through our photos and videos" Throughout the ages, people from all walks of life and every religious tradition have embarked on pilgrimages to places considered sacred. This 58 minutes documentary filmed along the Ganges River, the holiest pilgrimage of the Hindus, shows a vivid and insightful vision of India, as seen through the eyes of a pilgrim. The physical pilgrimage is a mirror of humankind's spiritual journey inward in search for the understanding of life's meaning and purpose. Following the holiest pilgrimage of the Hindus,"Ganga Ma: A Pilgrimage to the Source" presents striking images of festivals, funeral ceremonies, the arts, and the daily life of the ancient Hindu culture thriving along the banks of the Ganges. The funeral of the last Maharaja of Benares, the Kumbha Mela - the largest gathering of people in the world - and the Himalayas are shown in an intense and engaging narrative of visuals and sounds. In blatant contrast to the present times of turmoil and unrest, Ganga Ma's inspiring message reaches the audience with a timely, deep and joyful approach to a different reality. The sounds from the surrounding locale, music from festive events, and original compositions recorded in Varanasi merge with the stunning visuals to take the audience through a feast of beauty. The filmmaker's intention when following this pilgrimage was to encourage the viewers the urge to separate from ordinary life and to embark on a spiritual journey in search of a meaningful encounter with Spirit, the Source of our being, the Universal Cosmic energy.
Ganga Ma is a must in the library of anthropologists, scholars of Advaita Vedanta and Hinduism, Consciousness, Altered States of Consciousness, and all lovers of Indian culture.
