Original subtitles

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- NARRATOR: WHEN YOU SEE THIS - SYMBOL YOU KNOW YOU'RE WATCHING

TELEVISION THAT IS EDUCATIONAL

AND INFORMATIONAL.

THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

- DYLAN: HI, I'M DYLAN DREYER, AND - WE'RE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON ANOTHER

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE TRAVEL TO THE GANGES

RIVER, INDIA'S GREATEST RIVER.

PLUS, WE'LL EXPLORE THE

INCREDIBLE WILDLIFE THAT LIVES

CLOSELY WITH PEOPLE.

FROM SNAKES IN THE RICE FIELDS

TO OTTERS IN THE FISHING BOAT,

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMANS

AND ANIMALS IS A MUTUAL RESPECT

AND MUTUALLY REWARDING.

JOIN US AS WE SET OFF ON OUR

ODYSSEY TO THE GANGES.

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: THERE ARE ONLY TWO OTHER - RIVERS THAT DISCHARGE MORE

GALLONS THAN THE GANGES, MAKING

IT ONE OF THE BIGGEST WATER

SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD.

- WHERE THERE'S WATER, THERE'S - LIFE, AND YOU'LL FIND MORE THAN

FOUR HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE

LIVING AT THE GANGES RIVER

BASIN, BUT IT'S NOT JUST PEOPLE.

ANIMALS THRIVE HERE, TOO,

CREATING AN UNBELIEVABLE

- ECOSYSTEM WHERE ALL WALKS OF - LIFE LIVE SIDE-BY-SIDE.

- THE GANGES, THE LONGEST RIVER IN - INDIA.

ON ITS EPIC JOURNEY FROM THE

WORLD'S HIGHEST MOUNTAINS

THROUGH CULTIVATED FARMLAND,

SPRAWLING WILDERNESS, TO THE

INDIAN OCEAN, IT PROVIDES A HOME

TO SOME OF INDIA'S RAREST

CREATURES AND A LIFELINE TO

MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.

- CONSIDERED A GODDESS TO HINDUS, - THE GANGES HARBORS ONE OF THE

- GREATEST CONTRADICTIONS OF LIFE - IN INDIA.

AND THE GANGES HIDES

LIFE-SUSTAINING SECRETS.

HINDU MYTHOLOGY TELLS THAT

GANGA, THE RIVER GODDESS,

ORIGINALLY FLOWED THROUGH THE

HEAVENS.

SHE WAS BROUGHT TO EARTH BY A

DEVOUT KING, BHAGIRATH, WHOSE

ANCESTORS HAD BEEN TURNED TO

ASHES.

- GANGA AGREED TO COME AND RELEASE - THESE TRAPPED SOULS, BUT WARNED

THAT THE POWER FROM THE WATER

WOULD WASH THE WORLD AWAY.

BHAGIRATH ASKED LORD SHIVA FOR

HELP.

SHIVA PUT HIS MATTED HAIR IN THE

PATH OF THE HEAVENLY RIVER.

HIS DREADLOCKS ABSORBED THE

FLOOD'S DESTRUCTIVE FORCE AND

SPLIT THE DELUGE INTO A THOUSAND

SMALLER STREAMS WHICH ARE NOW

- THE RIVERS AND STREAMS WE SEE - TODAY.

THE FAST-FLOWING MOUNTAIN BROOKS

ARE FULL OF INSECT LARVA AND AN

IDEAL HUNTING GROUND FOR A BROWN

DIPPER.

- WEIGHING JUST THREE OUNCES, - THESE SMALL BIRDS SEEM LIKELY TO

BE WASHED AWAY BY THE CURRENT.

BUT THEY ARE WELL-ADAPTED TO

FORAGE FOR FOOD IN THE ROCKY

STREAMBED.

THEIR SHORT WINGS ARE STRONG

ENOUGH TO SWIM UNDERWATER, AND

- THEIR BLOOD STORES MORE OXYGEN - THAN TERRESTRIAL BIRDS, ALLOWING

THEM TO HOLD THEIR BREATH FOR

HALF-A-MINUTE, AMPLE TIME TO

GRAB A BEAK FULL.

THE YOUNG GANGES RIVER THAT

FLOWS FROM THE GANGOTRI GLACIER

IS CALLED BHAGIRATHI IN HONOR OF

THE KING THAT BROUGHT THE RIVER

GODDESS TO EARTH.

THIRTY MILES DOWNSTREAM, THE

TURBULENT BHAGIRATHI COLLIDES

WITH ONE OF ITS SISTER STREAMS,

THE SEDATE AND MUDDY ALAKNANDA.

THE TWO RUN ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER

FOR TWO HUNDRED YARDS BEFORE

THEIR WATERS MIX.

THIS RIVER IS NOW CALLED GANGES.

- RAGING WATER CALMS AS THE RIVER - REACHES THE FLAT LANDS OF THE

GANGETIC PLAINS.

SEDIMENTS CARRIED FROM HIGH

AMONG THE GLACIERS ARE RELEASED.

THE GANGES DEPOSITS 1.6 BILLION

TONS OF SEDIMENT EVERY YEAR,

FOUR TIMES AS MUCH AS THE

AMAZON.

THIS CREATES SOME OF THE MOST

FERTILE LAND IN THE WORLD.

- THE GANGES RIVER BASIN COVERS - NEARLY FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND

- SQUARE MILES OF NORTHEASTERN - INDIA.

MUCH OF THIS HUGE FLOOD PLAIN

HAS BEEN FARMED, BUT A FEW

POCKETS OF WILD GRASSLAND AND

FOREST SURVIVE AMONG THE RIVER'S

FURTHEST TRIBUTARIES IN A REGION

KNOWN AS THE TERAI.

THIS FERTILE REGION IS NOT ONLY

PERFECT FOR HUMANS TO FARM; IT'S

ALSO PERFECT FOR A DANGEROUS

HUNTER.

COMING UP, WHAT LIVES IN THE

RICE FIELDS, BUT STILL CAN'T

LEND THE FARMERS A HAND OR AN

ARM OR LEGS?

- PLUS, WE GO ON AN EXPEDITION - WITH ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING

FISHING PARTNERS IN THE WORLD.

[BREAK]

.

- NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE - MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC

- DYLAN: THE LOWER REACHES OF - INDIA'S GANGES RIVER BASIN ARE

SO FERTILE, THE LOCALS CALL THE

AREA THE RICE BOWL OF INDIA.

FARMERS REAP FOUR RICE HARVESTS

A YEAR HERE, DOUBLE THAT OF MANY

PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

BUT THESE FERTILE FIELDS BRING

DANGERS OF THEIR OWN.

A DEADLY MONOCLED COBRA FEASTS

ON A TOAD, COMMON PREY IN A

PATTY FIELD.

- THE SNAKE'S HUNTING TRIP BRINGS - IT PERILOUSLY CLOSE TO FARMERS

HARVESTING RICE.

A MILLION PEOPLE IN INDIA ARE

BITTEN BY SNAKES EVERY YEAR.

MONOCLED COBRAS ARE ONE OF THE

MOST VENOMOUS SNAKES IN ASIA.

FANGS INJECT POISON THAT

PARALYZES ITS VICTIM'S NERVOUS

SYSTEM AND BREAKS DOWN ITS

CELLS.

[SNAKE HISSING]

[HISSING CONTINUES]

DYLAN: ONE BITE CAN BE FATAL,

AND IT CAN HAPPEN IN LESS THAN

AN HOUR.

[SNAKE HISSING]

DYLAN: MANY PEOPLE HERE HAVE AN

UNDERSTANDABLE FEAR OF SNAKES,

BUT IN THE VILLAGE OF CHHOTA

POSHLA IN WEST BENGAL, THE

ATTITUDE TOWARDS THESE DEADLY

SERPENTS IS RATHER MORE

SURPRISING.

- SNAKES ARE DRAWN TO THE VILLAGE - IN SEARCH OF RODENTS OFTEN FOUND

AROUND HUMAN SETTLEMENTS.

A RAT IN THE PANTRY IS ONE

THING.

- A COBRA IN THE BEDROOM, QUITE - ANOTHER.

BUT INSTEAD OF CAUSING PANIC,

THE VENOMOUS VISITOR RAISES NOT

SO MUCH AS AN EYEBROW.

VILLAGERS HERE DON'T JUST

TOLERATE SNAKES, THEY WORSHIP

THEM.

- THE VILLAGE PRIEST IS SUMMONED - TO RELOCATE THE REVERED

INTRUDER.

HE'S THE ONLY ONE PERMITTED TO

HANDLE THEM.

- CHHOTA POSHLA'S SIX THOUSAND - RESIDENTS SHARE THE VILLAGE WITH

THREE THOUSAND MONOCLED COBRAS.

VILLAGE ELDERS TELL THE TALE

THAT SNAKES ARRIVED SIX

CENTURIES AGO TO SEEK REFUGE

FROM A HUGE FLOOD.

FLOODWATER BROUGHT REMARKABLE

RICE PRODUCTION.

SNAKES HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH

PROSPERITY EVER SINCE.

WHEN HE'S NOT REMOVING SNAKES

FROM PEOPLE'S HOMES, THIS MAN

- LEADS THE WORSHIP IN THE VILLAGE - TEMPLE.

[BELL RINGING]

- DYLAN: VILLAGERS MAKE OFFERINGS - OF FRUIT AND SWEETS TO THE SNAKE

GODDESS MANASA, WHO THEY BELIEVE

KEEPS THEIR FIELDS FLOURISHING

- AND THEIR PEOPLE SAFE FROM SNAKE - BITE.

- THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMANS - AND ANIMALS ON THE GANGES RIVER

IS SACRED, AND THERE'S ONE BOND

THAT GOES BENEATH THE SURFACE.

COMING UP, THIS FISHING TEAM

CAN'T FAIL WHEN THE GANGES'

SECRET WEAPON IS PUT TO USE.

PLUS, WE'LL EXPLORE ONE OF THE

WORLD'S BIGGEST FESTIVALS.

[BREAK]

.

- NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE - MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC

- DYLAN: ALONG WITH BEING A - NATURAL WONDER, THE GANGES RIVER

IS A CRITICAL SOURCE OF INCOME

FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

- MANY PEOPLE WHO LIVE ALONG ITS - SHORES MAKE THEIR LIVING FROM

TRADING, TRANSPORTATION, AND

MOST TRADITIONALLY, FISHING, BUT

SOMETIMES EVEN THE MOST

EXPERIENCED ANGLER NEEDS HELP

- FROM A VERY UNIQUE LOCAL EXPERT, - ONE WHOSE FEE FOR SERVICES

RENDERED IS JUST A HEFTY MEAL

FROM THE DAY'S CATCH.

TAKE A LOOK.

SASHIN HAS MADE HIS LIVING ON

THE GANGES FOR MORE THAN 40

YEARS.

BUT SASHIN IS NO ORDINARY

ANGLER.

HE HAS A SECRET WEAPON...

[OTTER SQUEALING]

DYLAN: ...OTTERS.

[MEN SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

DYLAN: HE'S RECRUITED SOME OF

NATURE'S MOST TALENTED FISHERMEN

AND TRAINED THEM TO HERD FISH

INTO HIS NETS.

- THE FACT THAT FISH SURVIVE IN - THIS POLLUTED RIVER IS ANOTHER

INDICATION THAT GANGES WATER HAS

UNIQUE PROPERTIES.

[OTTERS SQUEALING]

[SQUEALING CONTINUES]

DYLAN: TODAY'S CATCH IS SMALL,

BUT PROFITABLE.

CATFISH CAN FETCH MORE THAN 30

DOLLARS EACH.

[OTTERS SQUEALING]

- DYLAN: THIS FAMILY OF OTTERS - HAS BEEN FISHING WITH SASHIN'S

FAMILY FOR GENERATIONS.

[OTTER SQUEALING]

DYLAN: BUT THE MEN MUST STILL

BE CAREFUL.

[OTTER SQUEALING]

- DYLAN: EVEN A FRIENDLY NIP OF - THE FINGER COULD DO A LOT OF

DAMAGE.

OTTERS WORK HARD AND ARE

WELL-PAID FOR THEIR LABOR.

NO MATTER HOW SMALL THE CATCH,

THEY ARE FIRST TO BE FED.

- BACK IN THEIR VILLAGE, THE - OTTERS GET TIME TO TAKE A DUST

BATH WITH THEIR PUPS.

THIS IS THEIR FOURTH LITTER,

FIVE HEALTHY AND BOISTEROUS

MALES.

A SECOND HELPING OF FISH KEEPS

THE FAMILY CONTENT.

THE PUPS HAVE A LOT TO LEARN YET

ABOUT CATCHING FOOD.

THEY ARE THREE MONTHS OLD AND

JUST ABOUT WEANED.

SASHIN'S MOTHER ALWAYS LENDS A

HAND REARING THE OTTERS.

- IN A FEW WEEKS, THESE YOUNGSTERS - WILL BEGIN THEIR TRAINING AND

LEARN TO FISH WITH THE HUMANS.

AND WHEN THEY ARE A YEAR OLD,

SASHIN WILL SELL THEM ON.

A GOOD FISHING OTTER CAN FETCH

MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS.

- MUCH OF THE FISH SASHIN CATCHES - IS SOLD AND TRANSPORTED

DOWNSTREAM.

THE MARKETS WHERE THE FISH ARE

SOLD HAVE HUGE GATHERINGS, BUT

NONE AS BIG AS WHAT WE'RE ABOUT

TO EXPLORE NEXT.

COMING UP, WE'RE HEADED TO ONE

OF THE BIGGEST FESTIVALS IN THE

WORLD, AND YOU'RE INVITED, NEXT

ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

- NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE - MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC

- DYLAN: WELCOME TO THE END OF - THE GANGES RIVER, WHERE AN

INFLUX OF HUMANS IS ABOUT TO

EMERGE.

- SAGAR ISLAND IS THE PLACE WHERE - THE GANGES FINALLY REACHES THE

SEA AND FLOWS INTO THE BAY OF

BENGAL.

- IT'S THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY, AND - THIS SLEEPY ISLAND IS ABOUT TO

- BE TRANSFORMED BY AN - INUNDATION...

...NOT OF WATER, BUT OF PEOPLE.

- THIS IS A DRAMATIC REMINDER OF - THE PRESSURE PUT ON THE GANGES

RIVER AND ITS WILDLIFE BY

HUMANS.

- MILLIONS OF HINDUS ARRIVE HERE - ON THE DAY OF THE WINTER

SOLSTICE.

THE GANGA SAGAR MELA, AS IT IS

KNOWN, IS ONE OF THE LARGEST

RELIGIOUS GATHERINGS ON EARTH.

RELIGIOUS GATHERINGS ON EARTH.

MANY TRAVEL FOR DAYS TO GET

HERE.

FOR SOME, IT'S THE FIRST TIME

THEY'VE EVER SEEN THE SEA.

- TROPICAL BEACHES ARE TRANSFORMED - INTO THE WORLD'S BIGGEST

CAMPSITE.

PILGRIMS THROW COINS AS

OFFERINGS TO THE GODDESS GANGA.

- FOR ENTERPRISING CHILDREN, IT'S - AN OPPORTUNITY WORTH BRAVING THE

MUD TO EXPLOIT.

- DURING THE FESTIVAL, THEY CAN - MAKE MORE THAN A THOUSAND

RUPEES, A HEALTHY BOOST TO OFTEN

INSUFFICIENT INCOMES.

THIS IS A HARVEST FESTIVAL, A

TIME TO GIVE THANKS TO THE

GANGES FOR THE CROPS SHE

PROVIDES AND LIVELIHOODS SHE

SUSTAINS.

SAGAR ISLAND IS REGARDED AS ONE

OF THE MOST AUSPICIOUS PLACES TO

BATHE IN GANGES WATER.

- THIS IS A GRAND FAREWELL TO A - RIVER THAT HAS PLAYED SUCH A

VITAL ROLE IN THE LIVES OF

INDIA'S PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE.

VITAL ROLE IN THE LIVES OF

INDIA'S PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE.

THE GANGES IS HOME TO SOME OF

INDIA'S RAREST CREATURES WHICH

FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL AS MAN

ENCROACHES ON WILDERNESS.

AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY HAVE

SWALLOWED MUCH OF THE GANGES'

FERTILE FLOOD PLAIN.

MILLIONS OF HUMANS LIVE ON THE

RIVERBANKS.

THE GANGES IS REGARDED NOT JUST

AS SACRED, BUT AS A GODDESS IN

HER OWN RIGHT.

A DIP IN THE HOLY RIVER PURIFIES

THE SOUL, BUT ALSO POLLUTES THE

WATER.

BUT HIGH LEVELS OF OXYGEN AND

DISEASE-EATING MICROORGANISMS

LEND A SCIENTIFIC RING OF TRUTH

TO RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND THE

CLEANSING POWERS OF THE GANGES.

- THE RIVER'S UNIQUE PROPERTIES - NURTURE AND SUSTAIN A

SPECTACULAR ARRAY OF WILDLIFE.

FROM DEMISE AND DECAY COME NEW

BEGINNINGS ON THE GANGES,

INDIA'S GREAT RIVER OF LIFE.

- THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON THIS - ADVENTURE DOWN THE GANGES RIVER.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ANIMALS

AND HUMANS IS A PEACEFUL

REMINDER THAT RESPECT GOES A

LONG WAY IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT TIME

FOR ANOTHER "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]