Healing Forest Films

Nourishing Now

As global warming advances and the world tips towards more challenging times there is an urgent need to connect young people with nature so that we can shift the trajectory of our planet’s future.

The nourishing now campaign is a set of films that offers hope and direction in a creative way. It imagines people, communities, and entire cities that have become devoid of any colour. In a grey world, how does one bring colour back into our life? The answer is simple and Nature shows us the way. Each film covers a unique course of action in which nature can bring health, wealth and happiness into our life.

Even in the darkest times, there is always a path back to colour and joy.

Rewilding

*Film credits are in the video description on Youtube | Film duration: 2 min.

Short Film Rang: This film has been shot in Pune, one of India’s many rapidly changing cities. Pune was once a no-fan station, where even in hot Indian summers you could do without having a fan. Blessed with a unique geographical location under the foothills of western ghats – the rivers and green cover of Pune kept it cool and provided it with one of the best weather in our country. A rapidly growing population and the large scale of construction has resulted in the loss of city’s forests, as well as pollution of its seven rivers. Pune now faces heat waves, flooding in monsoon, as well as water scarcity in many areas.

A small collective of people are however trying to protect and restore the city’s nature. One such group is the Anandvan Foundation that is aiming to transform Pune into a city of urban forests. With active involvement from Pune’s youth as well corporates and the forest department, they are making significant shifts in nourshing the spirit of Pune and its nature.

Rewilding as an opportunity: About 55.76 million hectares i.e. 16.96% of Total Geographical Area (TGA) of India is categorised as wastelands. These areas are currently under-utilized and deteriorating due to a lack of appropriate resource management or on account of natural causes. It offers a big opportunity in engaging our youth and solving the complex puzzle humanity faces for its future.

Renewables

**Film credits are in the video description on Youtube | Film duration: 3 min.

Short Film Berang: This film tells a fascinating story from the ice desert region of Ladakh in the Himalaya. Ladakh, known for its stark beauty and towering Himalayan peaks, is not untouched by the hands of climate change. Once a land of icy winters and clear, crisp air, it now faces unpredictable weather patterns and rapidly melting glaciers. These glaciers, the lifeline of the region, are shrinking at an alarming rate, threatening water supplies for both people and crops. Locals, who have relied on glacial melt for centuries to irrigate their fields, are witnessing a change they can neither predict nor control. Studies show that glaciers in Ladakh are retreating by 15-30 meters annually, putting communities and their way of life at risk.

But Ladakh also holds hope for the future. With abundant sunlight and strong winds, the region is ideal for renewable energy solutions. Solar power is already lighting up remote villages, reducing the reliance on firewood and fossil fuels, and offering a path forward. If we invest more in harnessing these natural, clean energy sources, we can not only slow down the effects of climate change but also offer Ladakhis a sustainable future—one that remains in harmony with their environment. Check out the work of Himalayan Institute of Alternatives to know more.

Renewables as an opportunity: In 2022, India ranked as the third-largest producer of renewable energy in the world, with nearly 40% of its installed energy capacity coming from non-fossil fuel sources. The potential for growth is immense. Solar power alone has the ability to transform India’s energy landscape. With over 300 sunny days a year, vast stretches of desert, and unused land, India could generate enough solar energy not just to meet its own needs, but to export it as well.

Nourishing Now vs Frightening Future

The climate crisis is often framed in alarming terms—rising sea levels, scorching heatwaves, and vanishing forests. While the urgency is undeniable, this focus on catastrophe is stirring anxiety, especially among young people. In fact, a 2021 global survey found that 59% of youth feel “very” or “extremely worried” about climate change, with 45% saying their feelings about it affect their daily lives . A sense of dread can be overwhelming, making many feel disconnected from nature rather than inspired to protect it.

Instead, we need to nurture a different narrative—one that highlights the simple joy and healing power of nature. Encouraging young people to experience the outdoors, to plant trees, to learn about local ecosystems, can nourish a sense of hope. When we connect with nature in the present, we begin to see solutions rather than just problems. By nourishing the now, we can inspire action without fear, shifting the course of our future towards something better.

Nourishing Now Concept

The Nourishing Now initiative is the brainchild of ‘ComMutiny – The Youth Collective’. ComMutiny has been working with young people since 2008. Their goal is to build vibrant ecosystems and empowering spaces that nurture the leadership potential of young people towards transforming self and society.

Our role at Filmkaar was to bring this concept to life in a creative way and produce engaging films that can connect with a large number of people. Please leave a comment to let us know your thoughts and ideas.

Healing Forest Important

River Songs of Pune

Every river needs its songs. Because songs can keep the river alive. Songs plant the river in people’s minds. Helping them understand the river. Songs flow into people’s hearts. Making them care.

When a river dies,
a city’s soul dies.

Pune’s rivers are in a sad state. Their source streams are being killed. Their land is being stolen. Their water is being poisoned. Their flow is being choked. Their fish and forests are vanishing. As the city grows rapidly, somehow we have lost our connection with our life source.

So how do we raise awareness about the urgency to protect what’s being lost? How can create the right action to revive what’s critical? Can we use the power of music to bring people of Pune together and fall in love with their rivers again?

60 Second Songs

A group of like minded people are joining their skills to create short, simple songs and music videos for the rivers of Pune.

If you are a composer, musician, singer, poet, school or college band who would like to be a part of the idea, you can connect with our small collective. As a creative, you are free to create your own song or look for friends to collaborate within our group.

To start off with, our aim is to come up with 7 music videos of 60 seconds each. We will shortlist the most relevant contributions and use our filmmaking skills to turn some of them into visually interesting stories.

Also a filmmaking workshop will be conducted for the collective as well as their friends, so they can also use the river songs for creating new music videos.

*This is a volunteer initiative by concerned citizens of Pune. There is no monetary transaction. All material will created with the ‘Creative Commons’ philosophy: Any person is free to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, so long as attribution is given to the creator. Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted. However, selected non-profits working for Pune’s rivers may use the songs in their fundraising efforts.

Sing With Us

Calling all nature minded musicians, singers, music composers, poets, school or college bands to lend in their skills. In case you are excited by the possibilities of this project please fill in the Google form and apply to be a part of the collective.

Songs can be in Hindi, Marathi, English or a mix. They can be longer than 60 sec. but for our project we will choose the most relevant segment of the song.

Application form

Timelines:
Mar 2024 – Forming the collective and working on different songs
Apr 2024 – Reaching out to colleges and schools to involve the youth
May – Jun 2024 – Filmmaking workshop followed by creating 60 second music videos
July 2024 – Phased release of the songs on various social media platforms

*Please give us a few days post your form submission to get back. Someone from our team will reach out to you soon. Also, do read up on the useful notes given below. They will give you creative ideas for the musical adventure.

**To simply follow the river songs project and catch the music when it flows, join us on Social media: Pune River Revival | Filmkaar

A Note On Pune’s Rivers


Did you know that Pune district is home to 7 different river systems? The rivers are – Mula, Mutha, Ramnadi, Pawana, Indrayani, Bhama and Bhima. Meandering their way through this beautifully verdant and fertile land, these water bodies support a multitude of different living beings. Starting from the majestic western ghats and ending in the vast Indian ocean, these waters have been journeying in time for countless cycles.

Our precious rivers create life wherever they flow, but their future is in deep trouble now.

3 Big Threats

  • Unplanned Growth: Rapid increase in population and industry without proper planning has taken a huge toll on our rivers. According to a 2023 report, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has named the Mula and Mutha rivers among the most polluted rivers in the country. (read more)
  • Misguided Decision-making: Instead of spending on water treatment plants which clean up sewage and industrial affluents that pollute the rivers, our civic bodies are spending thousands of crores in creating concrete banks for a beautfication project. (read more)
  • Climate Change: As the CO2 emissions rise and Earth turns warmer with each passing year, we are going to see erratic weather patterns. These changes pose a high risk to and from our rivers – both as floods and as severe drought. (read more)

Every relationship is based on a single golden rule: give and take. If we only take from our city’s natural environment without giving back, it is going to break the relationship very soon.

Our rivers face many challenges, but the greatest one is that we have given up listening to them. In our busy lives we stopped paying attention to what they are trying to tell us. We have forgotten how to hear their stories and songs.

Every river is a song
Every song is a river

What Every River Needs

If we wish to keep our rivers alive we need to treat them as living entities that have rights just like humans. Creating legal rights for the rivers will go a long way in ensuring their protection and continuous flow. So what are the rights that every river needs? Here are the 3 most important ones:

Right to its land
Wherever the river flows, it should be allowed to keep its land. No construction or buildings should come up in areas where the river’s water has passed through in the last 5 years. Rivers and their floodplains help soak up excessive rains, thereby reducing flooding intensity, sometimes even preventing it.

Right to clean, continuous flow
When allowed to flow unfettered and pure, rivers provide bare essentials of clean drinking water for everyone. Rivers help maintain a balance with groundwater recharge, enabling cultivation of food as well as water availability during water scarcity and drought.

Right to health
A river is healthy when all beings that rely on the river are healthy. A river devoid of life is a dead river. Therefore, we have to ensure that rivers are living ecosystems that support various elements of nature, not just humans. The health of our rivers is linked to the health of our society. When a river dies, the soul of a city dies with it.

To stay updated on this project you can follow us on social media or join our newsletter. Please do help us spread the word and reach out to people who can add value to this work.

Please help us spread the word.
Our songs will be your songs too.

Healing Forest Films

HAMPI – City of Stones

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 Photography

AIGO – India

AIGO stands for Artificial Intelligence Generated Outings. AIGO is a new way of exploring old places. We work with AI to bring enchanting fables from magical lands to life. You will find thought provoking stories that help you uncover the soul of this beautifully complex land called India.

Imagine the impossible

AIGO is also a way to open your mind. To fill you world with wonder and curiosity, and to inspire you to travel. Come, let’s go on imaginary adventures to fantastic places. Somewhere between the real and unreal is an idea that is waiting for you.

AIGO Punjab

May the 4th be with you. Traveling in a remote Punjabi village where Star Wars has a cult following you’ll find these strange vehicles. On this significant date the jugaad inventors bring out their futuristic creations for an epic road show. Their message to the world – there is a dreamer within all of us.

AIGO Assam

Why do the elephants of Assam create art?
Is it to draw attention to their dwindling numbers? Is it to remind us that these fields were once dense forest they called home?

Why do the elephants of Assam create art?
It’s for the same reason that all artists create.
To feel alive.

AIGO Leh

Does AI know answers to questions that have mystified humans for ages? Can it reveal knowledge that was hidden in the heads of a few? On assignment to document the levitating monks of Leh, I decided to let AI unravel their secret.

AIGO What’s next?

This is an ongoing project. With time I will keep adding new stories and destinations. You can also send in your own AIGO creations or suggest new places for us to visit in the comments section of this post.

“To imagine the impossible, is to sow the seeds for making it possible some day.”

india in 5 minutes
Healing Forest Films

India In 5 Minutes

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.

India

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.

kerala

Kumaon
Healing Forest Films

Stories From The Mountains

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.
Junle fowl

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.
W-sunset-village

Healing Forest Photography

Varanasi – Time Loops

The flow of time is a great illusion. Sometimes it moves fast, sometimes it slows down. It can make you feel alive or it can make you feel half dead. But in Varanasi, one can see this illusion clearly. For in Varanasi, time stops.

Final-Cow

Given below are a series of time loops that try to capture the essence of life in Varanasi. They depict the illusion of being stuck in a time loop. For some people time does not move in a straight line, it flows in circles. Life may appear to move forward but if one observes closely, one can see it repeating itself in patterns. Check out the time loops below and see if the illusion is also present in your life.

ILLUSIONS

What is, isn’t
What isn’t, is
Varanasi-Bathing-MS

What was, will be
What is, won’t
Varanasi-Student

What flows, stays
What stays, fades
3-Final-Bathing-LS

What’s loved, is suffered
What’s suffered, is unloved
Varanasi-Fan

What’s gained, is lost
What’s lost, is missed
Varanasi-Wrestler

What destroys, creates
What’s created, is destroyed
Varanasi-Umbrella

What lives, dies
What dies, transforms
7-Final-Burning

What transforms, is truth
What separates, is illusion
Varanasi-Arti

What moves, is mind
What passes, is time
Varanasi-Old-man

What is, isn’t
What isn’t, is
Varanasi-Meditation

END NOTE: The wise people of Varanasi know that life is ruled by a simple principle- Everything Flows. The river flows. People come and go. Fortunes  and governments change. The sun, moon, seasons are all part of the flow. When one becomes aware of the flow, one can be free of illusions. I hope these words and time loops have helped you flow through Varanasi. Keep flowing.
Varnasi-Ganges

Folk Music Meghalaya
Healing Forest Films

Finding Bah Kerios Wahlang

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.
Folk Music Meghalaya
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.
Folk music -2The 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.
Folk Music Meghalaya -4
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.
folk music 3The 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.
Bah Kerios WahlangFarewell 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.

Healing Forest Films

Slow – A film from North East India

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.

North-east-india-matchlightMeanwhile 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.

Slow-poster-3And 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.

North East RhinoIt 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.

film making mentoring 2NOTE: 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 Music Project
Healing Forest Films

Folk Secrets Music Project

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

fern-web

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 Music Secret Project
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.