Dear DP,
Here is the material that didn't earlier reach you.
As I maintained, the information contained in these films are essential for
our knowledge of ourselves and the Indian environment, of which we have
only amazingly unimaginative and historically dictated rigid information.
They also address, indirectly, the weird, exclusivist and prejudicial ideas
held be many of our country people. The second part of each film then may
help us to examine and face up to recent developments in controversial
areas. All this is obviously of some value in the rounded education which
we at the moment lack.
Ideally I would like to make two pilot films from the first two in the
list, given below, but one will be better than nothing. Once the film is
made it will most probably be easily taken on by one of the major Indian
channels, such as Doordarshan or Star. They will in turn pay their normal
rates, making up substantially on the original outlay. In addition, the
sponsors who take on the broadcasts will also pay, though this will more
probably be to the TV channel. If all goes well, then, much of the outlay
will thus come back to Asha for re-use. Subsequently, the films can be
turned into videos and disseminated to schools, either sold or distributed
free, depending on our policy at the time.
It was good to talk to you, and I look forward to our association.
All the best, Kamalini
____________________________________
MUTUALITY AND DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE HIMALAYAS AND THE INDIAN OCEAN
conceived by
Kamalini Sengupta
Proposal A documentary series (for TV, video dissemination in educational
institutions) with structured treatment of important aspects of Indian
society, history and culture. An implicit objective is the demonstration
of the interconnected web of communities and groups within the country.
Apart from examining, face-on, some of the more vexing areas of the Indian
polity through factual treatment, there will be information on each subject
which, though important for an understanding of India, is little known.
Objectivity Special care will be taken to be objective and not to make
comparative value judgements. Care will also be taken not to obfuscate
differences within groups and interests; that the differences are complex
and problematic, but there; and sometimes enriching.
The documentaries will be well-researched and bring out origins and
historical perspectives, and increasing awareness of and information on
different cultures in the country. They will include a background
perspective of other parts of the world.
Research team There will be a small central group of researchers.
Consultants There will be a panel of consultants for a general overview
and to ensure accuracy and balance. Specialists will also be consulted
separately for each topic.
Contents There will be an anchor person who will appear throughout the
series. Location shots, interviews, graphics, photographs and archival
material will be included, as well as dramatizations with professional
actors; the scope is unlimited and will depend on resources.
Each documentary will be preceded by a starter-segment. which will be in
short episodic form from actual news documentary footage, newspapers or
simulated incidences of conflict, controversy, related to the topic, and
giving it contemporary relevance where possible.
THERE WILL BE TWO PARTS TO EVERY FILM, THE FIRST DEALING WITH ORIGINS,
HISTORY AND CULTURAL FRAMEWORK AND THE SECOND WITH MOSTLY POST-INDEPENDENCE
DEVELOPMENTS. All of it will be of a highly educative value. (There is the
possibility, subsequently, of persuading authorities to accept the
material, even in textbook form, in the regular curricula, and of
encouraging further research and lateral spreading of such ideas.)
Language The original language will be English, but dubbing in other
Indian languages will be essential for full effectiveness and overall
dissemination. Initially, a smaller number of key languages may be used,
depending on resources.
Execution Filming will be done with professional assistance.
Proposed Topics
(Duration to vary between half an hour and one hour)
1 Language (the proposed pilot film) (one hour)
2 Peoples and Origins (the second proposed pilot film) (one hour)
3 Rulers and forms of government (one hour)
4 The Family (one hour)
5 Architecture: public and private (one hour)
6 Religion (one hour)
7 The Market Place (half an hour)
8 Schools and Education (half an hour)
9 Music, dance and drama (half an hour)
10 Art (half an hour)
11 Literature (half an hour)
12 Environment and Ecology (half an hour)
13 Science and medicine (half an hour)
14 Food, Dress and Customs (half an hour)
*Sample
Inputs for "Language" - the pilot film
Acted sequences demonstrating different types of speech, including
repetitions of the same sentences in different languages to demonstrate
closeness and comparison. Other little incidents and fables acted out.
Charts. Maps of the world but mainly India showing changes of state
boundaries as linguistic divisions were made after Independence. Moving
graphics. Special effects. Location shots of Ashokan inscriptions and
edicts, ideally all three types - pillar, rock and cave. Indus Valley
seals. Ancient manuscripts. Palm leaf manuscript libraries in villages
and elsewhere. Areas where different languages/dialects are used. Film
archive shots from Door Darshan/Films Division or other TV news and
documentary channels. Shots of still photos and headlines etc. from
newspaper archives. Shots of photos and paintings. Interviews with
specialists and ordinary people on the street.
A summarized script is given below.
Series: MUTUALITY AND DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE HIMALAYAS AND THE INDIAN OCEAN
_____________________
LANGUAGE
TOWER OF BABEL
Part One
(Starter-Segment: Simulation of conflict at Tower of Babel, either
through graphics or artist's impression, or acted sequence.)
The biblical story of the Tower of Babel can easily be transferred to
India to illustrate how the people of this multi-cultural and multi-lingual
country can forget notions of civility, harmony and ahimsa. To communicate
through speech is to be human. And communication is such a prime need that
no human group in the world is without a language. India is no exception;
but it is exceptional in its rich legacy of language. Today there are
thousands of languages in the world, belonging to many different language
families or language groups. In this one country alone, there are four
language groups and hundreds, yes hundreds, of languages and thousands of
dialects branching from these. And about two hundred scripts! In fact, the
Indian language scenario is so complex that most Indians themselves are
largely unaware of the whole picture. (Some other such regions/countries
mentioned) The Indian languages are all inter-connected, either belonging
to the same language family or group, or influencing one another and
changing over time because of close contact. Communication needs and
mutual exchange such as trade, migration, inter-marriage and political
forces, working over centuries, are among the causes of all this activity.
But alas, although they are able to co-exist happily for long periods,
languages have also caused conflict and periodically erupted in violence in
India.
Summary of the rest of the documentary
India's place in world of language. Four major language groups in
India, Dravidian, Indo-European, Munda and Sino-Tibetan.
Largest language group in world is Indo European to which most
languages of Europe and many Indian languages belong. Story of
comparatively recent discovery of this relationship. Sanskrit. Its place
and prestige. A "classical" language. Like Latin. Relationship between
Sanskrit and Latin. Relationship to other Indo-European languages such as
German, Russian. Some simple examples of links.
Dravidian languages and their story. Antiquity of Tamil and
interaction with Sanskrit, giving and taking from one another.
Munda family, its languages and spread among certain tribals.
Sino-Tibetan languages. Its family, spreading from China. Idea of
geographical locations, and peoples who speak these languages.
"Indianization" or acquiring of commonalties of all these languages
after close association over centuries. For example, highly developed
character of words dealing with familial relationships and other such
common culture traits; existence of High, or codified and strictly
governed written language and Low or spoken language created in market
place, phenomenon known as "diglossia", pan-Indian.
Fallout of oral tradition which still continues everywhere in India
with emphasis on verbatim repetition and memorizing.
Spread of common epics and fables in every language.
Modern Indian languages. How they developed over time. Within same
group and outside. i.e. Tamil and Sanskrit. Dravidian and
Indo-European-based languages. Trends in Munda and Sino-Tibetan languages.
Growth of Urdu and Hindi.
Scripts. Origins of writing. Not natural growth like spoken
language, but invented. Only few original inventions, others took ideas
and branched out. Earliest script in India from Indus Valley sites, found
in seal inscriptions dating to fourth millennium B.C. Examples. Theories.
Biased theories according to regional xenophobia. Origins not known.
Script not deciphered. Similar difficulties in deciphering Egyptian
hieroglyphic and demotic scripts till Rosetta Stone found with Greek
translation. From this, in a complicated exercise, hieroglyphic script
finally deciphered. No Rosetta stone equivalent for Indus script.
Extant scripts in India assumed to be mainly connected with great
Semitic (Middle Eastern or West Asian) inventions, powerful writing forms,
inspiration for large number of world scripts, from Greek, Sanskrit, Pali
and Latin to Tamil, Hindi, English and Tibetan!
First traces of writing in India after Indus Valley found in
inscriptions on bone, metal, rock and stone. Break of two thousand years
between Indus script and others. Edicts of Ashoka. (Pillars, rocks,
caves. Major, Minor.) All in Brahmi script, except two found in
Kharoshti. All over Mauryan Empire, which means covering almost whole
Indian sub-continent during 3rd Century B.C. Whatever the script, edicts
in other languages, including Sanskrit and some local. Unique message of
Buddhist dharma, ahimsa and non-violence. Brahmi and Kharoshti scripts
most probably based on some Semitic scripts, but re-invented with
particular pan-Indian characteristics. Place this Brahmi and Kharoshti
writing in time relation to other countries such as Egypt, Mesopotamia,
China and Greece. One branch of Brahmi script developed into rounded
letters, one into straight letters. Thus Tamil and Hindi scripts from same
source.
Now, about 200 scripts in India. Yet not all Indian languages have
script. And for those that have them, speech came first and scripts many
centuries later. Almost all Indian scripts branch from Brahmi script;
including Sino-Tibetan, Dravidian and Indo-European languages. Some with
their own scripts, and some borrowed or adapted. (Exceptions are Arabic
script which is used for Urdu and Kashmiri and, of course, Latin script for
English, now an "Indian" language in wide use after 200 years of the
British) Many languages without script adapting to Devanagiri and other
local scripts, and even Latin script. Nehru's suggestion of adaptation of
Latin script for all Indian languages. What happened?
Oral traditions in world, and particularly in India, even after
sophisticated forms of writing came into existence. What is in common
between this (picture of a human head or brain) and this (picture of
books)? For centuries, literature and scriptures in India kept alive among
common people through memory, communicated orally rather than by writing.
Other countries too. Interesting that Ashokan edicts and messages were in
local languages, indicating widespread knowledge of writing. Was it only
for few who were literate though widely scattered, or to be read to
majority by few literate? Unique growth all over India of spoken language
(often literature and scriptures were in poetry or sung - because easier to
memorize?) developing side by side with highly cultivated written forms.
Large numbers of illiterate people side by side with few literate people.
Propagation by the learned that memorizing more accurate than written
records! Library in the brain - answer to the graphically illustrated
question above. Knowledge of writing jealously guarded by priests and
scholars, a monopoly, power, wealth, status. Similar in other parts of the
ancient world where, however, printing revolutionized concepts. In India,
oral tradition continued all over. Therefore, book tradition and literacy
in India not universal even now. Higher learning selective. In old times,
no Shudras (Untouchables and lowest castes), no women allowed into higher
learning. (Upanishads (ancient philosophical India): story of woman
philosopher, Gargi who asked too many questions. The guru tells her: Ask
no more, Gargi, lest thy head fall off! Modern story of girl (13/14? July
'97 in Star News) whose hand chopped off because first woman in village to
gain entry to college. Story in Dalit/Shudra or Untouchable Literature of
Discouragement of Mahars of Maharashtra from going to school and college.)
Now with change, literacy growing. Reading habit slower to grow.
All-India phenomenon. Today Middle Ages exist side by side with very
latest of Twenty-First Century. In developed societies, TV etc. cutting
into reading habit. Here, TV etc. having same effect before reading habit
and literacy fully established. But also regions like Bengal and Orissa
with book tradition. Palm leaf manuscript libraries from old times in many
villages of Orissa. Yet illiteracy of these two states high. Same
dichotomy. Basic dilemma which has to be dealt with for whole country to
reconcile this contradiction, to change concept.
Scripts of South and Orissa became rounded because of use of iron
stylus and palm leaf? Other local writing materials. Still in use.
Modern methods. Again, many centuries in conjunction.
Prejudices between language groups, eg North and South India, (yet
scripts of two on same base, languages have ancient and close links though
from different families. Mutually recognizable words, same syntax and
recognizable cultural affinities) Urdu and Hindi, religious divide,
politicized. Urdu and Hindi same language with Perso-Arabic and Sanskrit
vocabulary inputs respectively, 70% common words and 100% same grammar.
Urdu (Arabic script associated with Islam) and Hindi (Devnagiri script
associated with Hinduism). Overheard: Urdu "masculine", Devnagiri
"feminine" because till last generation, Hindu women of North, especially
Punjab, learned Devnagiri script and Hindi, and Hindu men learned Arabic
script and Urdu. Punjabi in 3 scripts according to religion. Arabic for
Muslim Punjabis (now mostly in Pakistan), Gurmukhi for Sikh Punjabis, and
Devnagiri for some (admittedly few) Hindu Punjabis! But chair for Gurmukhi
studies in Lahore in Pakistan recently. Urdu and Kashmiri scripts, Arabic.
Linked to religion. (Go back to link to Kharoshti script in which Ashokan
edict carved, now in Pakistan) Original script sometimes written alternate
left-to-right-right-to-left or Boustrophedon, like old Greek, but no
evidence of Greek origin, as Indian writings pre-date Greek script.
Ashokan edicts written from left to right. Now all Indian languages, left
to right.
Influence of world's languages on India and vice versa. Linguistic
clues linking Indian and European languages. Chart of world writings with
same sentence. Show that South East Asian scripts came from India.
Cross-cultural influences between India and SE Asia, Central Asia, Middle
East, Europe. Spoken European gypsy language still easily identifiable as
of Indian origin.
Part Two
(Starter-segment - Cut to scene, from archival source, of language riot in
India, or headlines and pictures from contemporary newspapers of such
incidents.)
Language controversies: No language "inferior". Vocabulary of each
and every language developed in direction of local needs and circumstances.
All equally intricate, though in different ways. Some developed more in
certain areas at certain times. Eg. family relationships in India
mentioned above. Modern technical words in English. Adaptations from one
language to another, Eg. "Mr" and "Mrs" and "Miss" and "Ms" not originally
used in India, but equivalents found from Sanskrit. Adapted after
westernization all over India. Important words such as "Hindu"/"Indian".
Not possible any more to use the two words synonymously after modern
connotations. What did the word "Hindu" originally mean? What is its
origin? Did such a thing really exist as a religion? Or was it supplanted
after medieval, perhaps Islamic and Christian, notions of "a religion". Is
there a word for "religion" in any Indian language, originally? A serious
subject which can only be touched on here. Much depends on dominant status
of particular language and culture in region or world. Inheritance:
Hybrid English in India creating problems on both sides, Different Indian
accents for English. English people can't fully understand Indians,
Indians speaking with own connotations. Status of English in India at
present. A pidgin or a language growing in itself? Link language - within
country and to rest of world? Hindi a better internal link?
Politics of language: Indian states divided on linguistic basis after
Independence. Later divisions after conflict.
Official and national languages declared by state. What are they?
Many languages not there; like from Munda, Sino-Tibetan families; reasons.
Hindi chosen, after deadlock, by casting-vote of first President of India,
Rajendra Prasad. Attitudes of first two Prime Ministers - Nehru and Shastri.
History of conflict, dispute, crises. Disturbances. (Cut back to
Starter-Segment of riot scenes and headlines)
Language formulas. None working perfectly, some inroads? States
where regional language a must in education and government. Where English
used. Hindi cells in government offices. English winning? "Language of
equal disadvantage." True or false? No answer. Present state of things.
(Interviews of politicians, historians, journalists, people on the street,
linguists).
Each one thinks his language is the best. Can't really hear it. A
source of power and pride, like most group characteristics… Macaulay's
famous minute on language, which denigrated all other, including Indian,
languages as compared to English. English education launched in India.
Interview with Indian linguists and David Crystal, well-known British
linguist with views on language prejudice. Common language prejudices in
India. Stereotypes.
The music and beauty of each. "Punjabi is crude" - some beautiful
folk song. "South Indian languages are ugly" - a sentence in each
language. Telugu, a South Indian language, used for classical Carnatic
music. Considered a beautiful language, the "Italian of the East" in the
South. Why this difference in opinion between South Indians and non-South
Indians. Does it make any sense? Are there absolute measures of beauty,
are the hearers simply prejudiced? Sanskritization in Dravidian
languages and reverse exchange into Indo-E languages. "Ugliness" and scorn
an attitude of closed minds.
End. Tower of Babel-like. Cut to one language being easily dubbed by
another. Two takes of same scene done by same actors in two different
languages, one South Indian, one Hindi, common in film-making these days.
(MS Sathyu a good example with his films in Kannada and Hindi/Urdu and his
acting in Train to Pakistan, a film in Punjabi recently made, where he not
only looks very Panjaabi but speaks perfectly in the language). Possibility
of cross-cultural translations between languages. In India even easier
because same syntax and common-culture-based vocabulary, even between
Dravidian and Indo-European languages. Mystery of same syntax explained by
linguist.
Take one letter in two languages at conflict and show difference, a
single innocent stroke of the pen. That stroke can 'morph' into a dagger…
_______________________________________________________________________________
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