To document the women ascetics of Juna Akhara and enable them to document themselves.

 

working title: "Sadhvi kyon ban gayi?" (Why become a sadhvi?)
- exploring the various reasons why the woman of Juna Akhara decided to take sanyas and how their lives change once they do.

media: DV, 16mm, 8mm, photographs, audio recordings, and writtings.

goals:
- to produce a book of photographs and writing
- to produce a documentary video / film
- to hold photo / video exhibits worldwide

primary crew: the sadhvis of Juna Akhara

production concept: Ascetics with Cameras
Give cameras and sound recording devices to the ascetics of Juna Akhara and teach them to use the equipment to interview each other and document their own lives.

 

After the making of Take Me to the River, Projectile Arts first feature length documentary film experience about the 2001 Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, I was determined to continue documenting the festival through the entire first twelve year cycle of the millennium. In March of 2004 when I returned to my second Kumbh Mela in Ujjain, it took only a few days before I had a small group of nagas using the camera equipment. A few weeks later I was personally invited to shoot Juna Akhara's Sadhvi Sanskar (the woman's initiation into the largest of the orders of sannyasis who worshpi Shiva). Initially struck by the marvel of this exclusive access, and the way these women opened up to me, I quickly lost interest in documenting the Kumbh Mela in general or the all too famous nagas, and my focus shifted immediately towards documenting these women.

Through this project I'm hoping to explore the various reasons why these women have chosen to leave behind worldly opportunities such as family and careers to join Juna Akhara (the oldest and largest organization of sadhus and sadhvis who worship Shiva) and live as an ascetic. I hope to answer: what was missing in their previous lifestyles, that they hope to fulfill by adopting this one? What are the steps they have taken to find their guru and join the Akhara? How are they adjusting to this lifestyle once they are initiated and have vowed to leave everything else behind?