DVD Review: BBC TV Series – Ganges
Information. ‘Ganges’ is a DVD of three episode TV series aired on BBC in 2007. It is distributed in India as DVD by Saregama. The video is approximately 150 minutes long. As of posting this, it retails for Rs.399.00 in India.
Review. The series takes the viewer along the river Ganges, tracing the river from its birth to the place where it discharges into the sea. The first part, called ‘Daughter of the Mountains’, is about the river originating from glacial melts and swiftly moving down the Himalayas to reach the plains in Haridwar. The second part – River of Life – is about the river, religions and the way of life of people in the Gangetic Plains, till it reaches the delta. Predictably, the third part is dedicated to the river delta and the Sundarbans, and is called ‘Waterland’.
The excellent quality of photography grips the viewer throughout the series. It is all the more evident in the first part where the Ganga flows through magnificent mountain ranges. Other best appeal of the DVD is in the portrayal of the wildlife, which begins with lamergiers and griffons in the Himalayas, and then takes us through the aquatic life in the plains and the wildlife of the delta region. For the Indian audience, the parts of the DVD covering the culture, and stories related to birth of the Ganges and evolution of culture seems like nothing new. Despite that, the narration remains excellent through the series. At the end of the three episode, it is the quality of photography that remains vivid in memory. Watch it on HD screen to do justice to the video.