Bharat Ek Khoj 53: Epilogue

Bharat Ek Khoj—The Discovery of India
A Production of Doordarshan, the Government of India’s Public Service Broadcaster
Episode 53: Epilogue

Nehru commented that science may be on the verge of discovering vital mysteries. Ignoring the ‘why’ of philosophy, science would go on asking ‘how’ giving greater content and meaning to life.

Nehru considered Vedas the earliest books that humanity possessed, behind which lay ages of civilised existence, during which the Indus Valley civilisation had grown. The visuals recapitulating the earlier episodes show, Nachiketa questioning: What is soul? What are space and time? The death-god Yama replies: Brahman is supreme, manifest in Om that is imperishable. In the epic Mahabharata, Arjuna trembles at the prospect of killing the relatives in War, till Krishna counsels him to forsake weakness and face the ordained duties. One’s soul is everlasting and allows only the right of action in one’s given life.

The Buddha preaches without any reference to God or another world. He relies on logic and experience, and asks people to seek the truth in their own minds. Ashoka is stricken with remorse in spite of his triumph in the Kalinga war and discusses the transience of everything before surrendering to the Buddha. The Bhakti movement with the saint-poets like Basavanna spread Saguna and Nirguna songs among the masses. We move to the advent of Islam and the surge of Sufism with its message that puts love for men at par with love for God. Amir Khusro is seen singing Persian and Brajbhasha lyrics. Kabir appears with transcendental songs of wisdom and religion and shares mystic thoughts with the bemused Sultan. Akbar discourses on his newly found faith, Din-e-llahi. The scenario now captures the encounter between Aurangzeb and Shivaji.

During Tipu Sultan’s reign in the 18th century, the European power is on its way to become Indian rulers. Under the rule of the British, Bengal is plundered to support the Industrial revolution in England. In the 1857 revolt, Mangal Pandey is seen to pull the first trigger, with the vow to throw the ‘white’ regime to the rivers. Rammohun Roy opposes Sati, and Swami Vivekananda raises a powerful voice against racial distinctions. Bal Gangadhar Tilak appears in the late 19th century with his Extremist faction and joins forces with Dadabhai Naoroji, in the latter’s demand: ‘Freedom is our birthright’. Now comes Gandhi who radically re-defines non-violence to mean alleviation of suffering, rise of the lowest echelons of society, and decline of the British imperialism. The 1930 turmoil of India and the Ballia ‘Bandh’ lead to the spread of the battle cry of ‘Do or Die‘ that reverberates throughout India in August 1942. In another half decade, India wins freedom on 15 August 1947.

Nehru concludes his epic saga of re-discovering his motherland with the powerful prayer by Tagore from Gitanjali: Where the mind is without fear and the head held high; Where knowledge is free; Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.


Producer Doordarshan
Language Hindi

Credits

Uploaded by Public.Resource.Org
Based on Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, The Discovery of India
With Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal Nehru
Om Puri as the Narrator
Produced and Directed by Shyam Benegal
Chief Assistant Director was Mandeep Kakkar
Executive Producer Raj Plus
Script by Shama Zaldi and Sunil Shanbag
A production of Doordarshan

• #education
• #nehru
• #bharat_ek_khoj
• #discovery_of_india