Kumbh

Two young men stroll curiously around the Kumbh Mela, a huge religious festival involving millions of Hindus. They are wearing modern clothing, which makes them stand out among the pilgrims, most of whom are in traditional dress. Kumbh Mela, which takes place every three years at one of the four major Hindu sites (Haridwar, Allahabad, Ujjain and Nasik), is seen as the biggest pilgrimage in the world, bringing the many faces of Hinduism together. There are naked sadhus smeared in ash, rich gurus collecting donations, musicians and other performers, and simple pilgrims washing away their sins by ritual bathing in the river. The two men watch it all in silence, recording it with their cameras. Meanwhile, we take it all in from behind them. Sometimes we see what they are filming, at other times we see them filming one another. Through this device, director Umesh Kulkarni interposes an extra layer between the viewer and the spectacle. The sophisticated soundtrack and painstaking framing make this short documentary with no dialogue more than a simple recording of a fascinating religious spectacle. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)