A season of Footage and Films Part 7. Disket Document
Feb. 6, 2011 - Feb. 6, 2011
In July 2001, a few historians, journalists and activists
are invited to Disket in the Nubra Valley, Ladakh to participate in a
National Integration Seminar. However, it appears that there has been a
miscommunication, on arrival they are told that the event is actually
the celebration of "Buddh Mahotsav", part of a series of nation-wide
events (the next was to be in Arunachal Pradesh) organised by the VHP.
What were a group of mostly left-liberal folks to do? They performed
their speeches for the gathered people of Disket, and talked late into
the night.
Attempts to reckon with the situation erupt only on the sidelines:
for example at breakfast, where a 20-something Maulana from Delhi seeks
to provoke the VHP representative at the table. Or in guest-house
debates on topics such as Islamic law, feminism, environmentalism and
Kashmir.
The videos, shot by a participant, include stadium scenes, a minibus ride returning from
the stadium, a sunset stop, friendly dances, and a peculiar atmosphere that hangs over this high-altitude encounter.
