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Of myth, magic and mysticism

Exploring the mythical and magical world of Shamans, Anu Malhotra’s documentary The Shamans of the Himalayas unveils the mystery that surrounds their life. Millennium Post speaks to the filmmaker about the eye-opening experiences she encountered while helming the documentary.This documentary will be telecast as a four part series on Discovery Channel this month.

What prompted your interest in the Shamanistic traditions of Kullu Manali?


Manali is one of my favourite travel destinations. Whenever I went there, I made friends and listened to their stories. I encountered scenes on the streets that fired my imagination. Out of curiosity, I asked people about the things I observed. They told me that in these areas, every village has its own deity and each deity, its own ‘Gur’ or shaman. That’s where the idea of my documentary emerged.

It took you over two years to make this documentary, tell us what kept you going on during that phase?
The overview of the Shamanistic culture itself is very fascinating. It’s almost a faraway world from our city-centric lives; a world where everything is alive- the rocks, the leaves, and the atmosphere around. That is what physics says as well. Shamanistic traditions emphasize upon an interconnected web of life; you disturb its balance, and its repercussions come back to you.

You had already researched extensively on this theme before you hit the ground. Still, during the course of the film, was there anything that left you flabbergasted? Share an anecdote with us.


I was shooting Gur Tularam, a shaman of goddess Hadimba in the Kullu valley. Hadimba is a demon goddess. When Tularam goes into a trance, it’s terrifying to see him as he turns violent over a period of time. I could feel his waves of energy travelling to me and I was left flabbergasted with goosebumps on my skin.
Shooting this four-hour -long documentary was a massive exercise. I remember chasing a procession of Shamans. I was almost jumping around with my small camera to keep up with their pace.

There has been a pattern to your documentaries; you seem to be travelling to a new state with every fresh documentary you make.


I started my television career in the 90s with travel shows. During that time, I used to drive or travel around the country all the time. Wherever I went, I found a new culture, a different way of life. This is what inspires me to document the fragile and vulnerable aspects of life in India for posterity. If these cultures get lost with the passage of time, a way of life will be lost, leaving us empty for forever.
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