1889-BRAHMAGIRI, TRIMBAKESHWAR, SOURCE OF THE GODAVARI/GANGA

From PhalkeFactory

He was nineteen years old.

He was lying on his back on a hill, looking up at the sky.

His camera stood on a tripod to one side.

Suddenly, mist began to creep towards the field.

A cloud of mist enveloped him and hid him from view.

All he could see was white mist.

White blindness, as is he was buried in a cloudbank of mist.

Then a snake slithered through the mist, crawled over his chest and stood above his face with a fanned hood.

Rubbing itself against his chest, the snake began to slough off the skin covering its eyes.

Understanding, Govind picked up a cloth on which his head was resting and wiped the snake's eyes clean.

Having regained his sight, the snake went quietly away.

When the mist cleared, the surrounding hills had turned into the white, snow covered Himalayan Mountains.

The infinite sun peeped out from behind the infinite mountains.

On all sides the multicoloured tree barks of autumn...

Govind was exhilirated by this vision.

This was the source of the Godavari...

He captured many beautiful visions in his camera, finally understanding why they painted the Sahyadri Mountains white in the backdrops of Nasik

Joyously he began to descend the steps of the fort. Suddenly, a group of monkey materialised from thin air and blocked his way.

Seeing their boldness and aggression, Govind became a little fearful.

The monkeys snatched his camera and disappeared again.


TWO FRIENDS, TELANG AND PHALKE

Telang

Friend, I hear you dabble in photography. Where's your camera?

Phalke:

The monkeys stole it from me.

Telang:

Have you traced them?

Phalke:

The investigation's still on.

Telang:

Can I be of any assistance?

But in whichever age the pictures come to life, I must be given the credit for it.

What is photography?

Phalke:

The formation of an image on a flat surface by an optical device and a chemical method of sensitizing that surface to the light source,so that the image can be captured permanantly is photography.

Telang: Like tombstones.

Telang:

Friend, these are my monkey friends. I've been talking to them about our friendship for years.

But I wanted to give you a surprise before you all met.

This is my gift to you.

Telang takes a photograph of Phalke with the monkeys.

The wet plates require speed, the luck of an alchemist, and the dexterity of an acrobat.

Having shot the picture, you return to the dark room, prepare the wet plate, clean it with cotton and brushes, coat it with viscous collodion, immerse it in silver nitrate solution, recover the exposed plate from the camera, and immerse the plate in developer.

As Phalke's education continues, he often visits his brother at the palace.

Fascinated by Romesh Chandra Dutt, Aurobindo Rishi, Mahavrao Patwardhan's magic lantern or Shambarik Kharolika, and Raja Ravi Verma's bewitching images that are later going to be the themes of his films, he asks questions about things he does not yet know.

He watches the Prince ride his horses, play cricket, shoot crows, wrestle.

He cannot comprehend palace intrigue, and the changes occurring in the state of Baroda.

At home at night, among his Maharashtrian relatives, he sings kirtans.

To his friends, he shows off the knowledge he is acquiring from the great people of the palace, and tells the Pauranic tales in the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma as he was told them at his father's knee.

The results are announced at Kala Bhuvan.

Dada stands first and is offered a scholarship.

After consulting Prof. Gujjar, he buys his first still camera with the first installment of scholarship.

When he comes home, there is a surprise waiting for him. His father has arrived from Nasik, bringing Phalke's wife, Kamala, with him.

Phalke is shy as well as nervous. His father asks about his prospects.

Phalke replies that he is leaving for Ratlam to learn printing and that he has a job at Kala Bhuvan waiting for him when he returns.