When most of India shines in the celebration of Diwali, it is Goddess Kali who holds centre-stage in Eastern India. Kali Puja is special in Kolkata, and of its many temples, the Dakshineswar Kali temple holds a special position. Ever since it was completed and opened to the public in the mid-nineteenth century, it has been a melting pot of diverse ideas. Dakshineswar Kali Temple remains iconic, and millions still throng here.
The narrative also encompasses the fascinating stories of prominent historical figures. Rani Rashmani, the temple's visionary builder, is key to the story. So is Sri Ramkrishna Parmhans, the temple's head priest. Today, he is revered as a saint mystic, whose pluralist ideas were a life-changing influence on Swami Vivekananda.
HistoryTV18 presents an hour-long documentary, Dakshineswar: Legends of Kali, about the fearsome, mysterious yet benevolent Goddess Kali, her devotees, festival and great temple. According to Hindu tradition, the Goddess is the personification of Shakti, the feminine divine, at its most powerful. She is all-conquering and her wrath all-consuming. But when she is calm, then like nature she is maternal - nurturing and protective.
Research, top-end production values and never-seen-before visuals make the film a cut above the rest. Stylised animation and imagery recreate the legends and forms of Kali, from bloodthirsty demon-slayer and Goddess of tantrics, to the beloved and divine mother of millions of devotees.
The cosmopolitan character of West Bengal's capital city shines through in scenes of Kolkata's China Town. Here the Chinese community has their own Kali temple, where devotees receive prasad of momos and noodles. The story also takes the audience to mysterious Tarapith, an important centre of Kali worship, to see Gauri, a woman in the little-understood world of Tantra.
With Dakshineswar: Legends of Kali, HistoryTV18 creates a definitive one-hour that shines a light on the mythology and mystique of the fearsome Kali. The clutter-breaking film, available in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, aims to interpret and showcase the abiding faith in the ancient tradition of Shakti, in 21st Century India.
Avinash Kaul, MD A+E Networks, TV18 and CEO Network18 said, "At HistoryTV18, we believe in telling stories that are engaging as well as relevant for our viewers. In keeping with our commitment of raising the bar with each original production, Dakshineswar: Legends of Kali is an absolutely compelling story, told exceedingly well."
Watch Dakshineswar: Legends of Kali on October 25, 8 PM only on HistoryTV18.
Follow @News18Movies for more
Comments
0 comment