The smoke of juniper leaves, intensifying drum beats and fierce ringing of bells; characterised by the ceremonial dropping of the hat. Welcome to the world of myth and magic, of trance, the esoteric and cosmic communication.
Renowned filmmaker Anu Malhotra, in her television series, Shamans of the Himalayas , takes us to the land of gods in the shadow of the snow-capped mountains of Himachal Pradesh at the Indian premiere of her documentary film, which has already been showcased at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. An extraordinary world where Shamans, locally called Gurs, trance mediums of living gods and goddesses, address their devotees and resolve their problems.
At the premiere, Iqbal Malhotra presented the theatrical 104-minute version of the four-part series of the film by Anu Malhotra, which will be released in theatres across Europe and North America. While drawing a parallel to James Cameron's Avatar , where he creates a furious world Pandora, he said, “However, in Shamans of the Himalayas , Anu presents a similar world, but a real one.” Shot over 14 months in the villages of Kullu valley where every valley and village is home to several gods and goddesses, the director makes an attempt to unveil the mysteries surrounding Shamanism while witnessing and experiencing the sacred rituals, exorcisms, traditional religious practices and healing techniques.
Chief Guest, Dr. Karan Singh, President, Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR), elaborated on the idea of Shamanism, saying, “What is called Shamans is a part of an unbroken tradition since the dawn of civilisations. The idea that it is possible to interact with invisible forces and those invisible forces can have a direct impact on our lives. Five thousand years ago, before the evolution of religion, the Shamanistic cults were prevalent. Whether it was the indigenous tribes of North America or Siberia or in India, or any other place, you will see that the Shamanistic tradition was prevalent.”
Speaking of the film, Anu Malhotra said, “It is shot more like a feature film and the style of filming and presentation is more like a feature film. Since the medium demands that I try and make my documentaries as engaging and interactive as possible, I try and make it an experiential journey for the viewers. I don't like my documentaries to just be an intellectual exercise.”
While she tries to explain the concept of Shamanism and the faith, she says, “In the contemporary world it is very easy for us to dismiss something because we don't understand it. That is the main aim of the film. It's a comprehension. I do not just want people to look at it with an intellectual eye. I want them to see it from the heart.”
The film will be available in select stores all across India.
