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Presenting the many worlds of India

Madhur Tankha

A still from the episode ‘Girl with Two Faces’ from National Geographic’s upcoming series ‘India’.

NEW DELHI: From the mystical land of snake charmers to an emerging economic giant, India is a country that straddles several worlds. Keeping this perspective in mind, National Geographic Channel opens the door to another India through a new series, ‘India’, that premieres this coming Tuesday.

The series showcases a nation that operates at many levels. It reminds viewers that there is no one established truth but several ways to look at the same.

Delving into the lives of a group of “hijras” or eunuchs who have been ostracised from society is the episode “India’s Ladyboys” that goes on the air on September 15 and 22. The episode highlights the fact that every year a festival is held in Villupuran village where around 4,000 eunuchs congregate at a temple dedicated to an ancient warrior named Aravan, who sacrificed his life centuries earlier to ensure that his side won the war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. This film follows an English-speaking hijra, Famila, who has lived as a eunuch for five years.

“The Man Who Was Pregnant”, to be aired on September 15 and 22, gives viewers a glimpse into the deadly battle that identical twins face in the womb from conception to birth. It examines the trials and tribulations that multiple foetuses have to endure in the womb.

In early March 2008, a baby seemingly in perfect health was born with two faces. Worshipped as a goddess, both mother and baby were said to be in good health. “Girl with Two Faces” airing on September 29 tries to find out how long the mother and the baby can survive. It follows the baby from an early point in her life, capturing each moment from the diagnosis to the treatment. Watch her parents take vital decisions to try and ensure the survival of their child.

While “Pure Love, Pure Sex” on October 6 tries to find out whether human beings are polyandrous by nature, “India’s Missing Girls” on October 13 is about parents resorting to ultra-sound scans to determine the gender of the baby.

“Born Female” on October 20 is about two brothers who have decided to make a career out of fighting trafficking, AIDS and female foeticide.

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