Panguni Uttiram

There is a saying in Kerala called ‘Aram Pattuka’ that means the incidents mentioned in the book can happen in author’s life. It is not that I believe it completely, but after doing a documentary film called ‘Not a Drop of Rain’ on drought in the districts of Kalahandi and Naupada in Orissa, I have faced serious shortage of water at home. Well, if the saying is still true…u can see me married soon. Because two days back I finished a documentary film on the festival of marriage of Gods…Panguni Uthiram. :)
I shot this festival on April 8^th. Panguni Uthiram is an auspicious day in which the star Uttiram meets the Paurnami. (Full-moon day). According to the epics it is on this occasion that many of the divine marriages are celebrated. Well the details of the festival are uploaded in Wikipedia as my Field Report for National Folklore Support Center.

Before concluding this post I would like to to speak about what fascinated me in this shoot -the way which people responded for the interviews. I was so surprised in the beginning because everyone in Kanchipuram who participated in this fest talked like they are going for a wedding in their family. In fact Vanigar community members kept on saying that it’s their daughter’s wedding. A very personalized way of talk about the almighty…kept reminding me that GOD is in me, u and everyone. After attending the wedding ritual that went on for all night I too felt the same. I walked with Elavarkuzali Amman (Goddess Parvathy) during the whole event. After the whole function it truly made me feel it's my sister's marriage. A German scholar friend Kerstin who was with me all the time too said that she felt the same. The satisfaction I cannot explain in the work. It’s for everyone to experience being a part of it. I learnt a lot of new things with this documentary.