Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, and Christianity all have their place in India, and also in this colorful documentary, which attempts to explain "the bewildering chaos" that forms this vibrant country. Religious philosopher- historian Huston Smith's first-person narration turns the 29-minute film into an essay on the fantastic blending of faiths, ably illustrated by filmmaker Elda Hartley's footage of gurus talking to their followers, aesthetics on beds of nails, the faithful turning a rock into a flower-encrusted altar. While Smith speaks of the country's paradoxes, Hartley illustrates them: from ox carts to Air India, from simple landscapes of lily pads to ornate temples. While not identifying them onscreen, the footage encompasses locales from Kashmir to Benares, Bombay to Bangalore. Made in the late 1970s, it is dated in some respects (e.g., the country's once-companionable relationship of Hindus and Muslims), but the intimate footage and Smith's insider information makes its depiction of India's complex beauty timeless. --Kimberly Heinrichs
