Ajintha : An Untold Love Story directed by Nitin Desai is a Brit-Marathi movie.
This I watched at JIFF (Jaipur International Flim Festival) .
" Story: Known for its classic beauty world-wide, 'Ajintha' caves came into the limelight in 19th century. What happens after that when a British officer Robert Gill (Philip Scott Wallace) comes to replicate the world-famous sculptures with the help of a tribal woman Paro ( Sonali Kulkarni) is the story of 'Ajintha'. " (TOI)
The beginning is quite robust, and slowly it takes u in for a sensual and spiritual ride to discover the heights of love and devotion. What I liked best is, the entanglement of Buddha's Message , the Jatak-Kathas , and Buddha's own personal story with the love story of Paro, the tribal girl and Major Gill. Where on hand it reveals the love between two people who can;t even understand each other's language and on the other hand society's rules and intolerance over such love.
A parallel in the story could be Buddha's own tale. Like Buddha leaves Yoshodhra n Rahul behind to pursue his own duty n calling, Robert Gill also leaves behind Paro to organize an exhibition of Buddha's paintings in London, to spread Buddha's message. Another prominent theme of the movie is - Faith.
After Paro's brother has sold her to the Mukhiya, she has devoted herself to the Buddha. Its her faith that she has been chosen for this work, and its her faith in Buddha as well that stops herself to become a hindrance in Gill's path of spreading Buddha's message. She is an epitome of Innocence. She devotes herself like a flower on Gill's feet.
The power of movie lies in the strong amalgamation of sensuality and spirituality. As an audience you feel a sudden urge to live life one moment, and on next you experience the depth of devotion, sacrifice and heights of love. This is an amazing piece of Art and Cinema. Specially an achievement of Marathi Cinema.
This I watched at JIFF (Jaipur International Flim Festival) .
" Story: Known for its classic beauty world-wide, 'Ajintha' caves came into the limelight in 19th century. What happens after that when a British officer Robert Gill (Philip Scott Wallace) comes to replicate the world-famous sculptures with the help of a tribal woman Paro ( Sonali Kulkarni) is the story of 'Ajintha'. " (TOI)
The beginning is quite robust, and slowly it takes u in for a sensual and spiritual ride to discover the heights of love and devotion. What I liked best is, the entanglement of Buddha's Message , the Jatak-Kathas , and Buddha's own personal story with the love story of Paro, the tribal girl and Major Gill. Where on hand it reveals the love between two people who can;t even understand each other's language and on the other hand society's rules and intolerance over such love.
A parallel in the story could be Buddha's own tale. Like Buddha leaves Yoshodhra n Rahul behind to pursue his own duty n calling, Robert Gill also leaves behind Paro to organize an exhibition of Buddha's paintings in London, to spread Buddha's message. Another prominent theme of the movie is - Faith.
After Paro's brother has sold her to the Mukhiya, she has devoted herself to the Buddha. Its her faith that she has been chosen for this work, and its her faith in Buddha as well that stops herself to become a hindrance in Gill's path of spreading Buddha's message. She is an epitome of Innocence. She devotes herself like a flower on Gill's feet.
The power of movie lies in the strong amalgamation of sensuality and spirituality. As an audience you feel a sudden urge to live life one moment, and on next you experience the depth of devotion, sacrifice and heights of love. This is an amazing piece of Art and Cinema. Specially an achievement of Marathi Cinema.
Good review. Will need to watch it now!
ReplyDelete:) Please do it, it won't disappoint you.
ReplyDeleteA historical footnote, a little more prosaic but a tragedy in its own right:
ReplyDeleteRobert Gill was my great, great grandfather. He was born in England and signed up as a junior officer in the East India Company when he was 20. While on leave in England in 1841 he married an English woman called Frances Flowerdew Rickerby and brought her back to India. They had four children while living in India but she returned to England taking her children with her in about 1850. There is some uncertainty as to the names of the local women he had relationships with but I have seen Paro or Parou mentioned. His first mistress died as did their children while in infancy and one account suggests she was murdered because of her relationship with an Englishman. Gill later had another mistress and they had two daughters, Annie and Mildred. Annie is my great grandmother. She married a soldier in the Royal Artillery called Andrew Kennealley (from Galway, Ireland) who was serving in India and together had four children while stationed in that country. He served nearly 25 years in the Royal Artillery in India and when he retired they all returned to England where they settled in Dover, Kent. Sadly he died in an accident in London Docks in 1915 and Annie died 20 years later still devoted to his memory. Robert Gill was undoubtedly a talented artist and a leader in the field of photography but I don't know what to make about his character. I don't know why his marriage to Frances failed and I'm intrigued with your suggestion he started a relationship with a woman from Ajanta in 1845, this would have been one year after he was commissioned to record the cave paintings at Ajanta.
Hello Neil,
DeleteI don't know how you stopped by my blog, but I am glad to hear from you, one who is closely connected to Robert Gill. What I wrote about you great great grandfather is based on a movie -"Ajintha", I watched few years back.
I had not researched about Robert Gill. After reading your message, when I searched about Robert Gill, this is what I got from WIkipidea -
Gill remained based at Ajanta for the rest of his life, also making tours to other ancient sites in India. ... Like many other British Indian officers of those days, Gill was an avid hunter and killed about 150 tigers, mostly on foot. He died in 1879 while being transported from Ajanta to Bhusawal in a very ill condition, and was buried at the Catholic Cemetery at Bhusawal
Have you watched the movie? If not, please do, it will be available on any website, you would love it. And specially the end where it is shown that Robert Gill remained at Ajintha in the memory of Paro.
Hi there
DeleteThe power of Google! I searched 'Robert Gill and Paro' and one of the links was yours.
In its own way the true story is just as romantic/tragic as any Bollywood or Hollywood creation: a married man, a younger mistress (times two in his case) with the ripples causing many lives to be damaged. In fact I would say that there was a third mistress, the Ajintha Caves, because from 1844 until his death in 1879 he dedicated his life to recording the caves through painting and photography. Even here there is an element of tragedy because of 25 paintings he sent to London to be exhibited in the Great Exhibition all but 5 were lost in the fire that also destroyed the Exhibition itself.
I have found a painting made by another artist who had also been commissioned to record the caves and shows Robert Gill with an Indian woman in the caves. Could this be Paro?
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O108360/buddhist-vihara-cave-ajanta-painting-simpson-william/
Best wishes
Neil
Hi Neil,
DeleteYes the story is really tragic. I may not say that this is Paro. The image is not much clear. Are you planning to write a book on them? I have seen that you are a writer and have published two books so far :)
Best Wishes
Somyaa
I'd been watching the movie. And somewhere I felt like I know Robert Gill from somewhere or I have at least heard the name somewhere so i googled a bit and stumbled across your blog Somyaa. I read your and Neils's conversation. I was really touched by the love story of gill and paro. But what gave me a beat was how Neil came across your blog. I would like to know more about Gill and paro. Also I'd like to know the books Neil Barber had penned down. Will be waiting for your reply.
ReplyDeleteKeep blogging
Yuga
Hello there!
Delete...and how you came across my blog?
Well... there is no mention of Paro anywhere. This link might help you to reach to Robert Gill - http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O108360/buddhist-vihara-cave-ajanta-painting-simpson-william/
Neil Barber, is lost. I can't trace him on FB now. I think he doesn't want to show up.
Thanks for your message. :)
Everyone should understand the importance of platonic love rather than physical attraction towards someone!!!!
ReplyDelete