Original subtitles

Faith is where empathy is With rage there is sin

Hatred finds place in hell Forgiveness is where He is

Awaken! -

Dawn is breaking... -

Washing away the cover of darkness

Dawn is breaking...

Awaken!

May Lord Shiva bless you

Shake away the mist of dreams

Focus on the task at hand

It will take you down the path to salvation

Every direction beckons you -

Aboard the boat of life -

- You'll be carried by the holy river's tide

- Dawn is breaking...

- Awaken!

'Accept this offering O Keshava'

'Accept this offering O Narayana'

'Accept this prayer, O Mighty Sun God'

'O Lord, creator of the universe remove our miseries, vices and sorrows'

'Give us the ability to lead upright, good lives'

- The fluttering leaves point the way

- The river flows as it cleanses your sins -

- And the temple bells sound the presence of the Lord

- Dawn is breaking...

- Awaken! O traveler-

- Life is passing you by-

- Hold on to that faint string... - and do what is only right

- Dawn is breaking

Welcome

I seek your blessings Punditji

You're late as usual

It's almost afternoon

I reached home late last night after a wedding ceremony...

My 3 year old son was crying relentlessly...

due to an upset stomach

I fell asleep, putting him to bed

Before I knew it, the Sun God had risen

The sun doesn't rise according to your convenience, Daya Shankar

Leading life by the rising and setting of the sun is the duty of every Brahmin priest

And ostentation isn't the objective of prayer

You may find gullible customers...

but you won't find God

Forgive me Punditji, I didn't see you

How dare you touch and defile Pundit Chaturvedi!

I am sorry Punditji. Please forgive me

Kalua! Mallah! Come here... Hurry!

He's defiled Pundit Chaturvedi

Beat him up

Stop!

Stop! Don't hit him

'O Lord purify my mind, body and soul'

What's going on?

We are Brahmins

Lord Brahma himself gave us this most superior caste

Even the shadow of that lowly untouchable shouldn't fall on us

And he touched Pundit Chaturvedi!

'May this thread of Lord Brahma confer upon me knowledge and wisdom'

Greetings Punditji

That poor man was beaten up for your sake

And you didn't intervene?

Why should he?

That lowly fool has defiled Pundit Chaturvedi

The divine light created by the Lord is the genesis of all mankind

Then how can one man be different from another?

Our scriptures also state this. Don't they?

Are you trying to teach Punditji the scriptures?

We challenge you to a debate with him

Shyam!

Lord Shiva has blessed me with the knowledge of the scriptures

What about the truth of life?

Hail, the mighty Lord Shiva

- Awaken! - Dawn is breaking

I'm sending sweets to your house... offer them to the God sin your prayers

Thank you. My daughter will bring the money

Punditji, what did that mystic mean?

Knowing the meaning is not enough

To understand religion, one must live by its tenets

The world is full of so called mystics

If you want to grasp the true essence of the Hindu religion pay attention to Punditji's teachings

Understand Mr. Paul?

Goras Nath, I'm not going to change my mind,

I will not to be a part of any religious propaganda

My child, come back in an hour

'I recite the names of the places where you dwell'

'My sins from 7 lifetimes will be destroyed by this recollection'

'By merely looking at your image...

'I'll no longer be touched by sin'

'I pray to you morning and evening, O Lord'

'Detach me from Karma, so I can only live to please you'

'Hail, the mighty Lord Shiva! '

'You are the incarnation of compassion'

'You're the very essence of life'

'Your eternal abode is the heart of your devotee'

'I bow to you Lord Shiva and your consort Parvati'

'My Lord Shiva is the one in eternal bliss'

'The one who is resplendent and omnipresent'

'The one who embodies the scriptures'

'The one who is limitless and pure like the sky. I adore you'

'O beloved Lord of all...

with shimmering jewels in his ears'

'Your beautiful large eyes...

full of mercy and a cheerful countenance. I adore you'

'Hail, the mighty Lord Shiva'

May the mighty Lord Shiva bless you

Be careful. Do not eat street food or take a helping from others

Communal riots broke out in Bhadohi early this morning...

persons from a minority community are reported dead

Many homes have been burnt down

What sparked off this Hindu-Muslim riot?

Hindu-Muslim animosity is part of our history

Any small scuffle...

can trigger a riot

Which means...

father and son...

husband and wife...

relatives and brothers can forsake each other

But Mother Ganges never forsakes...

who-so-ever takes a dip in Her holy waters

The River Goddess Ganges...

washes away his sins and liberates him

In this modern world...

where virtues are disappearing...

we are fortunate for the presence of Mother Ganges

Are your students late today?

Or have I finished my chores early?

All you have been quick at, is forgetting, Parvati

Will you teach the students...

while I perform the prayers at Vishnu Singh's house?

Today, is the fire ritual for Surya Prakash, let's hope the Gods drive some sense into his head

He is unlike his father

So hot headed

This may take a lot of time

Many lifetimes I believe

I was referring to the fire ritual

That won't take much time

So, you won't be able to eat before noon

I am a Brahmin. I feed the soul first

But you must eat. Don't wait for me

The doctor has adviced you to eat on time

I am a brahmin's wife. I know what is good for my soul

I will wait for you

You're a woman

You needn't live by the rule sprescribed for men

I know

The scriptures also prescribe that every woman be a dutiful wife -

Pativrat

Punditji!

I read somewhere that a woman's... Pativrat Dharm

dictates she must obey all of her husband's wishes

It is written in the Manu Smriti

In chapter 9, verse 154 - 55

Very good my child

Paul, a woman without husband has no status in society

What are you learning from Punditji today?

We're on an interesting subject A woman's Dharma as a dutiful wife

You've performed good deeds in your past life...

to have the good fortune to come all the way to India...

and learn about our religion and culture from Punditji

And some unfortunate people, despite being born here...

Shut up! Just shut up!

Don't interfere, Prabha

I have decided she won't go

She wants to study. - Please let her go

Keep your mouth shut!

Punditji, do I have to be apart of the ritual?

It was difficult convincing father to let me study further

Today is the last day for submitting the application

But my brother says... - You've studied enough!

There is a ceremony in the house and she wants to go and study

You keep quiet, father!

Educated girls have neither virtues nor values

Values!

Good values require that you don't talk down to anyone...

especially to your father

As far as Mani is concerned...

she is not required at this prayer

Vishnu Singhji may allow her to leave

You may go, my child

Prabha will look after the prayer preparations

Then, I will not be a part of this ceremony

You'll do as I say!

His ritual will take place...

and you will be a part of it

Pundit Chaturvedi is encouraging her bad behaviour

If the elder brother is forbidding it, why does he need to butt in?

He thinks he is God

And father and the foolish people of Benares believe he is God

He is not!

And still he insists on controlling everyone's life

You scoundrel! Don't I know you'd love the same

You'd love to have Pundit Chaturvedi's job and status

Welcome, sir.

Come, pray. Peace for father, grandfather, your dead

That is ridiculous!

So what if he holds the highest post of priesthood...

My knowledge is no less than his

Welcome madam

Perform the invocation ceremony, seek the blessings of River Ganges

Ma'am, fees

You're doing well for yourself

You get to touch these sexy foreigners

need to earn my living.

Your father doesn't pay for my expenses like he does for Pundit Chaturvedi

That's because you aren't the Head Priest of our temple

Wouldn't you love to be the Head Priest?

- Dawn is breaking -

- Washing away the cover of darkness -

- Awaken! -

Whose baby is this?

What's wrong?

Vedika was playing outside. A woman was thirsty

She gave Vedika the baby and went to drink water

She didn't return

What?

You brought in a child from the street?

Not knowing his caste, how dare you touch him?

It's a Brahmin's child

Vedika had asked the mother

You shouldn't have brought the baby home

His mother must be worried

Go back and wait for her

Vedika waited for 4 hours. She didn't return

I hope all is well

You did tell her that you were Punditji's daughter, didn't you?

Then she'll surely find her way here

You can go into the temple. Everything's ready

Take him there. Play with him

Will you do the morning prayers in the afternoon?

I have to boil milk for the child

He'll be hungry when he wakes up1

He'll disrupt Vedika's studies

He has already disrupted your duties towards God

What if he was our own child?

I'm sure God will forgive the delay

He knows everything

You are right. God is omniscient

You little brat!

Mother, look what he has done!

I'll iron another uniform for you

Go, take a bath

I rushed home after the temple prayers...

to prepare everything for your father

But this little one is intent on delaying me

Vedika!

Pick him up!

I can't. I'm going for a bath. I'll get late

I'll pick him when I finish preparing the prayer plate

It's almost done

I'll just bring the plate

'Salutations to the mighty Lord Shiva'

Your love for this child has blinded you

I will have to bathe again

Has he made you bathe twice?

Mother, I'm leaving

I'll get your breakfast - Mother, I've had the gruel

He was crying so much...

I thought Mani would be here to mind him...

but she didn't come

I should've made your breakfast

I can take care of myself

From tomorrow, I'll wake up early and help you...

That won't be necessary

If the child's mother doesn't show up by tomorrow...

Inspector Sharma will take him away

It's good that you have come, dear

Wash your hands and make some wheat pancakes for me

Or I too will have to eat gruel or fodder meant for the cow

- How do I open my heart to you?

- I am devoted only to you

- My lord and master

- You are my world

- The colour of your love...

- Is the colour I wear

- Oh my lord, my love

- I am devoted only to you

Bastard! How dare you take photographs of my sister!

Please don't beat him. It's not his fault

- All that I see is you Don't hit him so much that he dies

- My words speak only of you... -

- Even as the tears of love

- Wash away the kohl in my eyes

- You remain my beloved

The fault lies with our own people

They still suck upto these foreigners...

in the guise of providing them knowledge

Punditji has come

You should get your daughter married immediately

I will now tell you the duty of a father...

as prescribed by the scriptures...

which means...

the groom's family, his temperament, health...

reputation, knowledge, wealth and the good deeds of his ancestors

Only by adhering to these 7 virtues...

can a daughter be given away in marriage

And it is the duty of the daughter...

to aid her father in this task

Have you understood that my child?

Now listen to me!

If you dare to venture out of the house...

I will drown you and that foreigner in the Ganges

Do you understand?

- Like the river flows into the ocean

- My being flows into yours

- The sound of your flute

- will lead me to you -

Your presence saved Paul

Had something serious happened to him...

Surya Prakash wouldn't have got bail

Any news of the child's mother?

I checked with the Police control room

No child has been reported missing in this locality

Is there no way to trace the child's mother?

I can check in other villages around Benares

But that will take some time...

About a week

If no complaint has been lodged...

it's unlikely you will find her

The woman has abandoned the child

It is your belief that...

everything is preordained

May be, God has sent us this child for a purpose

Till Inspector Sharma gets more information...

shall we keep the child?

Lmprove your punctuation - Yes, father

Come here, my child

What happened on television today?

Thanks to this little one...

I couldn't go to Gayatri's house to watch T.V.

Your little one could be a blessing in disguise

All girls are born with a maternal instinct

I wish Vedika gets married to a handsome young man...

Vedika's marriage will not be according to your wishes...

but where it is destined

Fate preordains every relationship in the world

You are lying to me

She's eloped! And you have no clue?

I'll kill you, I'll kill everyone

I'll destroy this entire house

Have you gone mad!

Put that down!

Mani has driven me mad!

How will we face the world?

You and Pundit Chaturvedi have caused this

I've lost both my children, Punditji

What should I do now?

If Mani was your daughter, what would you do?

I wouldn't be able to do anything

A girl who weds by her own choice...

is responsible for her own deeds

Consider her dead

Had Pandit Chaturvedi not entertained Paul you wouldn't have to see this day

How dare you step on the holy flowers!

These non-believers have sworn to defile our religion!

I'll teach you a lesson

Leave me

Stop it. Relax. Calm down!

Nothing can be achieved by what you are doing

We need to protect our way of life, our Dharma

Come join us in our fight against all non-believers

Hail, the Mighty Lord Shiva

- To protect our religion...

- it's our duty to destroy its enemies

- Our culture demands this from us

Our religion is the most ancient and the purest

Foreigners and non-Hindu forces are constantly attacking our religion

Do not deviate from the path you have chosen to tread

It is your path to salvation

Pray that we continue to march ahead protecting our religion, our Dharma

May our endeavors succeed!

What happened my child?

I'll be with you in a while... Have some patience

Quiet my child. I'll sieve the flour and be with you.

Have some patience

I cannot touch you till I finish cooking

I'll have to bathe again - Will you calm him down?!

I can't do anything, till I serve your meal

Do you expect me to entertain him? - Could you?

It will calm him down

You needn't touch him

There has been no news of the child's mother.

We can send the child to the government orphanage.

The government orphanage will not be appropriate.

It's God's will that a Brahmin's child has come to our house

The temple orphanage is where he will be sent

I don't know how to decipher God's will...

but I've been thinking of something

You've started thinking?

Lord Shiva, have mercy!

Don't let the thought weigh on your mind...

speak out...

else you won't be able to sleep tonight

There is no one better than you at teaching religion and the scriptures

Maybe, God wants this child to learn religious values from you...

like you'd teach your own child

Are you suggesting we adopt the child?

What if his mother comes back?

Then the child will be fortunate to have the love of two mothers

Like the son of Lord Shiva.

Kartikey!

Parvati!

Why are you wailing?

You've disrupted my meditation!

Do you think I'm here to entertain you?

'My Lord Shiva, I adore you'

'You're the one in eternal bliss'

'Limitless and pure like the sky'

'I adore you'

'My Lord Shiva, I adore you'

- My Lord Shiva, I adore you -

- You're the one in eternal bliss, I adore you -

- My Lord Shiva, I adore you -

- Limitless and pure like the sky, I adore you -

- I'd left him sleeping on the swing

- He must have said,"Bauji, pick me up"

- Quiet. Your father is sleeping

Kartikey

- Father, look at me

'Hail, the mighty Lord Shiva'

We have a swing!

'You are the one who embodies the scriptures'

Quiet, father is praying

'The one who is resplendent and omnipresent'

'The one who is limitless and pure like the sky. I adore you'

Father!

Mother!

Father!

Hello!

I can perform the prayer for your new house over the phone

It won't even mess up your house

Money? You can send it to my website address

Ok. Good day

Sorry. It must be good night over there

Call from America

- Here comes Punditji

That was his client from America

Pundit Daya Shankarji has become world famous

We are suppose to serve and not sell our religion

What's wrong with that?

Everyone should adapt to the changing times

The Truth doesn't change with time

What our scriptures prescribe is the greatest truth

But you won't understand that

Coming, son!

Come in, Daya Shankar

No, I am fine where I am

That child... that Vedika had brought home

The one Punditji considers his son and you call Kartikey

His mother is here to take him

She had escaped to Benares from the riot in Bhadohi

Parched, she fainted on the riverside

People admitted her to the government hospital

The loss of her child made her mentally unstable

Where is Kartikey's mother?

It's about time you met

I met her at the riverside, looking for your house

Please come in...

Your entry into this house cannot be prohibited

My name is Nafeesa

I run Dar-ul-Mohsenaat, an institute for destitute woman

And she is Suraiya

She is Mustafa's mother

May Allah bless you for sheltering her son

How is this possible! He...

- The child was very small They hadn't circumcised him

- When the riots started in Bhadohi she ran away to save her child's life

I found her at the government hospital

- She was not in her senses

- It took her a few years to even speak properly

We visited many police stations in and around Benares

We'd almost given up, when we met Inspector Sharma

We bumped into Daya Shankarji who brought us to you

Vedika

Mother, no! Please don't let him go

- Mother, I don't want to go

- Sister

- Sister

Take him away.

Father...

I don't want to go

Father!

- Quiet, father is praying

'We pray O Lord...

that you purify this home...

cleanse our bodies, minds and souls'

'Accept this offering O Keshava'

'Accept this offering O Narayana'

'Accept this offering O Madhava'

'Accept this offering O Govinda'

I want to...

I don't want any justification

I'll punish myself for your sins

You couldn't control your tongue...

so I'll hold back mine

From this very moment...

for indefinite time...

I take on the penance of silence

- Quiet, father is praying

You've cleansed yourself

God knows that it wasn't your fault

You needn't break your silence...

but please resume your duties at the temple

- Father, I dropped the vermillion

Pundit Chaturvedi! The purest! The ultimate in priesthood!

Fooled by his wife!

He ranks as a non-believer

The Muslim child has defiled his temple and home.

All the cleansing is a cover up!

But what about Surya Prakashji's temple affairs?

Do you still hanker for thatjob?

You are wealthy now

It's not the job...

but the person who runs that temple...

must be physically, mentally, and spiritually pure

Pundit Chaturvedi, is impure now

Are you in your senses?

Pundit Chaturvedi has purified himself!

He should be removed from the position

Not as long as I am alive

Once again, you're wrong

I have endured Pandit Chaturvedi so far

But, not any longer

Will you remove him forcefully?

For that con man, Daya Shankar?

Con man?

I'd rather have a con man than an impure man run my temple

And if you don't agree, father...

I'll force him to step down

Alright, Surya Prakash

You have Daya Shankar, Gorasnath...

the power of your organisation

And Pundit Chaturvedi...

has the strength of his faith

I challenge all of you!

- If you prove Punditji's impurity...

- I will end this relationship with him

God, you are the omniscient

I'm unable to purify my thoughts and my heart

Despite my penance...

I am tormented

Give me the strength to surrender to you completely

The kind of strength...

that will lead me to you

Father has broken his silence

On this moonless night...

I take on the Chandrayan Vrat

Where is Punditji?

He can't talk to you

Is he hiding behind the oath of silence?

He is doing his prayers

To atone for his sin she's taken on another penance

Another one?

What penance will he do now?

Chandrayan

Chandrayan Vrat?

- Are you sure?

What's this penance all about?

The Chandrayan Vrat is the most arduous penance in the scriptures

After the moonless night, the devotee has to eat...

1 morsel on the first day, 2 morsels on the second...

increasing 1 morsel per day...

reaching 15 morsels on the full moon night

After the full moon night...

the devotee reduces a morsel a day

14 morsels, then 13 and so on...

till the moonless night

Apart from this, he can not eat or drink anything

O Lord, with Your grace...

I complete the Chandrayan Vrat today

Any trace of sin in my deeds...

I surrender to you in this fire

Give me the strength, O Lord...

to continue to walk your path...

despite all impediments

Forgive me...

for committing such a grave sin

I'll never stray from my duty again

I forgive you

I've prayed to God with all my heart and soul

I hope He forgives me

The penance is over, right mother?

Yes, it is over

A petty squabble amongst a group of Muslims and Hindus...

has turned into a communal riot...

in Sewapuri, a small town near Benares

To control the situation additional forces have been deployed

98 people are injured and 38 killed

Some bodies are charred beyond recognition

Paul Gordon, a foreign journalist, has been killed in this riot

Paul was writing a book on the Hindu religion

- Who are you? What are you doing here?

- I am a journalist, please leave me alone

- Surya Prakash is right

- Mani can't live in this house

- Where will she go?

- Your stubbornness has caused this nuisance

- She is my daughter. I will not abandon her

- Wait till Punditji arrives

He'll drill some sense into you

This is an emergency

It is true that...

Mani had abandoned this house...

but, being the father of a widow...

it is your duty, according to the scriptures...

to provide for her food, clothing...

shelter, medicines etc

- The communal violence that originated in Sewapuri...

- has spread like wild fire to Benares

- To control the situation, a curfew has been clamped...

- in the Muslim areas of the city

- Rioting and arson have been reported from many areas...

- in the ancient holy city of Benares

Mother!

'My Lord Shiva, the one in eternal bliss'

'You embody the scriptures. You are resplendent, omnipresent'

Mother!

'You are limitless and pure like the sky'

'I adore you'

- Please listen! Open the door

Mother, Kartikey is here

- 'O benevolent Lord of the Himalayas'

- 'O eternal soul'

Riots have broken out in our area

It was tough bringing Mustafa here

- Kartik, he's your Kartik

- 'You are beyond human knowledge' - Only you can save him

- 'O destroyer of evil. I bow to you' - Please protect him

- Open the door! They will kill him

- 'The Ganges is Your crown' - Please open the door

- 'The cresent moon Your ornament'

- 'You dwell in all living beings' - Allah is watching you!

- 'O Lord and Master, I adore You'- Please save this innocent life

You are his mother! He is your Kartik!

How can you beso stone hearted?

- 'O beloved Lord of all'

- 'Your beautiful large eyes are... ' - For God sake, help us

- 'always full of mercy' - Please don't let him die!

Let him in, mother

Call your mother

Call out to her

Call her again!

- 'I bow prostrate to You' - Call out to your father

Quiet, father is praying!

'O my Lord Shiva...

I adore You'

Hail, the mighty Lord Shiva

By not taking him back...

we've fulfilled our duty as Hindus

Haven't we?

Another prayer ceremony...

to calm my restless mind

With a calm mind...

- I shall perform my duty tonight

- I've heard, one of them tried to escape

- No. He was nabbed!

- The real task was done by Pandharee

- What did he do?

- Like those Muslims stabbed the Hindu to death...

- Pandharee did the same...

- Women, old men, children, he spared no one

- Our religion is being destroyed...

- by the non-believers

- We will teach them a lesson tonight

- Not one will be left alive

- We'll kill them all!

This is a very auspicious day

Today, as a Brahmin, you pray for our faith

and Surya Prakashji...

will protect our faith, as a warrior

It's time all of us fulfill our duties...

to protect our faith, our religion

It's not easy to abandon the one you love

The divine light created by the Lord...

is the genesis of all mankind

Then how can one man...

be different from another?

Hail, the mighty Lord Shiva!

Surya Prakash...

violence is a grave sin!

This is a do or die situation

Sermons won't work here. Only the sword will

Goras, get him!

- Mustafa

Love for that child has misled this priest!

I'll kill him!

From the day you were born,

I have tried to teach you the meaning of religion

I will not let you tread the path of sin

Religion is not only devotion...

but also duty and deeds

Religion is unity and brotherhood

Religion means looking beyond caste and creed

Humanity is religion

This...

This...

this...

this is not religion

'As You lead us...

to the place you dwell...

our sins of seven life times...

will be destroyed'

- Oh Lord of the heavens

- Blessed is thy name

- Be it God, be it Allah You are the same

- Grant us all this wisdom -