INDIAN MOVIETONE NEWS NO 17 [Main Title]

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  • Title: INDIAN MOVIETONE NEWS NO 17 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: INR 17
  • Other titles: INDIAN MOVIETONE NEWS [Series Title]
  • Summary: I. CHITRA POURNIMA FESTIVAL - The greatest festival of Madura showing the chariot procession and thousands of devotees.
  • Description: I. CHITRA POURNIMA FESTIVAL - These massive tower gates lead to the Temple of Meenakshi in Madura, one of the noblest of South India's many temples. Devout Hindus come to the Holy Temple in carts and on foot from distant villages and cities for the Chitra Pournima Festival. The spacious temple yards are filled to overflowing by pilgrims. The festival extends over four days, and on the fourth day, after the wedding of Meenakshi and Shiva, their sacred idols are taken in procession through the streets of Madura. The idols are placed on huge cars with massive wheels - the thick ropes attached to the cars are pulled by thousands of devotees. Meenakshi's brother - Kallagar, here represented on a silver horse, arrived too late for his sister's wedding, and according to legend departed to the river bed in a rage. The devotees follow the Idol of Kallagar to the river and later enjoy festivities. II. CHINESE EDUCATIONALISTS - The member of the Chinese Educational Mission at Santiniketan. They were received by Rathindranath Tagore. They were welcomed in traditional Indian style under the Mango Grove 'Amra Kunja' in which Tagore used to conduct his classes. Dr Abanindra Nath Tagore the pioneer in the revival of the Indian School of painting presided. Poet Tagore laboured with life long devotion and almost alone to re-establish the cultural contacts between the two great nations of the East. The famous Chatim tree under the shade of which Maharshi, the Poet's illustrious father sat for his meditation. The presence of the Chinese Educationalists in Santiniketan revives memories of India and China of Fahiyan and Hieun Tsang who visited this country centuries ago in an intellectual and cultural quest. III. BENGAL GOVERNOR'S TOUR - The Governor of Bengal recently made a lightning tour by air of RAF and ARP defences in Chittagong, Feni and Baigachi. Chittagong, India's most raided town, has had over a hundred warnings and twenty actual raids. His Excellency inspected the ARP and Civil Defence Organisations and paid a high tribute to their valour and efficiency. The wonderful sense of duty they had shown under trying conditions is worth of emulation by the Civil Defence organisations all over the country. In the General Hospital, his Excellency saw some of the innocent victims of Japanese bombing. At Feni, a small town in east Bengal, His Excellency inspected damage caused by Japanese bombs. His last call during the tour was the famous RAF Fighter Squadron at Baigachi where Wing Commander O'Neill, who was the first to bring down a Japanese bomber over the city of Calcutta presented to him the Flying Officers of the Squadron, in who hands the Japs suffered so heavily. IV. MUSLIM LEAGUE CONFERENCE - The 30th Annual Session of the All-India Muslim league met at Delhi this year. Great enthusiasm and excitement prevailed among the Muslim population of the city when the president-elect of the conference Mr M A Jinnah was take in a two mile long procession through the main streets of the city. As the league leader seated on a nicely decorated car drove through the streets decked with flags, bunting and arches, there was a great ovation from the crowds who lined the whole route and occupied every vantage point to catch a glimpse of the Quaid-E-Azam. The formation march of the Muslim National Guards presented an impressive sight as the huge procession reached the Chaman-E-Pakistan where the conference was held. The conference which was in session for four days, passed various resolutions bearing on the present situation in India and - along other things - reiterated the determination of the Indian Muslims to attain the Muslim League objective of a separate and sovereign Muslim State in India. Prolonged cheers and cries of "Quaid-E-Azam Zimdabad" greeted Mr Jinnah as he ascended the dais to unfurl the Muslim League flag. Addressing the gathering he exhorted his followers to unite and work for the attainment of their goal. V. AGA KHAN HOCKEY - His Excellency Sir John Colville, Governor of Bombay, arrives at the Gymkhana ground for the Aga Khan Hockey final, the biggest event of the hockey season in Western India. A record crowd watched the two local teams - GIP Railway and Lusitanians contend for the much coveted trophy. As usual a number of well known teams has entered for the tournament and it certainly speaks highly of the standard of hockey in Bombay that two local teams should qualify for the final. The GIP defenders proved too good for the Lusitanian forwards, but the game did have exciting moments. Pinto the Lusitanian custodian was put to a hard test, but for his remarkable saves, the GIP would have won by a much wider margin. Shortly before the interval a brilliant shot by Nahishah from a penalty corner - scored the only goal of the match. In the second half the Lusitanians made a dashing effort to equalise but never quite recovered from the first blow. The Railway team won by one goal to nil. A deserving victory and a performance that will be long remembered. VI. MONSOON PREPARATIONS - BURMA FRONT - Preparing for the monsoon on the Burma Front - elephants pull down the old dry weather bridges and push new longs firmly into position for a structure that will withstand the monsoon floods. A tough job - and it takes twelve years to train these elephants. The Burmese can train one elephant to do the work of 200 coolies. Constructing advance bases for the monsoon from which patrols will operate. Camouflaged gun emplacements for the rainy season - guns that will not get water-logged. A typical observation post of the jungle front. Sharply pointed bamboo spikes take the place of barbed wire - guaranteed rust proof by nature. A Burmese village - once alive with villagers, a temple and priests, but today completely deserted and as still as a grave. Through this village passed many thousands of refugees during the exodus from Burma last year. Hundreds of cars left behind in the tragic flight from Burma. It became impossible for them to go further than this village. Army mechanics dismantle them for scrap and spare parts. The coming of the monsoon will not slow down activities. It is merely a different type of work.
  • Alternative Title: INDIAN MOVIETONE NEWS [Series Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: INR 17
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Film: IWM (INR 17)
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1943-05-15-1943-05-15
  • Production Country:GB India
  • Production Details:Department of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India (Production sponsor) Moylan, William J (Production individual) Moylan, William J (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations:
  • Keywords:
  • Physical Characteristics:Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent
  • Technical Details:35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 830 ft; Running time: 9 mins
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    INR 17

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