If you’re fascinated by India and Indian heritage a new two-part documentary – produced with the help of two Open University academics – is about to air.
Treasures of India will hit the small screen on Sunday 9 July on Channel 4 at 8pm, when viewers see seasoned adventurer, author and historian, Professor Bettany Hughes, guiding us through her curated selection of India’s treasures with the help of experts including those from the OU.
The two-part, hour-long episodes, produced by Sandstone Global Productions for the channel, which are also available on 4 On Demand (4oD) after the broadcast, showcase many extraordinary sites and cultural practices in North and South India.
They include much beauty including the Taj Mahal, the Golden Temple, scenic countryside viewed from a colonial-era railway and ancient sites such as the city of Hampi, one of the world’s greatest abandoned cities.
We also see the steps, known as ghats, of Varanasi on the banks of the River Ganges where Hindus are performing sacred rituals.
The programme also shows the ongoing traditions of the making of the famous Chola bronzes – a medieval sculpture tradition that is still being practised.
Dr Suzanne Newcombe, senior lecturer in religious studies, was one of the consultants. As was Dr Renate Dohmen, senior lecturer in art history at the OU and a part of the university’s The Ferguson Centre for African and Asian Studies | Open University.
She shared her knowledge on many aspects of India’s architecture and its associated sculptural traditions.
While Renate was UK based throughout the filming, she said:
“My main input was to provide art historical expertise and to support the team in choosing shots that allow the viewer to savour the beauty and wonderfully interesting aspects of these intercultural histories.
“I particularly enjoyed the stunning shots of Northern India, especially of Jag Niwas Palace in Lake Pichola in Udaipur – known as the Lake Palace – total eye candy.”
Bettany also visits the Golden Temple in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, where this breathtakingly beautiful structure gives the illusion of floating in the centre of a sacred lake.
The temple is a gurdwara, a place known as the holiest pilgrimage site for Sikhs, but it is open to pilgrims of all faiths and offers food to every visitor from the largest free kitchen in the world.
Renate said:
“Seeing what goes on in the kitchen of the Golden Temple was the most surprising for me. It feeds up to 100,000 people a day and is mostly staffed by volunteers. Look out for what looks like a cement mixer. It turns out to be a giant mixer for chapati dough.”
Suzanne, who conducts research on contemporary yoga and contributes to the OU’s religious studies courses, was consulted by the programme makers around presentations of contemporary religion.
She said:
“Bettany participates in a religious ceremony on the ghats of Varanasi and we also see a theyyam ritual take place in Kerala. This is where a male dancer becomes ‘possessed’ by a goddess.”
Suzanne says the programme highlights how the line between tourism and spiritual pilgrimage becomes blurred for many in India, themes that are explored in the OU’s religious studies courses.
This series was commissioned by Broadcast and Partnerships and is supported by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences with particular relevance to:
R14 – BA (Honours) Arts and Humanities, R27 – BA (Honours) Art History and Visual Cultures & R45 – BA (Honours) Religion, Philosophy and Ethics.
- Commissioned by: Dr Caroline Ogilvie, Head of Broadcast & Partnerships
- Academic Consultants: Dr Renate Dohmen & Dr Suzanne Newcombe
- Media Fellow: Dr Jo Paul
- Broadcast Project Manager: David Bloomfield
- Digital Content Producer: Andrew Hudson
Supporting Online content:
Visit our Broadcast website OU Connect to watch an exclusive interview with Prof. Bettany Hughes about the making of the programme and what it takes to present a contemporary view of India throughout history.
*Please note content may not be available before transmission.
Image ©: Sandstone Global Productions Limited
