Get the tissue and get ready for the waterworks to flow while watching "Water"

I saw this film a few weeks ago in my class Bridging the Cultural Gap.  We had learned about the love story between Krishna, a god, and Radha, a milkmaid and childhood friend of Krishna.  They both had an intense love for each other but Radha was forbidden to get involved with Krishna from her brothers.  Behind their backs, she secretly rendezvous with Krishna.  One of these instances they are caught by a priest.  Because Radha had gone against the wishes of her brothers she was considered deceitful ad was brought among the town people to figure out what was to be done.  The town people disowned her and essentially sentenced her to death. 

The question I often think of with this story is Krishna is a god, so more powerful and held in high regard over the priest and the towns people.  Essentially I would think if something made him happy than it would get a free pass so why be mad at Radha?  It appears that the priest and townspeople are jealous of her.  After all she is merely a milkmaid and what right or special attribute does she have that would win the affection of a god’s love?  Or maybe, just maybe this shows that the soul of anyone, no matter who they are can search out god and be safe with them.

Now think about the love story between Kalyani and Narayan.  Narayan is a rich, educated individual who is held in high regard in society.  Kalyani is a widow.  She is an untouchable in society.  Somehow the two find each other and fall in love.  However there is no happy ending because one Kalyani learns that her potential new father in law was a man who hired her for sexual services she realizes she can no longer marry her true love.  Instead she kills herself by drowning in the Ganges river. 

 

There is also a visual aspect that indicates the movie is like an updated version of this famous religious story.  In most pictures of Krishna and Radha, Krishna is playing a flute.  A lot of times he stands with his feet crisscrossed.  There is a scene where it is dark out and Narayan is under a tree, standing with his feet crisscrossed and he is playing his flute.  It is at this time Kalyani shyly visits him one on one.  They talk honestly and their love for one another is both realized and felt by each of them.  Kaylani's soul finally found its peace and safety with Narayan.  It didn't matter who she was, what her history was or where she was ranked in the caste system, she was human and deserved love just like anyone else. 

 

I really tried hard to find a picture of this scene from the movie but was not successful.  Hopefully this image of the Hindu love story will spark a memory of this scene in the movie (just minus all the other people).

 

On a side note; (this is me on my soap box I suppose) I had no indication or warning about the emotional toll this movie would take on me.  As the mother of a young girl who tries so hard to teach her she is just as smart as any boy, just as capable of any boy, as equal and as valued as any boy, this movie broke my heart.  I was crying with in the first five minutes.  to think that this is not far from what is actually happening just made me loose it.  The ending, I lost it even more.  It makes you think how lucky we won the birth lottery of being born in the United States or immigrating here.  Don't get me wrong, equality for women in this country has a long way to go but to see what it is like for females in other parts of the world is truly an eye opening experience to be grateful for what we have here and to fight even harder for that equality for all woman all over the world.  Feminism and the fight for equality should not end with in our countries boarders.  It is even more important to extend the fight to all ends of the earth.