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.
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.
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:
Filmkaar 