Pendjab _ le trésor oublié du nord de l’Inde _ - Himalaya - Documentaire voyage - AMP (1080p)

At the foot of the Himalayas, a region of fertile plains traversed by five different rivers stretches as far as the eye can see. One of India's lesser-known treasures, the Punjab boasts a unique cultural heritage born out of its turbulent history, which has seen many different peoples come and go. All have left their mark, but above all, Punjab is the land of the Maharajas and the birthplace of the Sikh religion. Its inhabitants have cultivated a sophisticated way of life and created a splendid architectural and cultural heritage. Situated in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent, the Punjab takes its name from the five rivers which irrigate the plains. Fertile soil and a dynamic agriculture make it the breadbasket of the Indian Federation, as well as one of its wealthiest states. With 28 million inhabitants in a territory only one-tenth the size of France, it's one of the most densely populated regions in the world. Its inhabitants, the Punjabis, differ from the rest of the Indian population by their religion, Sikhism. This monotheistic faith was founded in the 15th century on the teachings of ten gurus and preaches wisdom and tolerance. We're in eastern Punjab, at Andanpur Sahib, one of the main Sikh pilgrimage sites. This city is known for its magnificent temple, the Taht Shri Keshgarh Sahib. Dominating the main square, this splendid marble and gold monument flies the orange flag which is a symbol of the Sikh community. The Sikhs call this temple Gurdwara, or the Guru's Gate, and it's open to everyone as long as you cover your head and take off your shoes. Inside, the grantee, or priest, conducts the ceremony to a background of traditional music, devotional hymns accompanied on harmonium and tabla. Sikhs come from all over the Punjab to worship in this temple, which draws large crowds. After prayers, a sort of host in the form of a suite is ritually distributed to the believers. But the temple at Andanpur Sahib is not a Gurdwara like any other. It's one of the five most sacred places in the Sikh religion, and as such has a particular importance for the community, as this priest explains. The temple behind us here is where the tenth Sikh guru created the martial order of the Khalsa. He gave baptism to the Sikhs and asked to be baptized in turn. The noble order of Khalsa includes all baptized Sikhs. They must at all times wear the attributes which demonstrate membership of the order. Men must have long hair and a beard. They must carry a comb and wear a turban, a traditional undergarment, an iron bracelet, and a curved dagger at the waist. The turban is no doubt the strongest symbol of the Sikh identity. This seven-meter piece of cloth is carefully wound around the head. It exists in different colors, but the most common are blue, white, and saffron, which symbolizes courage. Beyond its religious significance, the turban is of major cultural and social value. To remove a Sikh's turban is a serious insult. Sikh women wear the traditional Punjabi outfit of baggy trousers topped with a long tunic, often with a scarf which covers the head and shoulders. The motifs and colors vary considerably. The shops are also very colorful. In the bazaar, which is sometimes covered for protection from the sun, the temperature in summertime can climb to over 40 degrees. The shopkeepers of Anandpur Sahib make the most of the influx of pilgrims by selling souvenirs and trinkets made by local craftsmen, as well as traditional objects such as these steel bracelets, which are one of the external articles of the Sikh faith and a symbol of attachment to God. Also on sale are many traditional culinary specialties, which perfume the colorful streets with their delicate aromas. Walking through this place is a real feast for the senses. All around the city of Anandpur Sahib are a series of forts built by the Sikhs for protection against invasions, especially by Mongols and Afghans, who made repeated attacks throughout Punjabi history. Sikh temples are themselves built like forts, for they served a military purpose and enabled the population to seek shelter in times of war. Known as one of the most ancient cradles of civilization, India has always attracted unwelcome attention from conquering peoples. It is even said that Alexander the Great's long series of conquests was brought to an end here in the 4th century BC. The clear view from up on the ramparts stretches to the Himalayan foothills, so enemies could be spotted a long way off. The last invasion to date was by the British. It came to an end with the traumatic partition of India in 1947, which split the Punjab between India and Pakistan. In 1966, the Indian Punjab was again divided into three states, two with a mainly Hindi population, and the state of Punjab itself, where Sikhs are in the majority. The British were not the only ones to leave their mark. The influence of other European countries can also be seen in the Punjabi heritage. At Kapurtala, in the heart of the Punjab, the Jagat Jid palace is reminiscent of the palace of Fontainebleau, and for good reason. It was a French architect who drew up the plans. The last Maharaja of Kapurtala was a great admirer of France and wished to build himself a residence inspired by French styles. Under his reign, the city was even known as the Petit Paris of the Punjab. The Jagat Jid palace does not seek to deny its Indian origins, however. Inside, the decoration of the ceiling, the mouldings on the walls, and the door surrounds are magnificent examples of Punjabi refinement. In the main hall, where the Maharaja received his guests, the paintings on the walls bear witness to a bygone era. Today, this stateroom is used as a library. The palace now houses a prestigious military academy which trains the elite of the Indian army. In this salon, the French influence is even more obvious. We could almost be in Versailles. Here, the Punjabi style blends discreetly with the décor by means of small touches which can be seen in the detail of the mouldings. With its unique fusion of two cultures, this monument is considered one of the most beautiful in the region. Outside, the garden again evokes Louis XIV's palace, with this splendid fountain and statues of wild animals. However, to admire the Maharaja's statue, we must go to the courthouse where the sovereign received the inhabitants of Kaportala. This building, finished in 1889, is strongly influenced by the Islamic style. The Maharaja of Kaportala was an enlightened monarch, who followed to the letter the principles of Sikhism, a tolerant faith which considers that no religion is superior to another. The first founding guru of the Sikh religion was a great traveller who witnessed at first hand the damage caused by the enmity between Hindus and Muslims. He believed that religion should bring people together instead of pushing them apart. He saw the treasure which those two religions held in common, which was the love of God. In his view, whether people were Hindu or Muslim, they were all seeking the soul of God. And so, he used the Sanskrit word Sikh, which means disciple. The Maharaja of Kaportala therefore believed that everyone should be able to practice their religion freely. He also commissioned a mosque to be built, which was inspired by the famous Kutubiya mosque in Marrakesh, so that unlike most of the mosques in India, it has no external domes or minarets, but a single tall tower at one end. Also designed by a French architect, the building is currently under renovation. The tiles on the roof are tailor-made by hand, a skill which not many craftsmen today can master. The imam relates some of the mosque's history. It was the Maharaja who had this mosque built. He was a very generous man, who had also built a Hindu temple and a Sikh temple. Construction work here began in January 1926, and was completed in 1930. When the mosque opened for prayers for the first time, the faithful gave 100,000 rupees. The style is inspired by a mosque in Morocco, at Casablanca. The elegant Kaportala mosque will soon be restored to its original splendor. One of the Maharaja's descendants agreed to welcome us into his home and tell us a little more about his illustrious ancestors. While we wait for him to arrive, we spot a book on his desk, The Unforgettable Maharajas, a record of the Kaportala monarch's glorious past. Baba Jasa Singh is the founder of our kingdom. This painting of him is an inspiration to us because we have no photographs of him. And here we have Jasa Singh's sabre. It weighs about four and a half kilos. That gives you an idea of what this man was like. Imagine you're on a horse. In one hand you're holding the reins and in the other, this sabre. That proves his strength and his bravery. All these medals were awarded to my grandfather. Few men have received so many medals in their lifetime. The portraits of the Maharaja's family hanging on these walls are a way of paying homage to his forefathers. In his notebooks, my grandfather wrote down what he did every day and the people he met. Paris, Friday the 3rd of June. Paris, Friday the 10th of June. Today I went to the United States Embassy where I met the lady aviator Anne Morrow Lindberg. And so he met a lot of people who came from many different countries. Looking at these old family photos, souvenirs of a glorious past that is gone forever, the Maharaja seems filled with a nostalgic longing and he remains a proud descendant of this distinguished family. Today, the world of the Maharajas has given way to an economic boom. In recent years, the land of the five rivers has seen swift and steady improvements in infrastructure. Modern roads have been built to allow the transportation of agricultural goods. The Punjab is the biggest wheat-producing region in India and alone produces almost 2% of the world's output. Agriculture thrives due to plentiful rain from the nearby Himalayan mountains and a major network of irrigation canals built mainly under British rule. This means a great variety of crops are grown such as this sugarcane, which grows here easily and also the world-renowned basmati rice as this local farmer explains. Basmati rice is mainly grown in the region of Gurdaspur and Amritsar and from here, it's exported to the whole world. These fields are also a playground for the children who, like one big family, will soon take over from their parents and get the best out of their land as the Punjabis have done for generations. In 1947, at the time of Indian independence, the country's food situation was appalling and many predicted that things would only get worse. Fortunately, India managed to confound expectations and launched the Green Revolution. This high-yield agriculture has made the country self-sufficient in food, has opened up employment opportunities, has led to electricity being brought to rural areas and has enabled the development of the local chemical industries in response to the big demand for fertiliser and seeds. This Indian miracle has enabled the Punjab to become one of the richest states in the country. The Punjab's population is still mainly rural but the cities are also densely populated. After sunset, the city centre comes alive as the Punjabis take advantage of the cooler evening temperatures to join the crowds on the busy streets and go to the market. The results of the Green Revolution can be seen on the market stalls which are overflowing with all sorts of goods. A variety of fruits and vegetables, spices of every kind and many different culinary specialities are on display to tempt the passers-by. Here again, the bright colours and vivid scents are startling and the visitor is immediately transported to another world. There are so many things that make a visit to the land of five rivers an unforgettable experience. This view of the famous Golden Temple is definitely hard to forget. Named Harmandir Sahib which means the Temple of God this is the most sacred place of all to the Sikh community. In north-western Punjab near the frontier with Pakistan it's in the city of Amritsar which means Pool of Nectar. For Sikhs, the water in the artificial lake surrounding the temple is holy and can cure the ills of those who bathe in it. Great care is taken to keep the water clean. This emphasis on cleanliness can be found in the city's many other sacred sites. As well as the Golden Temple there's the Akhal Takht or Throne of Immortality the first of five thrones or seats of power in Sikhism and the seat of political authority the equivalent of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for Catholics. As in the other Gurdwaras cleanliness is essential and here the cleaning is done not with water but with milk. Many Sikhs come to listen to the prayers broadcast on loudspeakers. The most important ritual begins around 4 a.m. The Sikh's holy book the Guru Granth Sahib is taken from the Akhal Takht to the Golden Temple. These two holy sites although situated just next to one another were not built to face one another in order to make a clear distinction between spiritual and temporal authority. The holy book is handled with great reverence kept in a solid gold carriage it is carefully prepared each day in a precise ritual as if it were a living person. During this solemn moment the faithful throw rose petals and bow down before the Guru Granth Sahib which is much more than a mere book. Before his death the 10th Guru, Gobind Singh warned the Sikhs that there would be no more living Gurus to come after him. The sacred book is in fact the 11th and final Guru. It's thus considered to be a living person an eternal guide and supreme spiritual authority. The book's 1430 pages are filled with mystical verses designed to be sung which contain all the wisdom of Sikh philosophy. Five priests officiate at the Golden Temple. Senior figures in the religious hierarchy they take it in turns to conduct the ceremonies which go on throughout the day. For all who come here their worries disappear as soon as they bow down before God. This place is for everyone because God belongs to everyone. Anybody can come here. After prayers the faithful come together at the Langa the community canteen which exists in all Sikh temples. For the Gurdwaras are not just places of worship but also places for community life. One of the kitchen staff at the Golden Temple explains how the Langas work. The meals served here are given to everyone free of charge. Anyone from any country or any religion can eat here for free. Meals are served 24 hours a day. We don't turn anyone away. Everyone is welcome. The Langas were introduced as a way of challenging the caste system to which Sikhs are fiercely opposed. Their religion with its precepts of tolerance and fraternity is based on the idea of equal rights for all. Approximately a hundred thousand meals are prepared at the Golden Temple each day more than three million a month. The food is strictly vegetarian. Sikh scriptures preach mercy to all creatures on earth and forbid the slaughter of animals. To cater for such large numbers it was necessary to create some special pieces of kitchen equipment such as these gigantic cooking pots. Although some people have paid jobs at the temple the majority of the people working here are volunteers. Voluntary work is very common in the Punjab. In fact it's a Sikh's duty to contribute to community service. There's a real social mix here and you don't need any qualifications to work in the kitchen. Everyone men and women can come and give their time. An important place of pilgrimage Amritsar is also a major cultural centre. The Baba Atal Tower bears witness to the splendour of Punjabi culture. On display are ancient paintings which relate episodes from the Sikh's religious history. The story of Baba Atal is one of the most popular of these tales and is also one of the saddest. Baba Atal was a little boy of nine years old. One night he and his friend Mohan were sleeping side by side when Mohan was bitten by a snake. The next morning seeing his friend's lifeless body he went to tell his family and then returned to be by his side. Innocently he said why do you sleep so deeply my friend the time for sleep is over. As he said the words he touched him with his stick and Mohan was raised from the dead. The story that Baba Atal had brought his friend back to life quickly spread around town and came to the attention of his father. Furious that his son had contradicted the will of God he reprimanded him and so young Baba Atal went to purify himself in Amritsar's sacred lake and after reciting his prayers he sat down by the water and let himself be taken to his eternal rest. After spending time at the Golden Temple most of the visitors stroll through the city to take in the picturesque little streets of Amritsar which are often jam-packed with rickshaws. Amritsar is a major economic centre and has thousands of shops of all kinds. There are also many restaurants serving delicious traditional recipes. In one of the little streets we find one of the oldest restaurants in the city. A regular customer describes what makes this place so special. For the last 100 years this restaurant has been serving typical vegetarian specialties including parathas and naans breads which are now appreciated the world over. It's an experience not to be missed if you want to sample the delights of high quality Punjabi cooking which is among the best in India. There are also many different sorts of craft on sale such as this workshop selling traditional shoes. Handmade from leather with gold and silver embroidery this is one of the rare kinds of shoe in the world which offers different styles according to the region in which they are made. That's why there are so many to choose from. A scooter is the easiest way to get around whether you're on your own in twos or even in a group. It's the quickest way back to the hotel for a good night's sleep before setting off to see more of the Punjab's hidden treasures. Our journey continues in the south of the region and the city of Patiala. Surrounded by ramparts more than 15 metres high the fort of Kila Mubarak is of outstanding historical importance. It is in fact the first building constructed by Baba Allah Singh who founded the city in 1763 and was its first Maharaja. The fort's construction was completed by his descendants but sadly today large sections are in ruins and closed to visitors. A major renovation project is under way to restore this place to its former glory when it was home to one of the most powerful and sophisticated dynasties in the history of the Punjab. If confirmation were needed we can simply admire the refinement of these ivory mouldings and the magnificent murals which decorate this fascinating room. The museum's creator reveals some of the fort's mysteries. This is the small reception room where the Maharaja Karamasinghe received his closest counsellors. This room is usually closed to the public. It's only opened in exceptional cases because some of the paintings on the walls are very rare and can be seen nowhere else. They tell the story of the Mahabharata and other Hindu epics. All of the decoration was carried out by exceptional artists and craftsmen brought specially from Rajasthan to work for the Maharaja. It is said that before building work began on the fort, Baba Alasinghe had completed a pilgrimage to the temple of the goddess Kali. He returned with a sacred flame and the fort was built around it. The candle still burns here today as it has continuously for more than two hundred years. Outside of the Maharaja's private apartments, Kilamubarak Fort contains many other treasures which are open to the public. Behind this imposing facade is the formal reception room where the sovereign met his subjects. On those occasions, the facades were lit up by thousands of candles. We can only imagine how magnificent the courtyard must have looked. The impression of magnificence continues as we enter into the stateroom built in the nineteenth century with its enormous crystal chandeliers imported from France. Today, this gallery has been transformed into a museum which tells the story of the Patiala through paintings and objects of the period. The reign of the Patiala Maharajas began during a turbulent era, but thanks to their skills on the battlefield, they succeeded in repelling Mughals, Afghans and Marathas. The museum, therefore, has a large collection of weapons of all sorts. Muskets, rifles, swords and daggers, axes, shields, and some exceptional pieces such as weapons made from jade, believed to have been made for Guru Gobind Singh, the final guru and founder of the Khalsa Order. For the Sikhs, who believe in reincarnation, death has a special significance. There are no cemeteries as such, but this place is the nearest thing to it. It's where the bodies of the Maharajas and their family members were cremated in the traditional way. The place is still protected because when a descendant of the family dies, he or she will be incinerated here just as their ancestors were. Some distance away, the Shish Mahal, or Palace of Mirrors, shows another aspect of the Maharajas' daily lives. Originally, there was a vast pool of water next to this magnificent palace, which was a summer residence for the sovereign and his court. The private properties of the Maharajas have, in many cases, been turned into public parks. For example, the Baradari Garden, or the Garden with Twelve Gates, built in 1876 in the Mughal style by the Maharaja Rajinder Singh. It's highly popular with locals and tourists who come here to walk and savour the splendours of days gone by. Patiala is also home to a temple dedicated to the goddess Kali. As in most Hindu temples, the faithful sound little metal bells hung above the entrance to announce their entry. Inside, believers sing hymns to the glory of the gods. For the Maharajas, the goddess Kali offered protection and prosperity, whereas for Hindus, Kali is the goddess of time and of death, the mother who creates and who also destroys. The priest tells us some of the temple's history. This is the Srimadir, the temple of the Maharajas and other nobles. It was built in the city of Patiala around 200 years ago. It was the Maharaja Karam Singh who ordered it to be built. In the temple courtyard, we find many sculptures which show its close links with the Maharajas. Around the outside of large Hindu temples, it's not unusual to find other smaller places of prayer, which are dedicated to different gods and goddesses. What's special about this one is the offerings made to the goddess Kali. The believers, most of whom are completely teetotal, pour alcohol onto the sacred fire. It would be unthinkable to visit the Punjab without stopping off in the capital, Chandigarh. This modern city was built on the southeastern frontier of the state, on the orders of the Prime Minister Nehru to replace Lahore, which had become part of Pakistan as a result of partition. The new Punjabi capital is world renowned for its urban design. The master plan of the city was created by Franco-Swiss architect Le Corbusier and it represents the concrete application of his vision for the modern city. In the Le Corbusier Center, visitors can learn about his ideas and compare them with the reality of his utopian legacy, which is now home to more than one million people. Le Corbusier's objective was to improve living conditions in the modern city, which meant that the urban environment must enable human beings to flourish in harmony with one another in four major areas – housing, work, leisure, and travel. To make this vision a reality, Le Corbusier gave up on his controversial concept of the high-rise city, and instead designed Chandigarh as a low-rise city, nestling amongst luxuriant vegetation. The Punjabi capital is thus divided into 60 equally-sized sectors in which there's a careful balance of housing, shopping areas, workplaces, schools, sports facilities, religious centers, and green spaces. In addition, a highly sophisticated traffic management system keeps noise to a minimum in residential areas, making Chandigarh one of the rare Indian cities in which it is still easy to get around, even though it has twice the population today as was originally envisaged. Everyone agrees that Chandigarh is a pleasant city, in keeping with its symbol of an open palm, which represents unity, peace, and prosperity for all humankind. Home to well-known universities and boasting a literacy rate of 97%, Chandigarh is also a cultural and artistic hotspot. Considered one of the largest public art spaces in the world, the Rock Garden is dedicated to the creativity of the Indian people. This park was built in secret by Nek Chand, a self-taught Indian artist. In 1957, he began to undertake illegal occupation of a huge piece of land covering 12 hectares, which he gradually filled with 1400 sculptures, made of concrete and covered with broken ceramic tiles, industrial waste and other recycled materials. Whilst the nearby city of Chandigarh was being built according to the rational principles of Le Corbusier, during the same period, Nek Chand was creating an anarchic parallel world which gives free reign both to spirituality and to the imagination. The authorities discovered his work in 1975 and the following year, the garden was officially opened to the public. With its labyrinthine maze of stone structures and cascades, it's one of the most visited sites in the Punjab. Despite this popularity, it was almost closed in 1990 and again in 1996 and was only saved by a massive outcry from fans of this extraordinary place. In the Punjab, the demands of modern city life have not led to the demise of many traditions which are centuries old. In the middle of the urban maze of Chandigarh, craftspeople continue more rural traditions such as this hand embroidery called pulkari which literally means flower work. This young artist describes her work. I design the motifs which are then printed and embroidered by hand onto the cloth. It will take around three days to complete the embroidery for this design. I choose the colours and the cloth before creating the design. This is a typically Punjabi example with bright colours and small mirrors. This is an example of a famous Punjabi embroidery made by hand with small beads. It took two weeks to complete this design. It's for a garment which women wear to a wedding or to another family celebration. The different designs and techniques of pulkari are not written down as they've been passed down orally through the generations. Each family of craftsmen could be identified by its unique embroidery style. The textile industry does its best to imitate this art with machinery but the results are not comparable to handmade pulkari. Another enduring tradition is kabadi, a team sport which is probably the Punjabi's favourite leisure activity apart from cricket. And it's a passion which can send crowds wild. A sort of mixture between rugby and wrestling, kabadi is played by two teams of seven players in a match played in two halves of twenty minutes each. The teams take turns in sending a raider into the other team's side of the pitch. The raider has thirty seconds in which to tag as many members of the opposing team as possible without being wrestled to the ground and then return to his own side. If he succeeds, his team wins the same number of points as players he has managed to tag. If he is brought down before regaining his own side, he is declared out and the defenders score one point. The raider is not supposed to breathe during the time he is in the opposite camp, hence the name of the game kabadi which in Hindi means to hold your breath. In 1936, there was a demonstration game at the Berlin Olympic Games. Nowadays, it's the national sport in Pakistan and Bangladesh and is played in many other Southeast Asian countries and even in Japan. The team's coach tells us the centuries-old history of the sport. Kabadi began in the Punjab. The Punjab team played kabadi and was played only here before it became known around the world. It's a game that's been handed down through the generations. So Chandigarh is a pleasant city to live in, whether you're studying, working or relaxing. It's a resolutely modern city, but it has not turned its back on nature. The vegetation here is abundant and the city is full of parks. It's even possible to walk from the north to the south of Chandigarh without leaving a park or other green space. The most famous of the city parks is the Rose Garden. With more than 17,000 plant varieties, it's the largest botanical garden in Asia. As well as many exotic trees and other medicinal essences, it lives up to its name by cultivating around 1,600 different varieties of rose. It's highly prized by families as well as by young lovers who meet here far from prying eyes in this colourful park, far from the city's hustle and bustle. At the end of the day, Chandigarh's inhabitants like to come here to cool down with an ice cream or some fresh coconut milk. The nearby Sukna Lake is another popular spot. Also designed by Le Corbusier, this magnificent reservoir built in the foothills of the Himalayas is an invitation to relaxation. The luxuriance of this landscape, which has brought so much prosperity to its inhabitants, is a reminder of the rich heritage of these people who have stayed together in spite of a troubled history and have opened up to the outside world whilst remaining faithful to their religious principles of tolerance. The Punjab is truly a forgotten duel of India, an exhilarating and dynamic part of that extraordinary country.