RIFLE RANGE BOY

Ghatashraddha (Kannada, The Death Ritual; 1977) Director, Screenplay: Girish Kasaravalli There must be a reason why Martin Scorsese's World Cinema Project, George Lucas' Family Foundation, and Film Heritage Foundation decided to restore the film from the original negatives in 2024. In 2002, it was voted one of the 20 best films in Indian cinema. It also snatched the Best Feature Film award, among other awards, in 1977. Looking at current world sentiments about India, the elephant in the room is that the film is about Brahmin bashing. The colonial masters are to be blamed for anti-Brahminic feelings running high among the Indian public at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. The British wanted to understand how the Indian society was spread out. For simplicity, they used the European class system when they commenced their census taking. The varna system in India was too complicated for the Europeans to comprehend. Hence, a hierarchical system was devised wi...

Courtesy: iyermatter.wordpress.com I have a friend whose ancestors hail from the land of the Kamasutra. Even though born and bred here, he has not quite severed his umbilical attachment to his roots. His roots are still deeply rooted there. His religious conviction handed down by his ancestors are quite strong and has no qualms displaying his beliefs. He makes frequent pilgrimage trips there and is quite in tune with the latest flavour of the month of the sub-continent. He once told me of a relative holding quite a high post in the Indian Air Force. Like my Brahmin friend, this guy was steadfast in continuing his Vedic practices through rituals, prayers, regalia to display of proof of his theological conviction on his forehead, vermilion, ash, sandalwood paste and all. But once he dons his uniform and leaves his abode, he makes it a point to take a glance himself at the mirror to erase all traces of his religious beliefs. He, being a servant of the state, had to display a secu...