India in a Day

I watched India in a Day on the same day, coincidentally, that I helped pack up my friend's little apartment.  He travelled to India a year ago intending to evolve his spiritual journey, and he loves it so much he hasn't returned.  After sorting through his prayer beads, incense, and meditation books I joined the flock at the Vic Theatre to see India from a different angle.

October 10th, 2015 is the day Indians of all stripes (well, a few different stripes) documented short video sequences of their lives, and the lives of the people around them.  The filmmakers performed some kind of magic taking countless hours of random video from all around the continent and weaving together a story celebrating the diversity, and the unity, of the nation. 

Viewers were subtly reminded, early on in this film, that access to technology is something so many of us around the world take for granted.  While we are bombarded with wifi and cellphone tower signals, not to mention all the radio waves (wonderful though they are) and etc, in India these are treasured and rare conveniences.

Someone behind me, as we were exiting the theatre, noted that the film was a bit short on presenting the spiritual face of India, although it presented a united and happy cross section of the people.  My travelling friend would agree that India's younger generations aren't as intent on the spiritual path as their elders.  Interestingly it is the many 'western' visitors who pilgrimage there, he says, who are most likely to be seeking the path to spiritual enlightenment.  India's youth apparently quest more for convenience, technology, and comfort than spiritual fulfillment. 

The many diverse Indians with access to the technology we take for granted, who were able to share their India in a Day experiences, offer a tiny but important (and very colourful!) glimpse into this shifting population.