ENGLAND, April 17, 2008: HPI note: We received the following searing criticism by Kripamoya Das of the “Story of India” by Michael Wood now being shown on the Discovery Channel in India. The entire text is available at the URL above.
I watched a television documentary on the ancient history of India today. Presented by Michael Wood and made for British and American audiences, it was entitled “Beginnings” and is the first of a six-part series, itself part of a season celebrating the 60th anniversary of India’s independence. Although the presenter was quite congenial and effusive in his praise of India’s traditions, and rightly gave recognition to her people’s antiquity, the actual conclusion of his presentation was an unwitting slap in the face for every one of India’s 800 million Hindus. Some of my congregation members watched it and were troubled by it. They asked me what my own views on the show were. See URL above for the rest of Kripamoya’s comments.