Upanishad Ganga
Drama series on Timeless Knowledge
It’s been a few weeks.. I have been watching this series and quite absorbed.
In the words of Isha Upanishad.. Knowledge reveals like uncovering the golden orb of the Sun. Knowledge is timeless. And in the comfort of the big screen, the 50 episodes and the adorable actors giving a glimpse of different timelines and stories.
The Drama series begins with disagreements between father and son. Father a scholarly Sanskrit pandit, and his son smitten by the world of English Drama. The son sees no relevance of Sanskrit in the modern world,when until one day, he begins to see Kalidasa in his Shakespearen Dramas. And that was his U turn moment. He decides to make this drama series.
The city of Varanasi, with Ganga ghaat in the backdrop, and the lessons by the Masters.. It felt surreal like a student sitting next to the Guru.
And the series does an incredible job of combining essence of Upanishads through handpicked stories. Lessons of ancient though-process.. The purusharthaas, the vedas, the 16 samskaaras.. Who am I? What is this world? What is Maaya? What is OM and so on.
Lesser heard stories of so many stalwarts.. Bhaskaracharya & his math loving daughter Lilavati.. Mathematician Varahamihira and his veda-paatashala in Iran. Chanakya and his intense desire for economic reforms.
Intense Q&A sessions and Debates.. Astavakra , Yudhistira & Yaksha, Yagnavalkya & Gargi. Beaultiful conversation between YagnaValkya and his wife Maitryi. Everything we do is only for fulfilling our need.
In each of the episodes, the Sutradhaar-nati conversations were so endearing. Like a background analysis of the story..
In a way, we are all naTis actors in this cosmic world of space and time that is spun by the creator sutradhaar..
The Q&A conversations that happen in the head.. again seems again like the naTi sutradhaar show in our life.
The visuals, characters and dialogues were quite endearing and thought provoking.
Rishi Gautam’s act of accepting Satyakaama as his student, despite peer opposition to Satyakaama’s background. “Satya ki kook se Satya hein utpann ho sakta hein”
NaamDev’s ego gets offended when he is teased.. “Abhi to ye ghat kaccha hein”.. Saint Ekanath’s handling of his wayward son-in-law.. Teach my daughter Gita so that she is not so attached to you..
Story of Maharshi Vyasa.. The Drought lasted several years. The syllabus of Vedas was exhaustive and some students needed a life time in completion. Rishi Sanak and others ask Krishna Dwaapayana to consolidate the Vedas. And we owe him.. Krishna Dwaapayana who is also known as the great Veda Vyaasa.
Mughal Prince Dhara’s attraction to Vedas and his efforts in translating it to Persian.
SurDaas. His interaction with Vallabacharya of Adharam Madhuram fame in learning the Leelas of Krishna. His interaction with Akbar.. Life story of Meerabhai, Tulasidas and Haridas & Tansen.
The Hakka Bukka brothers and tutelege under Sage Vaidyanarayana.. Their fight against Mughals and establishment of Vijayanagara kingdom..
And Stories of U turn moment in life..
Highway robber Ratnaakar turns into Rishi Valmiki.. Challenged by his wife, Tulsidas turns inwards and makes Rama katha in his Rama-charita-maanas accessible to all in the comfort of local dialect.
Hit by disillusion, King Bartruhari takes the path of monkhood.
There is Freshness and Spring in the Air.. Curiosity and Knowledge are timeless and ever young. Thank you Chinmaya for making this Epic Series!
