>> Indo German Film Club

Programme:

>> Monday, May 7, 2007, 18:00 hrs.: Festival programme on the occassion of Rabindranath Tagore's 146th birth anniversary

Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore: In the Service of Humanity

Bhajan by Smt. Mitali Mazumdar

Introduction by Prof. Dr. Theodor Ebert

Panel discussion with six eminent Sarvodaya workers from various parts of India: Rita Roy, Babulal Sharma, Dr. S. Kulandaisamy, Aditiya Patnaik, Ramesh Sharma, Neema Vaishnav. Discussion leader: Dr. Hiltrud Rüstau. Followed by questions and answers.

Poem by Rabindranath Tagore. Bhajans performed by Dhiraj Roy. Words of thanks

Venue: Indian Embassy, Tiergartenstrasse 16-17, 10785 Berlin

The entrance is free. Jointly organised by the Indian Embassy in Germany and the GandhiServe Foundation.

>> Monday, September 17 - Friday, October 26: Mahatma Gandhi's Peace March through Bihar - A Photographer's Account

Photo Exhibition. The entrance to the exhibit is free.

Venue: Indian Embassy, Tiergartenstrasse 16-17, 10785 Berlin

Opening hours: Mon - Fri, 16 - 17 hrs. (except 3rd October)

The inauguration of the exhibit takes place on September 17, 18:00 hrs at the Indian Embassy.

On the eve of India's independence, Hindu and Muslim India was in the throes of civil war. All the government forces were powerless to stop the massacres occurring almost daily on both sides. Gandhi, because he taught and lived the brotherhood of all religions, was hated intensely by many Hindus and Muslims alike. The bloodshed and destruction touched the very depths of his being. Though in his mid-seventies he went straight to the heart of the violence and walked barefoot through the remote ravaged villages of Bihar state as a one-man force for peace, dependent even for his food on the mercy of his enemies.

Only a few persons accompanied Gandhi on his March. One of them was photographer Jagan Mehta from Ahmedabad. His unique photographs document Gandhi's agony, his tears and grief. "I've come to assure you trust, what else? I can give my blood, too. What else do you need?" said Gandhi to Muslims in order to maintain trust and confidence in Hindus. Mehta captured Gandhi's peace efforts with yet unseen personal and intimate photographs. This exhibit is a precious historic document that also gives a rare insight in Gandhi's emotional life.

Jagan Mehta (1909-2003), learnt painting under the famous Indian painter, Shri Ravishankar Raval at his school Kumar Karyalaya at Ahmedabad, Gujarat/India. In 1934 Mehta studied mechanical photography at Vienna, Austria. A self-developed skill in photography and the painter's insight resulted into fine compositions, sensitivity and peotic perspective in his photographs. Since the first snap taken of Mahatma Gandhi in 1933, he had the craving to document his life in posterity. Jagan Mehta joined the independence movement and was able to capture Gandhi's inner turmoil during his last peace march to Bihar in early 1947. Lateron Jagan Mehta taught photography at C.N. Fine Arts College, Ahmedabad, and was a founder member of Niharika, the club of Gujarat pictorialists. His photographs were exhibited at various places in India and abroad, and received several awards.

Jointly organised by the Indian Embassy in Germany and the GandhiServe Foundation.

This event forms part of the Asia Pacific Weeks Berlin 2007.

>> Tuesday, October 16, 18:00 hrs.: Festival programme on the occassion of Mahatma Gandhi's 138th birth anniversary and the International Day of Nonviolence

Exhibition of children's paintings from India on the topic Mahatma Gandhi - As I See Him, which forms part of the international youth project The Gandhi Bridge of Understanding.

Video documentation on the life of Mahatma Gandhi (16 min.)

Speech by Dr. Martin Bauschke, head of the Berlin-Office of the international Global Ethic Foundation:

Mahatma Gandhi - Nonviolence as Principle of Life - Panel discussion

Bhajans by Dhiraj Roy. Followed by a snack

Venue: Indian Embassy, Tiergartenstrasse 16-17, 10785 Berlin

The entrance to the programme is free.

Jointly organised by the Indian Embassy in Germany and the GandhiServe Foundation.