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00:44 Somewhere on Earth is off to discover Rajasthan.
00:48 This land rich in history embodies all the magic of India.
00:52 Located in the north of the country,
00:54 Rajasthan is bordered by arid plains and mountains.
00:58 It's the ancestral land of the Maharajas, the last Rajput
01:02 horsemen, and desert tribes.
01:03 Pabu was born in the Tar Desert.
01:09 He never left these steps of his childhood.
01:12 Pabu belongs to the tribe of the Beals, the hunters.
01:16 He has worked tirelessly at bettering
01:17 the lives of the women and men of his community,
01:20 the untouchables of the Tar Desert.
01:22 Geraldine, on her legendary motorcycle,
01:27 rides the roads of India and Rajasthan.
01:30 After traveling in the US and Australia,
01:33 this young French woman from Normandy landed in New Delhi.
01:36 India, which she explores every day, has changed her life.
01:40 Ajit is a horseman, a descendant of Rajasthan's warriors,
01:47 the Rajputs, literally sons of kings.
01:50 At 32 years old, he's continuing on the path of his family
01:53 for eight generations.
01:55 Ajit is an ardent defender of the Marwaris,
01:57 the horses of Rajasthan that nearly became extinct.
02:02 Here, we are at peace.
02:05 All around us, there is only peace.
02:08 I feel happy here with my most loyal and best friend,
02:11 my horse.
02:12 This is a great moment for us.
02:14 [MUSIC PLAYING]
02:18 The Tar, India's great desert.
02:42 It's situated in the northwest of India
02:44 near the Pakistani border.
02:46 This expanse of sand, rock, and dust
02:58 is the realm of scorching winds and storms
03:01 that can obliterate everything.
03:03 [MUSIC PLAYING]
03:06 This is a territory of desolation,
03:15 glacial cold in winter, and blinding heat
03:18 the rest of the time.
03:20 Man has always known that deserts
03:22 have no sense of hospitality.
03:24 And yet, the Tar is the world's most populated desert.
03:28 Those who live here call it Marustali, the land of death.
03:32 [MUSIC PLAYING]
03:35 Pabu, a former nomad, is a man of the desert.
03:41 He is an untouchable of the hunter's tribe, the Beels,
03:45 one of the lowest on the social scale.
03:48 His life is hard, but Pabu is a happy man.
03:52 The desert is part of him, and he is part of the desert.
03:56 Nomad, big-hearted, free, and a musician.
04:00 The jaw's harp, the oldest instrument in the world,
04:03 keeps him company during his solitary nights in the desert.
04:06 All the desert people, my uncles, my dad,
04:13 they all play this instrument.
04:15 When they're tending to their herds and they're on the move,
04:18 they always carry one.
04:20 And even if you don't know how to play, you carry it anyway.
04:23 And you learn as you go along that you don't feel so alone.
04:27 It's part of the people's life here.
04:29 Pabu has taken Gandhi's words to heart.
04:35 Everything that you do in life will be insignificant,
04:38 but it is very important that you do it.
04:40 With the energy of his convictions
04:42 and the daring of his dreams, Pabu
04:44 is striving to find any and every means of helping
04:47 his community of untouchables.
04:49 [MUSIC PLAYING]
04:52 In 2007, Pabu founded Malinbai, an NGO
05:02 for tutoring schoolchildren and helping
05:05 craftsmen and nomads, India's lowest social ranks.
05:09 And so Pabu gave new life to the traditional crafts.
05:13 He has agreed to buy what the artisans produce--
05:15 rugs, potteries, cloth--
05:17 which he then sells in Jaisalmer,
05:19 the major city of the desert.
05:21 He is the only potter around Jaisalmer.
05:26 The other potters are over 100 kilometers away.
05:29 So if the villagers buy a pot there,
05:31 it may break on the way back.
05:33 That's why they're very happy to be able to buy a pot here.
05:36 [MUSIC PLAYING]
05:40 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
05:43 [TAPPING]
05:45 [RINGING]
05:47 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
05:50 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
05:52 [TAPPING]
05:55 I have to travel very far, so I have to be very careful not
05:58 to break any on the way.
06:00 So I really have to test them well.
06:02 Otherwise, my mother will complain to me.
06:05 What have you done?
06:06 It wasn't worth paying for.
06:08 You hear that sound?
06:09 You hear it?
06:10 You can tell it's good by that sound.
06:11 Look.
06:12 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
06:15 [TAPPING]
06:17 [TAPPING]
06:19 This one's good.
06:20 [TAPPING]
06:22 Pabu gives work to the poorest people living off
06:29 in the far corners of the Tar Desert.
06:31 Today, he has come to pick up some pots for his family
06:34 and place a larger order of pottery.
06:36 [TAPPING]
06:39 Like many nomadic families, Pabu has become sedentary.
06:44 He's off to visit his mother.
06:49 And to get to her village, he has two hours
06:50 of driving on trails across the arid steppe.
06:53 [ENGINE RUMBLING]
07:05 It's a very, very good car to use in the desert.
07:08 It can carry 10 people, sometimes 11, sometimes even
07:12 more, because these people are all your family, you know?
07:16 So nobody minds being crowded, really.
07:19 It never breaks down.
07:21 And if it happens to get stuck in the sand,
07:23 you ask the whole family to push, no problems.
07:26 So you can say that the rickshaw is really useful for the desert
07:29 people here.
07:31 [ENGINE RUMBLING]
07:33 [NON-ENGLISH SINGING]
07:41,
08:06 [SIGHS]
08:07 [BABY CRYING]
08:11 [BIRDS CHIRPING]
08:15 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
08:18 Here, I brought you some pots.
08:20 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
08:26 They come from the village of your ancestors.
08:30 I bought them in Ada.
08:31 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
08:34 I'm so glad to visit my family and bring them the pots,
08:39 because what they really need here in the desert
08:41 is to keep the water cool.
08:43 And summer is coming.
08:44 And in a month, it'll be really, really hot.
08:48 So I brought pots from my mother.
08:50 That first one there, that's for water.
08:52 And these other two here are for making yogurt.
08:55 And with the yogurt, we can make butter.
08:57 [BIRDS CHIRPING]
09:00 It is vital for those living in the desert
09:02 to help one another out.
09:04 It's a question of survival for the untouchables.
09:07 This is the deep sense of Pabu's commitment in this harsh land
09:10 where life is a struggle.
09:11 [BABY CRYING]
09:14 [BIRDS CHIRPING]
09:17 [MUSIC PLAYING]
09:21 Before, the untouchables, considered impure,
09:33 were not allowed to draw water from the village wells.
09:37 This is no longer the case.
09:39 However, in the Tar Desert, the people
09:41 at the bottom of the social ladder
09:42 are still victims of injustice and even violence.
09:46 [MUSIC PLAYING]
09:49 This is my dad's grave, but also my grandmother
10:00 and my grandfather's graves.
10:01 [MUSIC PLAYING]
10:05 They don't respect the dead nor the graves.
10:19 Look.
10:20 Look what they did.
10:21 They can't stand us, not even our graves.
10:24 [MUSIC PLAYING]
10:28 [KNOCKING]
10:31 It's just as if they killed me when I see all this.
10:43 How can I tell you how I feel?
10:46 I'm really, really sad about this.
10:49 I never could have expected anything like this to happen.
10:53 I can't believe this.
10:55 This should never, never be.
10:57 I'm in true despair, really.
11:00 It's just incredible what they did.
11:01 My god.
11:02 [MUSIC PLAYING]
11:06 Habu never loses hope.
11:15 He possesses the strength of humility.
11:18 In the middle of the desert, the humanitarian actions carried out
11:21 by his association give him heart.
11:24 In Rajasthan, the traditions linger on more
11:27 than in other parts of India.
11:30 Castes were abolished in 1950 after the country
11:33 became independent, but the feeling
11:35 of belonging to this hierarchical system
11:38 is still deeply ingrained in the people's minds.
11:40 Little by little, Habu is building
11:46 a reputation around Jezalmer.
11:49 He's the one who helps the untouchables.
11:52 [MUSIC PLAYING]
11:55 There are dozens of abandoned villages
12:05 along the former spice and silk roads.
12:08 The houses used to be inhabited by Brahmans,
12:10 the caste of priests and scholars,
12:12 the highest in the social order.
12:14 A few untouchables have moved in.
12:19 Habu encourages them to carry on their traditional arts
12:22 and crafts.
12:24 His association, Malanbhai, is a life-giving force
12:28 here in the Tar Desert.
12:29 I used to live in a different village,
12:35 along with four or five other families.
12:38 We would make a kind of mixture, a resin for incense.
12:42 We would come here to harvest it.
12:44 And one day, I just stayed and started
12:46 working on my loom again.
12:49 My grandfather taught this skill to my father,
12:51 and he taught it to me.
12:53 I've picked up weaving again, and now I'm the one
12:56 carrying on the tradition.
12:57 The first carpet he made wasn't too good,
13:11 because in over 20 years, he had forgotten a lot,
13:15 but not everything.
13:16 And then he got better and better,
13:18 and now even the villagers come by, and they say, oh,
13:21 you're back.
13:22 That's great.
13:23 You're following in your father's footsteps.
13:26 He would be very proud of you.
13:28 There has been water here for centuries.
13:38 Existence revolves around a well.
13:41 Life can take hold again in this abandoned village.
13:45 Habu has high hopes that his work
13:46 will allow the villagers to settle here permanently,
13:49 in spite of the harsh desert conditions.
13:51 I come to fetch water every day.
13:57 The jug has no time to rest.
13:59 There are no other wells around here.
14:06 So there are families from five or six different villages
14:10 that all come to fetch water here.
14:13 Hindu families, Muslim families, they
14:16 sometimes come almost 10 kilometers away
14:18 to get water here.
14:19 They come on foot, by camel, or with whatever animal they have,
14:23 even a donkey.
14:23 These nomads had to give up their wandering life.
14:39 With Habu's help, they've brought this corner
14:41 of the desert back to life.
14:43 Today, they're preparing for a ceremony
14:45 to welcome a newborn baby into the world.
14:48 The Tar Desert is the original birthplace
14:53 of all the world's Romanis.
14:55 More than 1,000 years ago, they set out
14:57 from this bleak region on their voyages crisscrossing the globe.
15:12 Every day in these arid steppes of northern India,
15:16 children are born, learn how to walk, to speak, to sing,
15:20 and to fight for survival.
15:21 It's important to have a boy.
15:31 This big ceremony is for him.
15:34 The mother already had four girls,
15:36 so a boy is a joy for us.
15:38 So we're going to make offerings.
15:42 Today, the baby gets his name.
15:44 It's a very big day.
15:45 According to tradition, the shaman chooses the name
15:59 and whispers it into the baby's ear.
16:11 The newborn baby is called Jabra.
16:14 He's a new son of the desert.
16:15 The harshness of these vast open spaces
16:22 gives the force to create a new life.
16:25 Babu's commitment to others is a promise
16:27 that he renews every day.
16:29 And he is always ready to take up the challenge of the desert.
16:33 According to the words of Gandhi,
16:35 everything that you do in life will be insignificant,
16:39 but it is very important that you do it.
16:44 Animals give energy to us.
16:46 So do the trees.
16:48 Water dispenses life.
16:50 Even when it's mixed with sand, it builds our strength.
16:55 There is no better place for us.
16:57 We were born here.
16:59 Our blood is connected to nature here.
17:01 When I say nature, I mean desert.
17:05 That's what we love the most, the desert.
17:08 We were all part of the desert here.
17:10 [MUSIC PLAYING]
17:13 [MUSIC PLAYING]
17:17 I have a problem with my bike.
17:42 And you know where is the next village where I can go for--
17:47 [INAUDIBLE]
17:51 Geraldine is an adventurer.
17:53 Here in India, she's living out her passion for travel.
17:56 At 27 years old, this young woman from Normandy
18:08 organizes motorcycle tours.
18:10 Now she's scouting Rajasthan for new circuits
18:13 to offer her clients, bikers like her in love
18:16 with India's most enchanting side.
18:17 English?
18:18 English?
18:19 No English.
18:20 No English?
18:21 Oh, my goodness.
18:23 It looks good.
18:24 I've been waiting a long time.
18:26 I hope they understood what I want.
18:28 Otherwise, we're up a creek.
18:29 [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
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19:27 Riding in India, like Geraldine is doing, is a trip back in time. Udaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer,
19:35 Jaipur, just the names of these ancient royal cities of Rajasthan is a whiff of exoticism
19:41 and a call to travel. This state in the Northwest is a vast region in the image of India itself,
19:49 the planet's second most populated country.
19:52 [MUSIC]
19:53 Every year, Geraldine covers thousands of kilometers on her bike.
19:59 [MUSIC]
20:00 Her territory, Rajasthan, Ladakh, Nepal, Kerala.
20:12 [MUSIC]
20:13 Geraldine is scouting out new circuits. Now she's on her way to the Ambana Temple, the
20:21 goal of this reconnaissance trip.
20:24 [MUSIC]
20:25 About 400 kilometers away, somewhere between Udaipur and Jodhpur, it has become a holy
20:33 site dedicated to the motorcycle god.
20:36 [MOTORCYCLE ENGINE]
20:45 Seeing Geraldine pass through these remote villages is quite a surprise for the locals.
20:51 A woman traveling alone never fails to arouse curiosity.
20:59 India is a country where women's emancipation and advancement are an ongoing struggle.
21:06 [SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
21:21 I'm trying to find my way. I'm looking for back roads, so the idea is to roam free.
21:27 That's the charm of the motorcycle. Six months ago, it was a very isolated village.
21:33 You could reach it only by rocky trails, and now they've built an asphalt road.
21:38 It's much easier to get there.
21:42 This road is a chance to flesh out the circuits.
21:47 I can pass through new places where people are still surprised to see me.
21:55 You want to come?
21:56 [SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
22:05 It takes pluck to satisfy a yearning for adventure.
22:09 On Rajasthan's trails and back roads, Geraldine is perhaps touching the heart of the Indians,
22:15 for whom a free, independent young woman is something of a rarity.
22:26 [MUSIC]
22:51 I decided to go traveling, mainly in the USA and in Australia.
22:57 From there, I came to India, initially because I had a great job offer,
23:03 but also because India is such a colorful country.
23:07 I had such a vivid image of it. I had no idea what I was in for.
23:14 This place really touched me.
23:17 I just fell in love with the country, with the motorcycle, and with an Indian man.
23:28 This land of contrast and legend would change her life.
23:32 Geraldine decided to settle here, and even get married.
23:43 We're in the heart of the Aravali Mountains, a range that stretches 700 kilometers north to south,
23:49 from Delhi to Gujarat.
24:01 It's the only hilly part of Rajasthan. All the rest is plains and desert.
24:09 Finding roads are a real treat for us bikers.
24:13 It's a true privilege to be able to ride in a setting like this.
24:25 You find yourself in landscapes that you could never have imagined.
24:29 Just one hour riding and you're doing trails, and that's when you really appreciate it.
24:35 I've earned this. It's such a gift.
24:43 (Music)
25:12 (Music)
25:19 You can easily get attached to the Royal Enfield.
25:23 It was my very first motorcycle, so of course I have a soft spot for it.
25:29 I also like it for other reasons.
25:33 It has an incredible look. It makes this really wild noise.
25:38 When we go through the little villages and out in the countryside,
25:42 the people are delighted to see us on their motorcycle,
25:45 because after all, it is the emblematic motorcycle of India.
25:50 It's a very old bike. It has its vintage charm.
26:00 Geraldine is riding a legend.
26:03 She has found the ideal way of discovering this mythical country.
26:07 The story of this motorcycle goes back to England in the late 19th century.
26:12 At that time, it was manufactured in a factory that also made guns, revolvers, and ammunition.
26:19 The slogan for the motorcycle was, "Made like a gun, runs like a bullet."
26:28 During World War II, on D-Day, these motorcycles landed with the Allied forces on the Normandy beaches.
26:35 After independence, the Indian army was equipped with Royal Enfield bullets.
26:40 It was produced in the south of the country and became a symbol.
26:44 For 7,000 kilometers away, in Old England, the production was running out of steam,
26:50 and the world was changing.
26:52 In the late 1960s, an Indian engineer bought the blueprints of the motorcycle.
26:57 It's no longer an elderly English lady.
27:08 The Royal Enfield became a young Indian woman,
27:11 and with its retro style, as timeless as India itself.
27:24 Geraldine doesn't speak Hindi, one of the country's 22 official languages.
27:33 In India, only a minority of the population understands English.
27:37 In Rajasthan, the language barrier adds a little spice to her adventure,
27:42 but Geraldine's motorcycle is an ideal passport.
27:56 What I like the most here is the people.
27:58 That's what keeps me here.
28:01 When I look up to the side of the road, I see people with their faces just beaming with smiles.
28:08 They try to stop us.
28:11 Sometimes we'll give them a ride and drop them off five kilometers further on.
28:17 Other times, we'll pick up schoolchildren who have to walk 10 kilometers every day.
28:22 They're glad to get a ride.
28:25 That's the thing I love here.
28:27 It's something you can't find anywhere else on earth.
28:41 You can't visit Rajasthan without hitting the big cities of this land where the heart of India beats.
28:58 On her way to the holy temple of the motorcycle, Geraldine makes a halt in Udaipur.
29:04 This city is an important stopover on the motorcycle tours she leads.
29:08 Udaipur is a must for visitors in search of tales and wonders.
29:16 Good morning.
29:17 Good morning, sir.
29:18 Geraldine is meeting one of the most respected men of the region, the Maharaja of Udaipur,
29:23 a descendant of India's oldest family of aristocrats.
29:27 The kings no longer play a part in politics.
29:30 All the Maharajas are responsible for opening their palaces to visitors.
29:35 Oh, how nice.
29:36 Yes.
29:37 You live for today, so whatever you do, you've got to make it relevant to today.
29:44 What was relevant 100 years ago, our forefathers did.
29:48 We have to do and we have to live in a manner which is relevant for today.
29:54 [chanting]
29:57 Geraldine, along with some of the dignitaries of the city, has been invited to a special ceremony at the palace.
30:04 The Maharaja is celebrating his birthday.
30:08 [chanting]
30:30 In India, splendor and the extraordinary often exist side by side with the most modest lives.
30:40 This is what Geraldine would like to bring others to discover.
30:43 400 kilometers later, she arrives at Ombana, a holy site, a temple dedicated to the motorcycle.
30:56 Spirituality is everywhere in India.
30:59 All superstitions, all miracles are possible in this land where the gods number in the thousands.
31:07 [chanting]
31:34 Hundreds of voyagers stop here every day.
31:37 They come to solicit the protection of the god of bikers and the open road.
31:43 [chanting]
31:48 Around 20 years ago on this spot, Ombana died riding a royal enfield.
31:54 People say that after the accident, the motorcycle came back to the scene of the tragedy all on its own.
32:01 This is why a temple has been erected on the side of the road here.
32:05 Ever since, this motorcycle has been an object of worship.
32:09 [chanting]
32:13 This is the famous enfield of the accident.
32:16 It's an old bike, between 40 and 50 years old, and they haven't touched it.
32:21 It's just as it was at the time.
32:25 Everyone brings it offerings.
32:29 They all come to deposit flowers, food, sweets, money.
32:33 Any kind of offering is valid to be blessed with luck.
32:36 Right, that's it. It's all about luck.
32:40 [chanting]
32:51 [chanting]
33:01 [chanting]
33:11 [chanting]
33:33 I've been blessed. I can get back on the road at peace.
33:37 At least for the next few weeks, I'll be protected.
33:42 Namaste!
33:44 In India, tradition and modernity meet head-on.
33:48 It's a world where everyone's destiny is in the hands of the gods.
33:52 For Geraldine, it's not only a country born from the realm of legends,
33:56 she has found her part of the dream here as well.
34:00 I'm waiting for Praveen, my future husband.
34:04 We're going to continue the trip together.
34:08 He shouldn't be long now.
34:11 Hey, baby! How are you?
34:27 For Geraldine, a new life is waiting just around the corner
34:31 here in 21st century India.
34:34 In a few months, you will marry Praveen,
34:36 a Bollywood dancer from New Delhi.
34:39 But that's another story.
34:42 [music]
34:46 [music]
34:50 [music]
34:54 [music]
34:57 [music]
35:07 [music]
35:15 [music]
35:18 [music]
35:24 [music]
35:32 Ajit grew up in the land of the Rajputs,
35:41 the warriors of Rajasthan.
35:45 For centuries, the Rajputs fought alone against all comers.
35:49 Their courage was unequaled, except by that of their mount,
35:53 the Marwari horse.
35:55 It's one of the oldest breeds of horses in the world.
35:59 Had it not been for the passion of a few horse breeders,
36:02 these Indian thoroughbreds might have well disappeared 30 years ago.
36:10 According to the legend, the horses of Rajasthan
36:13 were born of the vast ocean.
36:16 As for the men, incredible proud horsemen,
36:20 they are the sons of the moon, fire, and the sun.
36:24 There are no words to describe this.
36:31 There is energy all around us,
36:34 and at the same time, it is very, very peaceful.
36:38 There is peace everywhere, and nothing else.
36:41 I feel happy here, with my most loyal and best friend, my horse.
36:46 There is everything we need here.
36:49 I go out riding every morning, and even sometimes in the evening.
36:54 These are the best moments of my life.
36:56 I am enjoying this so much.
36:59 [horse snorts]
37:06 [horse snorts]
37:09 [music]
37:18 [music]
37:21 I enjoy reading ancient books,
37:40 as long as they have anything to do with horses.
37:44 They are fascinating,
37:47 and I try to apply that knowledge to my own activity.
37:52 For instance, how to choose and buy a good horse,
37:56 what their habits are, how to tame and train them.
38:00 These old books are filled with excellent teachings,
38:04 written by famous horsemen from the old days,
38:07 and their knowledge is still useful today.
38:10 Horses are at the very core of our existence here.
38:14 [music]
38:17 The blood of the Rajputs has been intimately linked
38:25 to Rajasthan's history for over 1,000 years.
38:28 In Sanskrit, the name of this warrior caste means "sons of kings."
38:33 When they were not driving back the Muslim invaders,
38:37 these horsemen were combating the Mughal armies,
38:40 the descendants of Genghis Khan.
38:42 When they were not at war,
38:44 the Rajputs were engaged in fratricidal feuds.
38:48 Since ancestral times,
38:52 they had been raising armies of horsemen,
38:55 fearsome warriors serving the lords of India.
38:59 [music]
39:03 [music]
39:06 Nobility of soul, a code of honor, and chivalrous pride
39:17 define the character of the Rajputs.
39:20 In Rajasthan, the men and their horses
39:22 have left their mark on history
39:24 and bear witness to their illustrious exploits in war.
39:28 Ajit is a worthy heir of this prestigious tradition.
39:32 [music]
39:35 These ancient warriors were famous for their bravery.
39:48 What would happen in those royal families when they waged war
39:52 was that when one of them died on the battlefield,
39:56 most of the kings had tombstones built in their memory.
40:01 The kings would erect these monuments,
40:04 these cenotaphs, in commemoration.
40:08 On lake and riversides all over,
40:14 one can observe these cenotaphs,
40:16 impressive tombs of the Rajput warriors.
40:20 Certain were erected in honor of the warriors' wives,
40:24 who had died sati by immolating themselves
40:27 on their husband's funeral pyre.
40:30 Sometimes when I have time
40:36 and feel the need to find my inner calm,
40:39 I come here with my horse.
40:41 I guess I come here more or less twice a month.
40:44 To see these warriors and their horses
40:48 fills me with happiness.
40:50 I come here to renew my energy,
40:53 and it does me good.
40:55 I feel very, very happy here.
41:20 The horse is considered a god in Indian mythology.
41:24 It is superior to all men.
41:27 The Marwari is a war horse--
41:29 spirited, resistant, tough, and dependable.
41:33 Legend has it that the gods fought over this horse.
41:37 [HORSE NEIGHING]
41:40 Perhaps the horseman's eternal kingdom
41:55 looks something like these semi-desert plains of Rajasthan.
41:59 This is where Ajit lives.
42:02 His ancestors settled in this dry riverbed
42:05 some 200 years ago.
42:08 In Ajit's family, the men have been horsemen
42:17 and breeders of thoroughbred Marwaris for eight generations.
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43:11 As you know, I was an assistant professor
43:19 at the Udaipur University.
43:22 There I got a PhD in Hindi literature.
43:26 Unfortunately, in 2003, my father died in a car accident.
43:30 At that point, I had a choice to make between two paths.
43:35 The first one would lead me far away from horses,
43:38 and the other one far from my previous life working with horses.
43:42 I decided to choose the path with the horses.
43:47 It was the most difficult path, and it still is a hard one,
43:51 because we have lots and lots of problems.
43:54 But then again, we are very proud of our trade.
43:58 We are simply happy.
44:01 Our ancestors from the previous generations
44:03 must be happy with this choice as well, somewhere up there,
44:07 because we still own horses, and we still work with them.
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44:23 [MUSIC PLAYING]
44:26 It is an unchanging ritual.
44:43 Every morning, Ajit comes to say hello to his horses.
44:47 He considers them his children and spends all his time on them.
44:52 [HORSE NEIGHING]
44:55 The ears are very important for the Marwari breed.
45:02 They're curved inward and round.
45:05 One can say curly ears or rounded ears.
45:09 There's an old legend, a very, very old legend about that.
45:14 There was a Rajput warrior.
45:17 He was praying to the goddess Durga.
45:20 The goddess was happy with the warrior
45:22 and asked him what his fondest wish was.
45:25 Because the warrior was crazy about his horse, he answered,
45:28 "I would like my horse to have something special.
45:31 In particular, my horse's ears are not beautiful enough.
45:35 I don't like his ears."
45:37 So Durga asked her worshiper how he would like the ears to be.
45:41 The warrior responded,
45:43 "I would like his ears to be like my mustache,
45:46 curled up into a point."
45:49 So Durga granted his wish,
45:51 and ever since, all the Marwari horses have ears like this.
45:55 As you can see, the goddess did a wonderful job.
45:59 Ajit and his horses are getting ready for a long voyage.
46:06 Before each departure, he asks his mother for her protection.
46:10 My mother's heart is fragile and worried for her son.
46:15 May he return safe and sound.
46:19 I give him my blessing.
46:26 I tell him to hurry back, and I tell him, "Be careful, my son."
46:31 I tell him, "Be careful, my son."
46:33 To support his horse farm and develop his business,
46:53 Ajit organizes mounted processions and parades
46:56 for weddings and the major religious celebrations.
47:00 Each year, he and his horses cover thousands of kilometers
47:03 through India and Rajasthan.
47:06 Winter is the busy season for marriages
47:20 and a variety of ceremonies.
47:23 Ajit and his horses have just a few months
47:26 to parade before the public.
47:28 He does about 100 events a year.
47:31 This ceremony you are witnessing is part of the Jain religion.
47:54 They had an old temple that they just finished restoring,
47:58 and today they are celebrating its inauguration.
48:03 This celebration is going to last 14 days.
48:10 Now the Marwari horses are little by little
48:14 recovering the place they formerly held in Indian society.
48:18 In the exuberance of these traditional festivals,
48:21 Ajit's horses mingle with the Geli-colored dancers.
48:25 At the end of the colonial period,
48:36 the Marwari breed was on the threshold of extinction.
48:40 The English had transformed this horse,
48:42 the messenger of God, into a common beast of burden.
48:47 [HORSE NEIGHING]
48:50 In Rajasthan, this horse is an object of worship.
48:56 They say that this Indian thoroughbred
48:58 is the fruit of the union between a black stallion of the desert
49:02 and a beautiful blonde-coated mare.
49:05 In upper-class marriages, it is the custom for the groom
49:09 to go meet his bride riding a white horse,
49:12 the symbol of purity.
49:15 The Marwari also embodies India's romantic spirit.
49:20 The origin of the Marwari horse is lost in the mists of Rajasthan
49:40 and its ancestral legends.
49:43 [HORSE SINGING]
49:46 Thanks to the work begun by his father,
50:09 Ajit is now one of India's most ardent defenders of this horse.
50:14 The Marwari breed used to be very common,
50:18 but starting in 1910 and until 1940,
50:22 they went through a very hard time.
50:25 When the English were in charge of India,
50:27 they tried to wipe the Marwari out.
50:31 They wanted the royal families to give up the breeding of the Marwaris
50:35 because they wanted to force us into taking on the occidental way of life.
50:40 During those difficult years,
50:42 the herds of Marwari horses were in severe decline,
50:47 and now there are very few left,
50:50 but we are trying our best to save the breed.
50:53 Without the determination of a few horsemen,
50:57 the last 500 specimens of Marwari horses
51:00 would have gone the way of the dinosaurs.
51:03 By perpetuating the race,
51:05 Ajit has become a militant defender of the Rajput's chivalrous past.
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51:47 [Music]
51:55 (upbeat music)
51:57 (whooshing)