Take Me to the River
on location in Prayagraj (Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh, India
A documentary about the largest gathering in the history of the world, the Maha Kumbh Mela. Occurring in four overlapping twelve year cycles in four different locations (Allahabad, Ujjain, Haridwar, and Nasik), the Kumbh Mela is a Hindu pilgrimage festival organised around bathing in sacred rivers. The dates of the royal baths, called “sahi snaan” are determined according to astrology, usually falling on new moons, full moons and eclipses. On those most auspicious dates, tens of thousands of people attend the festival believing they will wash away lifetimes of karma in these rivers.
Official Trailer
End Montage
Take Me To The River is a documentary film of the Maha Kumbh Mela, a Hindu festival and pilgrimage which was the largest gathering in the history of the world. The film documents the event by immersing you in the midst of the celebration. Experience a roller coaster of emotions as obscurity and clarity flow across the crowded and dusty flood plain of Ganges and Yamuna Rivers. Through misty dawns, crowded streets, peaceful moments and chaotic sprints to the river, you’ll journey into the Sangam, the physical and spiritual heart of the “Mela (festival)” where sins are cleansed, bathers can escape infinite karmic cycles and world peace is possible. You’ll meet Swamis from the largest and most prestigious Hindu holy orders, ascetic naga babas, boatmen, policemen and pilgrims. While interviews provide a narrative backbone for the film, Take Me To The River offers more than an analytical portrait of the Kumbh Mela. Shot in Super 16mm film with music recorded exclusively at the festival, the blatant premises and subtle nuances of the Maha Kumbh Mela come alive with a striking visual intensity. While uncovering the Mela’s historical origins, examining the importance of ritual and searching for personal redemption, “Take Me To The River” ultimately conveys the essence of the Mela experience.
—Casey Meade
View On Demand
How I was involved
With a background in documentary photography, having spent the later part of the 1990s documenting music festivals throughout New England, and several months before we left for India working as the photo clerk at the Associated Press in Boston, I was invited to join the production initially as a still photographer. My enthusiasm led me to take on more and more responsibilities and gain the credit of Associate Producer, where I assisted in:
• setting up accommodations
• shot stills later used in the film
• managed translation and subtitle team
• toured the film around India
