Upanishad Ganga
Upanishad Ganga is a 2012 Indian television drama series based on the message in the Upanishads, directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi and produced by Chinmaya Mission (Chinmaya Creations). It started telecast from 11 March 2012 on DD National (DD1), has a total of 52 episodes based on the Upanishads highlighting the ideal thinking and empowerment provided by the Vedic society in India.[1][2][3] The series was conceptualised by Swami Tejomayananda the global head of Chinmaya Mission,[4] Dwiwedi is most known for his lead role in TV series, Chanakya (1991-1992), one of the cast is Abhimanyu Singh, who is playing 33 different roles in the series.[5]
The music director of Upanishad Ganga is Alap Desai . He is a young singer-composer born in a family of artistes. After learning to play Tabla from the Late Ustad Alla Rakha Khan Saheb for about 8 years, he gradually shifted focus to music composition. His music traverses through various genres such as plays, dance ballets, albums and television serials. His compositions reflect the glory of semi classical music and the ambience of contemporary sounds. He has performed throughout the world and recorded with artistes like Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty, Jagjit Singh, Shankar Mahadevan and has a number of albums to his name
Prior to its telecast the cast and director started a promotional tour across India to cities like Jaipur, Chandigarh, Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bhopal.[2]
Plot
The serial-Drama revolves around the social lifestyles, customs and thinking from the Vedic Society and gives a touch of ethics which we should imply in our daily life.The program starts with an Upanishad-Chanting related to the topic of the drama and all the group of dramatists gathers for the chanting. The title song/verse of the serial is 15th verse of Ishopanishad-
हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम्। तत्त्वं पूषन्नपावृणु सत्य धर्माय दृष्टये॥
"Hiranmayena patrena satya-syapi-hitam mukham,
tattvam pusanna-pavrnu satya –dharmaya drstaye.(15)"
Meaning- "Truth lies concealed by golden vessel.
Do thou O Sun! Open the entrance of that cover
So as the Truth you so concealed be visible to me,
a devotee,who by nature is truthful,
in the light of your illuminating Grace."[6]
The drama starts with entry of a Sūtradhāra (Sanskrit:सूत्रधार, the anchor) and sometimes a Nați (Sanskrit:नटी, a lady narrator or Dramatist) who tell us about the drama for the day and explain us about the concept in short. The Sūtradhāra explains some other vedic concepts to us while the drama continues. The drama ends up with another Upanishad-Chanting and all dramatists gather again.
Concept development
The Vedic Culture is introduced in the initial episodes (1-4). Then cultural values at the levels of the individual and the society are presented in the following 18 episodes (5-22). After, thus establishing the cultural basis and ethos, the entire Upanishadic Wisdom is then presented in the next 20 episodes (23–42). The practical steps that could be taken to actualize this wisdom in one's life are then elaborated in the next nine episodes (43–51). The last episode is an expression of gratefulness for this Wisdom which has made India proud, noble, and admired the world over.[7]
Episodes
Episode 1 - The Journey [8] - Introduction to Upanishads
Episode 2 - Think - Who Am I, Ask! [9] - Story from Mahabharat
Episode 3 - Knowledge Transforms [10]- Story of Ratnakar/Valmiki
Episode 4 - Universal Welfare [11]- Story of Ashtavakra
Episode 5 - Veda - The Source of Dharma 1 [12]- Story of Dara Shikoh
Episode 6 - Veda - The Source of Dharma 2 [13]- Story of Dara Shikoh
Episode 7 - Vedanga [14]- Story of Bhaskaracharya
Episode 8 - Upaveda [15] - Story of Kacha (sage) - Devayani
Episode 9 - The Human Goal - Dharma [16]- Story of Raja Harishchandra
Episode 10 - The Human Goal - Artha [17]- Story of Chanakya and Chandragupta
Episode 11 - The Human Goal - Kama [18]- Story of Bhartrihari
Episode 12 - The Human Goal - Moksha [19]- Story of Kotikarna
Episode 13 - Student Life [20]- Story of Satyakam
Episode 14 - Married Life [21]- Story of Kavi Magha
Episode 15 - Retired Life [22]- Story of Bhima - Dhritrastra and Story of Bimbisara-Ajatshatru
Episode 16 - Renunciation 1 [23]- Story of Vidyaranya
Episode 17 - Renunciation 2 [24]- Story of Maharshi Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi
Episode 18 - Varna (The Universal Characterization) [25]- Story of Chanakya and Chandragupta
Episode 19 - Shodasha Samskara [26]- The 16 Milestones of Life 1 - By Soordas
Episode 20 - Shodasha Samskara [27]- The 16 Milestones of Life 2 - By Soordas
Episode 21 - Shodasha Samskara [28]- The 16 Milestones of Life 3 - By Soordas
Episode 22 - Theory of Karma & Rebirth [29] - Story of Chitraketu
Episode 23 - Glory of Human Birth [30]- Story of Tulsidas
Episode 24 - Adhikari - The Seeker of Knowledge [31]- Story of Ashoka and Story of Nachiketa
Episode 25 - Guru [32]- Story of Story of Pingala and 24 Gurus of Dattatreya Avadhoot
Episode 26 - Guru Upasadana - Seeking the Guru [33]- Story of Indra and Virochan
Episode 27 - The Quest [34] - Story of Yudhishthira and Yaksh
Episode 28 - Anatman - Not The Self [35]- Story of Krishna - Subhadra and Story of Yamraj - Savitri
Episode 29 - Atman - The True Self [36]- Story of Arunagirinathar
Episode 30 - The Existence Principle [37]- Story of Maharshi Yajnavalkya and Gargi
Episode 31 - Consciousness - The Life Principle - Story of Indra and Yaksha
Episode 32 - The Bliss
Episode 33 - Bondage - Story of Puranjan
Episode 34 - The Self & The Non-Self -Story of Jada-Bharat
Episode 35 - God
Episode 36 - Maya - The Power of The Lord - Story of Sage Narada
Episode 37 - God's Incarnations - Story of Veda-Vyas
Episode 38 - Devata - The Cosmic Deities - Story of Akbar-Birbal and Story of Namdev
Episode 39 - Om - The Sacred Syllable
Episode 40 - The Creation - Story of Varāhamihira
Episode 41 - God, Me & The World - Story of Prahalad
Episode 42 - The Three Realities - Story of Janaka - Ashtavakra and Story of Sage Ribhu - Nidagha
Episode 43 - Beyond hues, become the Lord's muse - Story of Meerabai
Episode 44 - Inborn Traits - Story of Mohan-Rajkumari and Story of Sant Eknath
Episode 45 - Preparatory Spiritual Practices - Story of Pundalik
Episode 46 - Advanced spiritual practices - Story of Khandikya and Keshidhvaja from Vishnu Purana
Episode 47 - The attitude when performing action, Karma Yoga
Episode 48 - The Yoga of Devotion, Bhakti Yoga - Story of Saint Bhadrachala Ramadas
Episode 49 - The Yoga of Knowledge, Gyan Yoga - Story of Sadasiva Brahmendra
Episode 50 - The great statements of Truth - Mahāvākyas -Story of Aruni and Shvetaketu, Janak and Śukadev
Episode 51 - Liberation - Story of Parvailla Swami
Episode 52 - Master-Disciple relation - An expression of gratitude
All the episodes of Upanishad Ganga are available on YouTube.
Cast
| Actor | Character | Episode |
|---|---|---|
| Abhimanyu Singh | Narendra
Sutradhar |
1, 2
2, 8, 9 2 5 |
| Vishwa Badola | Gaurishankar | 1, 2 |
| Rushad Rana | Satyadharma | |
| Jaya Bhattacharya | Ratnavali
Jabala |
3 |
| Zakir Hussain | Ratnakar
Yaksh |
3
4, 5 |
| Mukesh Tiwari | Harishchandra | 9 |
| Vrajesh Hirjee | Ashtavakra | 4 |
| Sai Deodhar | Devayani | 8 |
| Purva Parag | Shaivya | 9 |
| Ravi Khanvilkar | Shukracharya | 8
9 |
| K K Raina | Baba Laldas | 5, 6 |
| Sandeep Mohan | Ved Vyas
Raja Janaka |
4 |
| Umang Gurjar | Satyakam | |
| Rasika Dugal | Nati
Iravati - the wife of Varāhamihira |
|
| Auroshikha Dey | Meerabai
Kayadhu - Mother of Prahalada Pingala |
|
| Gagan Malik | Varāhamihira | 7 |
| Huma Qureshi | Pundalik's wife
Nati Hussaini |
|
| Faisal Rashid | Bhadrachala Ramadas | |
| Usha Rana | Mother of Pundalik | |
| Gyanesh Pandey | Giri | |
| Dev Khubnani | Kacha | 8 |
| Amit Behl | Bhaskaracharya | 7 |
References
- ↑ "Chandraprakash Dwivedi upbeat about Upanishad Ganga!". The Times of India. 9 March 2012.
- 1 2 "Upanishad Ganga seeks divine blessings". The Times of India. 25 February 2012.
- ↑ "Doctor of Philosophy". Indian Express. 24 February 2012.
- ↑ "‘Upanishad Ganga' to be aired from today". The Pioneer. 10 March 2012.
- ↑ "After Gulaal, Abhimanyu excited about Upanishad Ganga". Hindustan Times. 14 May 2012.
- ↑ http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Articles&ArticleID=11065
- ↑ "Upanishad Ganga DVD".
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y7Jcv4zSdI
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR3Cqa0nXn4
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29PTolifXDE
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pupt_Z71jtQ
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxSBrjO86Hw
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrK6qON-RfU
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BJHJnlELEU
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZyovAFL7dw
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11R9YTnwCuM
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx8AHVSN14c
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d3CbeUSLTM
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyjo38y-FgE
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnJ5m3q33z8
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbu5oRox_LQ
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V8tnimmR1w
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KATetNY4uWs
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SestUoZcq9o
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hehPjAJynr4
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geCZZ5c3Ddo
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKVkRSa92Ws
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4ooNmUKb70
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzMxsQybGBE
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4_gfw-GgLU
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6WZ1CJxDo8
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQpvJSNeP-A
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ4wx7nnJ5U
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H53BI7_3DCM
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2d3ZnDFElw
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBA1o9wA0TM
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykXk6bjv1qc