JOIN USThe ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela described often as the “greatest show on earth” has been a magnet for tourists, especially from abroad, who travel to see the mega gathering of humanity on the banks of the Ganges in Allahabad.
The amazing convergence of people also provides infinite opportunities for photographers and video enthusiasts who want to capture for posterity this once-in-12 years extraordinary spectacle.
Among that group is one from far away Colombia that is producing a documentary. It aims to give a comprehensive presentation of the Ganga. Jala — A Journey through the Senses of Water, a 110-minute film, is now in the post-production stage. It talks about the various stages of the Ganga — from its origin in the Himalayas till the time it merges into the Bay of Bengal and its highly polluted condition.
“The Ganga, the most sacred river to Hindus, symbolises threats like excessive pollution produced globally and the melting of glaciers caused by climate change, faced by all water bodies across the globe,” says Roberto Restrepo, director of the documentary.
“Paradoxically, the main threat to the Ganga is not pollution produced in India, but pollution produced globally, and in developed Western nations in particular. Due to the greenhouse effect gases produced by industrialised countries for many years, climate is changing,” says Restrepo.
Ana Milena Pineros, who researched for the documentary, says the Ganges is India. “The cultural wealth of India is due to the natural diversity of the country that the river traverses. At the same time, the fertility of the river basin makes it possible to feed a huge population,” she says.
Despite the importance of the river for one out of 12 people in India, the river is threatened by many anthropic factors like domestic sewage, industrial disposal, solid waste and climate change.