PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA, March 29, 2006: The Swaminarayan Hindu Mission in South Africa hosted a premiere of the film “Mystic India” with children dressed in traditional Indian outfits welcoming viewers by showering them with flower petals. The premiere was held at the IMAX Theatre here. As the audience comprising all religious and cultural backgrounds walked down a long carpet to the entrance, children clad in ornate peacock costumes ushered them into the foyer of the theatre. The 45-minute documentary is based on the travels of Neelkanth, the founder of the Swaminarayan movement. Born in Uttar Pradesh in late 1781, he left his home at the age of 11 to travel the whole of India on a pilgrimage. He walked for seven years and 8,000 miles across the country and eventually settled in Gujarat where he founded the sect. He attain Mahasamadhi in 1830. Mel Miller, who represents IMAX in South Africa, said they had decided to show “Mystic India” to celebrate the cultural diversity in South Africa. “Our democracy is a very young one compared to India and there is very much that we can learn from India,” Miller said. Miller said it was appropriate to show “Mystic India” in the year that the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi’s satyagraha policy would be celebrated in South Africa, where the Indian leader first developed it. Although the film has been produced by the Swaminarayan sect and does have a subtle religious theme, Miller said the exceptional beauty with which various locations in India had been filmed would attract audiences irrespective of religious affiliation. Thousands of devotees of the Swaminarayan sect from across the world donated their time and expertise to work on the production without charge.
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