Discoveries…India: Rural Treasures

This latest program in Jim and Kelly Watt's high-definition filmed Discoveries…India series (see review of Golden Triangle in VL-7/10) explores some of the more pastoral regions of the former “jewel in the crown.” In Rural Treasures, viewers discover that 70 percent of India's 700 million people live in rural areas, most without power or running water. Sites visited include the mountainous village of Ranakpur (featuring a 15th-century white marble temple), Kumbhalgarh Fort (known as the “Great Wall of India”), the ancient feudal village of Ghanerao (where a free lunch serves as a strong incentive for young schoolchildren to attend), Narlai (home to a wide range of craftspeople), Dhamli (located in the Marwar region), and the tiger preserves of the Ranthambore National Park. Also touching on topics such as the stigma of the caste system, and capturing a variety of wildlife on camera (including blue bull antelopes), this colorful addition to the armchair travelogue series is recommended. Aud: P. (J. Williams-Wood)