backgrounds , textures from material available under creative commons license. But use those elements to create something unique.Helpful sources:
NASA: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/search.cgi?contentType=SVS HUBBLE: http://www.hubblesite.org Rule 2: Teams have to email their work by end of 23rd June 2015 to support@filmkaar.com
Word limit: Not to exceed 250 characters.
Final Image Dimensions: 1920 x 1080 px Filetype: .jpg
Final image to contain text by writer / poet.
Also include names of team members in the image as credits in small font size.
Note: This is an exercise in exploring the boundaries of imagination. Teams should follow the principles of creative respect and creative acceptance while working together.* This is not a commercial project. All works created will be available under creative commons license with proper attribution to the respective authors.
Some of the greatest treasures of our world are safely tucked away in distant corners of less traveled regions. But once in a while, you stumble upon an invaluable experience. Here is an account of one such treasure. On The Road
I am escaping Shillong. There is a 48 hour strike by some political groups that want outsiders to obtain special inner line permits before coming in to Meghalaya. Incidentally Shajal, the driver of my taxi, is also an outsider. He is driving in nervous bursts like a mouse in a grocery store. We are traveling to the sacred forest of Mawphlang in the hope that outer areas will be less politically charged. On the way I am also hoping to meet a special person.
I land up in a small town called Mawngap. It bears a deserted look because of the strike. We ask a car mechanic by the road for Mr. Wahlang, the musician. It turns out there are many musically inclined Wahlangs in the village. The Search
For the past 30 days I have been traveling across many less known areas of the North East. Through forest reserves with beautiful villages surrounded by bamboo and betel nut trees, amidst green hills and meandering streams, I am searching for some exceptional folk music. On my journey I have met amazing singers and musicians and come across folk instruments of varying shapes, sizes and sounds. But there is something within that doesn’t click. There is a lock in my heart and the keys just don’t fit.
While I am in Shillong, I hear about an old folk singer who composes his own songs and has an amazing voice. His name is Kerios Wahlang. But like all good things in life, many people know of him but not how to get to him. Meeting Bah Kerios
It takes me days to find out his contact number. I finally manage to land up at his small house perched atop thick wooden pillars. Bah Kerios has just returned from seeing the doctor. He is running a slight fever. He knows very little Hindi and I don’t know any Khasi. I show him some of my earlier films and he understands. He asks his grandson to bring his Duitara, a traditional guitar carved out of wood.
Tuning the strings with his experienced hands, Bah Kerios begins to sing. In his voice is a magic that transports one into a dense green forest full of old trees. A forest that is alive and singing in a deep voice. Later, Bah Kerios shows me a photograph of him singing besides a row of huge stone obelisks with a thick forest behind. It is the sacred forest of Mawphlang. The Sacred Forest
Leaving Bah Kerios Wahlang to get better, I head onwards to the village of Mawphlang. A village known for it’s monoliths and it’s sacred grove. Large vertical rocks are scattered all around the village. Mysterious stones arranged in circles. Stones shaped as benches or simply standing out of the ground like a giant’s finger pointing at the sky.
And at the edge of the village is a sacred grove. There are monoliths and stone structures spread inside the forest as well. The stones inside are covered in a layer of wet, green moss. The air is delightfully pleasant and filled with birdsong. Being inside the forest gives one a strange sense of calm. The music of Bah Kerios belongs to this forest and originates from it. He has been giving a voice to these songs of the forest for many years, but not many people outside of Meghalaya have heard his music. Farewell to Bah Kerios
Two days later, the strike has ended. I am headed back home, but on an impulse I decide to check in on Bah Kerios and take his picture. I find him smoking a pipe outside his house, soaking in the crisp winter sun. His army of little grandchildren are chasing the rooster and the hens in their backyard.
We sip some black tea and Bah Kerios brings out an old scratched CD. It contains one of the few recordings of his songs. The life’s work of a great folk master, preserved in a fragile disc. Bah Kerios holds the precious CD in his hand and says, “I wonder whether people will remember my music when I am gone.” I think to myself, I hope they will, Bah Kerios. I hope they will.
Slow down. Take your time. Free your mind.
Watch this 90 second film from the amazing parts of North East India. In a fast paced world we are all trying to make the most of our time, but this film talks about a far more important task.
North East India
On rare mornings when the sky is clear, the rays of the rising Sun strike the Kanchenjunga peak and set it aflame. One by one the adjoining peaks catch this light and turn crimson. One of the few places in India, from where one can witness this match-light effect is the small town of Pelling in West Sikkim.
Meanwhile in Dawki, Meghalaya close to the border of India and Bangladesh runs a river with waters that are crystal clear. Clear enough for some people to catch fish simply by spotting and lifting them up.
And in the open grasslands of Kaziranga and Manas in Assam, one can get dangerously close to gigantic one horned rhinos. Close enough to hear them chew the grass as you sit on top of your elephant ride.
It is surprising but many people don’t know about the treasures of North East India. Here’s a 90 second short film that captures the beauty of the less traveled Dooars region in North East India.
If you have traveled and experienced the wonders of North East India then tell us your favorite parts. We’ll try and include them in our next film from the North East.
NOTE: If you liked this film you can check out our collection of short travel films from amazing corners of the world at this link: http://www.bit.ly/mind-travel
Folk Secrets Music Project rediscovers amazing folk bands from magical places. We explore far corners of the world to find out wonderfully talented musicians and bring their music to a larger audience. Here’s our first music video for Vayali Bamboo Band from Kerala, India.
Vayali Bamboo Band with all instruments made of bamboo comes from a small village called Arangottukara in Kerala. Surrounded by small verdant hills and lush green paddy fields with flocks of white egrets the village transports you to another world. And echoes of the bamboo music resonate with the beauty of this place. Hear the wonderful composition by the Vayali Bamboo Band and let their music take you on a magical trip.
Vayali is a registered non-profit. It consists of a group of young people, engaged in preserving their folk roots. Please share their music far and wide and if possible invite the band for shows and performances. Know more about them by visiting their web-site: www.vayali.org
The frogs are croaking and filling in the silence of the night. The rain has just stopped, but one can still hear the occasional drops falling on the ground from high trees. I am sitting with a small group of musicians in a village in central Kerala. One of them manages to hook up a weak halogen lamp from a broken electric socket. A yellow pool of light creates an island in the darkness.
The musicians begin to open black canvas bags. They take out long bamboo sticks. Thick bamboo stems. A black leather case with steel clips clicks open. It reveals an array of neatly packed bamboo flutes in varying shapes and sizes. Slowly the band sets up their bamboo instruments.
The first instrument is a thick bamboo stem with a series of notches cut into it. A stick runs over the notches and a curious sound emerges. It mimics the frogs croaking. The other members join in with their instruments. The percussionists pick up the rhythm with their bamboo drums. A large hollow bamboo section has been filled with seeds. It’s called the rain stick. The seeds fall from one end of the bamboo to the other and create the sound of falling rain. The flautists join in. Their eyes are closed and a tune, hauntingly beautiful manifests itself into the dark jungle that surrounds us.
Music. One of the 2 universal languages. A language that has the power to bridge cultures and bring people together. I have traveled to a small village named Arangottukara in Kerala. Someone had told me about the Vayali folklore group and their amazing bamboo band. So I have come to see whether we can create a small music video and take their music to a larger audience across the world. I do not speak their language, but we understand each other.
Most of the band members are daily wage earners. Carpenters, painters, odd jobs at construction etc. But those jobs are for the day. When the sun sets and night covers their village, they come back to their music. Back in their village, they are masters of the bamboo band and owners of a rich folk heritage.
The bamboo band’s performance extends far into the night. There are many songs, many tunes and many stories. We end with a round of smiles. Black tea is served. I sit in silence and listen to the night. The frogs are still croaking, but the bamboo band’s music continues to play in my head.
Folk Secrets Music Project
Sign up to our mailing list to get an update on the Folk Secrets Music Project when we release the next music video. We will also mail you a download link to the Vayali Bamboo Song.
India. Easy to explain, difficult to understand. India. A sea of stories. Here’s an inspiring story from incredible India. This film was shot in Kolkata. A city that will amaze, inspire, and enchant you. In case you ever get a chance to visit, I am sure you will have your own story to tell.
Please leave a comment and don’t forget to share.
Credits:
Film by: Nitin Das http://www.filmkaar.com
Special thanks – Tulika Bhattacharya
Music: Avinash Baghel
Travel to Paradise (Text)
We are all travelers of life
Walking into the unknown
Some are driven around
Some fly
But some…are just pulling their way through it.
The journey is never easy,
There’s chaos and confusion
There are cross-roads and road blocks
There are laws to follow and laws to break
and there’s the endless waiting
waiting… to reach somewhere in life.
So what fuels our travel?
For some it is adventure
For some it is ambition
For some it is wealth
For some it is love
For some it is faith
Our paths and vehicles may vary,
but the journey’s end is the same for all.
And beyond the bridge
some hope to find Paradise.
But some
have already found it.
For they know,
We are all travelers of life,
but the real journey lies within.
Valley of Clouds shown in this film is a beautiful valley situated in the Himalayas. In the mornings, the valley gets filled up with a sea of clouds. The clouds cover the forest, mountains and villages in a blanket of white. It’s a beautiful symphony orchestrated by nature. For more fables visit: http://www.elfproject.org/fables
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