The India Trip
1971
49 min
Coming soon
This documentary is a portrait of modern-day Pondicherry, an ancient city near the southern tip of India. For several centuries an outpost of France, the city is now home to Auroville, a spiritual community growing on its periphery. There, European and North American devotees of Sri Aurobindo, a Bengali poet and mystic, come to live the contemplative life. Their guru is a 94-year-old woman from France. This mecca of sorts is seen through the eyes of Albert Jordan, a professor from Concordia University, in Montreal, who spent a year there with his family in 1971.
Details
This documentary is a portrait of modern-day Pondicherry, an ancient city near the southern tip of India. For several centuries an outpost of France, the city is now home to Auroville, a spiritual community growing on its periphery. There, European and North American devotees of Sri Aurobindo, a Bengali poet and mystic, come to live the contemplative life. Their guru is a 94-year-old woman from France. This mecca of sorts is seen through the eyes of Albert Jordan, a professor from Concordia University, in Montreal, who spent a year there with his family in 1971.
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directorBill Davies
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scriptBill Davies
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producerGeorge Pearson
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photographyEugene Boyko
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soundHans Oomes
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editingTorben Schioler
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sound editingKen Page
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re-recordingGeorge Croll
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narratorAl Jordan
Education
Ages 15 to 16
English Language Arts - CanLit
Ethics and Religious Culture - Religious Diversity/Heritage
History - World History
History and Citizenship Education - Imperialism and Colonization (1800s-1900s)
Students research eastern religions, meditation, yoga, ashrams, views of spirituality, utopian societies, etc., and report or present to class. Students can debate colonialism/expatriation impacts in India and other communities, and make a comparison: ex. French colonialism in Vietnam vs. India vs. Africa, history/research/today. Students research colonial history in India, Pondicherry in the 1870s and now. Students can compare Euro-centric colonial views in Asia, documentary vs. Somerset Maugham writings. Pick one teaching from film and further research- compare film (70s) to now.
