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Category Archives: The Film
«Amrit Nectar of Immortality» is a documentary which was shot at the time of the biggest pilgrim’s festival of the world – the Kumbh Mela – in Haridwar (north India). The film tells the stories of people and their connection with the holy river Ganges. Pilgrims, ascetics, yogis, western emigrants, scientists and environment activists report from their life on the holy river, their belief, the future of the Ganga and the importance of Amrit – the nectar of immortality.
But what is Amrit? Is it a mysterious drank? The holy water of Ganges? Or rather an inner way to the immortality of the soul? The film is a journey in search of answers to these questions, a journey in a strange world, in search of the nectar of immortality.
«He who dwells in the water, and within the water, whom the water does not know, whose body the water is, and who rules the water within, he is your Self (Soul), the ruler within you, the Amrita (the immortal).»
Kumbh Mela
The Kumbh Mela in Haridwar lasted from the 14th January to the 28th March, 2010. During three months an enormous tent city appeared in the outskirts, with temples, hospitals, food stalls and shops. Believers, saints, yogis, sick persons, beggars and curious from the whole world assembled in the tent city on the banks of the river Ganges. According to estimations of the authorities more than 50 million pilgrims moved after Haridwar during this time (1988 there were only 10 millions). On the 14th April, to the climax of the party, the royal bath – Shahi Snan – about 16.6 million people took a bath in the holy Ganga. In Hindu belief, the time during the Kumbha Mela is a particularly beneficial moment for a ritual bath. Since the water of the Ganges becomes, on account of the unique astrological constellation, during the three-months period the immortality nectar Amrit. Thats why millions of believers from all corners of the country make this holy pilgrimage to drink some drops of the holy nectar.
Shri Siddhartha Krishna Brahmachari
Siddharthas mother came in the 70s from Switzerland to India and married a yogi by the name of Prabhupada Acharya Surya Prakash (Prabhuji). After the birth of Siddharta they went for 5 years to Switzerland in Tägerwilen in the Thurgau. But in the opinion of his father Siddharta should become monk and study the holy scriptures of Hinduism. So he studied during 12 years and became a monk. Today Siddharta teaches in the Shri Kailas Ashram Brahmavidya Peetham (institutes of Vedantic Research and Studies) and looks after his blind and ill father Prabhuji on the bord of the Ganges.
Sunderlal and Vimla Bahuguna
Together with his wife Vimla, Sunderlal Bahuguna fights since more than 40 years indefatigably against the deforestation of the forests of the Himalaya and against the increasing obstruction of the Ganges by dams. He has participated actively with the independence movement and was strongly influeced by Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violent resistance. Bahuguna has already been several times on hunger strike to protest against the progressive deforestation and against the dam projects on the banks of the Ganges.
Dr. G. D. Agrawal
Dr. G. D. Agrawal (born 1932) is a respected doyen of environmental engineers in India. After a long career, he continues to teach and inspire students as an Honorary Professor of Environmental Sciences at the Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, in Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh. He is notable for his successful fast in 2009 to stop the damming of the Bhagirathi River.
Narmada Devi Puri Ma
Narmada Puri came in the 1970s at the age of 24 from Germany to India. In Haridwar she met a yogi which became her teacher and whom she never again left till the end of his life in 2001. Since her arrival in India, she spent her life on the banks of the Ganga without returning ever again in her homeland. Today she lives in an Ashram near to Haridwar which is visited from numerous western spiritual seekers and yoga tourists.
Yogis and Swamis
Part of the film are among the main protagonists pilgrims, ascetics, yogis and monks which made a pilgrimage partly over 2’000 km to Haridwar to the Kumbha Mela or live on the banks of the holy Ganga.
Amrit (Sanskrit: अमृत) means “without death” or “immortality” and is described in the old Hindu writings often as nectar of the immortality. Although etymologically not related, Amrit resembles strongly the Greek notion Ambrosia in its meaning.
All natures on this world are mortal, however, in Hindu view the soul is born again on account of its karmic acts a new. The aim of the human life is to be freed itself from this cycle of the rebirths and to become immortal. To realize the true self, to unite the individual soul Athman with the big universal soul Brahman. The Hindu traditions know numerous ways to the redemption – Moksha – to attain of the nectar of the immortality.