0:00:03 > 0:00:06I'm Stefan Gates.
0:00:06 > 0:00:12I'm on a journey to immerse myself in some of the most extraordinary feasts and festivals on Earth.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24From the palaces of Rajasthan
0:00:24 > 0:00:28to the graveyards of Mexico and the ancient temples of Japan,
0:00:28 > 0:00:32I'm hoping that by joining in these mass celebrations
0:00:32 > 0:00:35I'll be able to conquer my inhibitions
0:00:35 > 0:00:38and get under the skin of people and cultures around the world.
0:00:54 > 0:01:00This is India, home to some of the most spectacular feasts and festivals on the planet.
0:01:00 > 0:01:01There are hundreds of boats.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05It's a massive, massive spectacle.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08But under the surface of this vast and complex country
0:01:08 > 0:01:13there are deep conflicts rooted in wealth, religion and caste.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19India has some of the richest men on Earth.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22But it's also home to a third of the world's poor.
0:01:26 > 0:01:31I'm heading to Kerala for one festival that is supposed to transcend these barriers.
0:01:31 > 0:01:36Every year, 32 million Keralans try to set aside their differences
0:01:36 > 0:01:40during a huge ten-day celebration called Onam.
0:01:43 > 0:01:49I want to find out if feasts really have the power to bring people together.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54But first I'm going to an unashamedly elite celebration
0:01:54 > 0:01:57that clearly shows the divides of class and wealth.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10Rajasthan.
0:02:10 > 0:02:15Seat of ancient mogul emperors, home of the most spectacular forts in the world
0:02:15 > 0:02:18but one of the poorest regions in India.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25This entire state feels like one huge film set.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28I'm in Jaipur, in Rajasthan, Northern India
0:02:28 > 0:02:32and I've been invited to a huge Hindu wedding,
0:02:32 > 0:02:37and quite apart from being excited about the prospect of witnessing one of the world's great spectacles,
0:02:37 > 0:02:42I'm hoping that this is going to be an opportunity to understand modern, emerging India,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45in the course of three extraordinary days.
0:02:53 > 0:02:58The marriage is between two powerful families from the emerging industrial classes,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01the Sonthaliyas and the Mittals.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Traditionally, Indian weddings have been huge displays of wealth
0:03:05 > 0:03:09establishing a family's position in the social pecking order.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13But these families are the modern elite,
0:03:13 > 0:03:17so I wonder if they'll still feel bound to follow the more rigid traditions.
0:03:19 > 0:03:24So this is it, this is the gold palace where the wedding's going to take place
0:03:24 > 0:03:26and it's an absolute hive of activity,
0:03:26 > 0:03:32there are hundreds and hundreds of workers putting up tents and making dioceses
0:03:32 > 0:03:34and Lord knows what this is over here,
0:03:34 > 0:03:38and it's like they're constructing a large funfair.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41There are loads of different stages and different sort of arenas.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47Over a thousand guests are expected for three days of feasting.
0:03:47 > 0:03:52But the guests are outnumbered by an army of caterers, construction engineers and performers
0:03:52 > 0:03:55all working like mad to get everything ready on time.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04And in charge of this small army is Sarita, the wedding planner
0:04:04 > 0:04:07and possibly the most stressed out woman in Rajasthan.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10- Hi, Sarita.- Hi.- I'm Stefan.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12So you're in charge of all this?
0:04:12 > 0:04:14- Yeah. - This is a huge production, isn't it?
0:04:14 > 0:04:16How long have you been working on all this?
0:04:16 > 0:04:19On this wedding we've been working for the last six months.
0:04:19 > 0:04:20- Six months!- Yeah.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24And is it all defined by the bride's family?
0:04:24 > 0:04:28- Yeah, the bride's family, definitely. - The groom doesn't have much say?
0:04:28 > 0:04:32No, the groom also, the groom's side also have a say but it's mostly the bride's side.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35- Yeah, because the bride's side is paying.- Yeah. THEY LAUGH
0:04:36 > 0:04:40Well, more accurately, the bride's father, Sadesh, is paying.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43BAGPIPES AND DRUMS PLAY
0:04:43 > 0:04:46But there's also a human transaction involved.
0:04:46 > 0:04:52In India a wedding symbolises the handing over of the woman from her father to her new husband.
0:04:56 > 0:05:03And the man about to take delivery of this new bride is 24-year-old Rahul, a businessman from Calcutta.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07Over the next three days, Rahul and his family must be treated like royalty.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11And to welcome him, the family's hired a band of dancing bagpipers.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16It's their first attempt to show off in front of their new in laws.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24So that was the groom arriving amidst a cacophony of sound
0:05:24 > 0:05:28so I would imagine he's feeling quite pleased with himself
0:05:28 > 0:05:30or possibly slightly terrified.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32I was thinking what a fantastic display,
0:05:32 > 0:05:35and a couple of people next to me said,
0:05:35 > 0:05:38"Oh, my God, that's really tacky."
0:05:38 > 0:05:41But from where I was standing that looked quite spectacular.
0:05:48 > 0:05:53The feast is the most important part of the wedding and it's used to signify a family's wealth.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57To ensure that no one's left in any doubt as to the bride's prosperity,
0:05:57 > 0:06:02474 dishes are being prepared over the next three days.
0:06:02 > 0:06:03Today there was supposed be a brunch.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07Brunch is over now, now people are asking for lunch.
0:06:09 > 0:06:15There's so much food to cook, the caterers had to erect a make-shift tent city
0:06:15 > 0:06:17hidden from view of the guests.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19Oh, I get it.
0:06:19 > 0:06:20Can I try doing it?
0:06:22 > 0:06:23No, it's running away!
0:06:27 > 0:06:33I'm desperate to find out what they feel about cooking for India's super rich, but it's a touchy subject.
0:06:41 > 0:06:46I guess if you can control something as out of control as this then you must be a master chef.
0:06:53 > 0:06:58Do you think that the staff here sort of resent the fact that they're all these rich people over there
0:06:58 > 0:07:01in a slightly different world, and they're working so hard for it?
0:07:06 > 0:07:08- Fair enough. See you later. - Goodbye, sir.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11DRUMMING
0:07:15 > 0:07:19That evening the bride, 23-year-old Nidhi, arrives.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24She's a Cambridge university economics graduate,
0:07:24 > 0:07:28but Nidhi must now play the role of a traditional Indian bride.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31She'll spend the next three days plastered in jewels,
0:07:31 > 0:07:33maintaining a meek and demure silence,
0:07:33 > 0:07:36whilst she's inspected by the groom's family.
0:07:39 > 0:07:46The workers are also closely scrutinised, as Sarita takes them through their final briefing.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50It's crucial for the honour of the bride's family that everything's perfect.
0:07:52 > 0:07:53TRANSLATED FROM HINDI
0:08:02 > 0:08:07It's quite exciting, all the waiters are set out, the lights are on, the bride's off getting ready.
0:08:07 > 0:08:12It's going to kick off in about an hour so I'm going to go and smarten myself up.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Wow, look at this.
0:08:30 > 0:08:36The wedding officially begins tonight with the mendhi, when guests have their hands painted with Henna.
0:08:36 > 0:08:41The theme for the first night is a street carnival and it's an incredible display of affluence.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43Thanks very much.
0:08:46 > 0:08:52Sarita's team has prepared luxury versions of street food usually eaten by India's poor.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01- Peanut chaat?- Yeah.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14So you're not eating anything, you're too nervous to eat?
0:09:17 > 0:09:19You know it's good already!
0:09:23 > 0:09:26And then, the bride and groom arrive.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30I've been told that they met when they were studying in Britain and fell in love.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32But I was warned that I mustn't talk about this.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36Hindu tradition dictates this must be an arranged marriage.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39And love must have nothing to do with it.
0:09:43 > 0:09:48Nidhi's father Sadesh tells me the tradition of arranged marriage is so strong
0:09:48 > 0:09:51that HE was forced to give up his first love to save his family's honour.
0:10:00 > 0:10:05- So you were in love with somebody and then you had an arranged marriage?- Yes.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07- Wow, that must have been difficult. - Yes.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11INDIAN DANCE MUSIC PLAYS
0:10:16 > 0:10:19I'm joined by my guide Neelima.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22She's been to dozen's of posh Indian weddings herself,
0:10:22 > 0:10:26so I want to know if this amazing spectacle is out of the ordinary.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31So far, is it a traditional wedding?
0:10:31 > 0:10:33Is this what you expected to see?
0:10:33 > 0:10:36Well, it's strangely a lot of tradition
0:10:36 > 0:10:39but also a lot of break away from tradition.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Normally in a traditional Hindu wedding the groom meets the bride
0:10:42 > 0:10:46when he come in a procession on the wedding night.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49- So this is a bit naughty, really? - Absolutely!
0:10:49 > 0:10:53Because there's quite a few old women here who are quite stony-faced.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56They look a bit...
0:10:57 > 0:11:00- I'm sure they disapprove. - Do you think they're thinking, "What are they doing?"
0:11:00 > 0:11:03Is it their job to be a bit disapproving?
0:11:03 > 0:11:05Sort of, and find fault.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07With everything - with the food,
0:11:07 > 0:11:10with whether you didn't do this properly. It's the done thing.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13But you know they play a valuable role because they keep tradition going.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Day Two. Time for the next big event.
0:11:25 > 0:11:30Hindu weddings symbolise the transferring of the bride from one family to another,
0:11:30 > 0:11:33but also those two families coming together.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38But before these mergers and acquisitions take place,
0:11:38 > 0:11:42there's a chance for one last boardroom battle - a cricket match.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44Is it traditional to have a cricket match?
0:11:44 > 0:11:48The cricket match is not traditional but it is traditional for the two families.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52It's an alliance between two families - weddings -
0:11:52 > 0:11:54it's a good ice breaker.
0:11:56 > 0:12:01It's a lot of leg pulling and teasing, it's just to break the ice.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08Whilst a wedding is about enhancing everyone's social status,
0:12:08 > 0:12:11it wouldn't do for anyone to get ideas above their station.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15It would very bad form for the bride's family to win.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Oh, dear.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20Golden duck.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22He's really grumpy.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25They may just be very bad at cricket,
0:12:25 > 0:12:27but I suspect that Nidhi's family
0:12:27 > 0:12:29HAVE to give their wickets away
0:12:29 > 0:12:31to ensure the groom's honour is preserved.
0:12:33 > 0:12:39And Rahul is allowed to be hero of the hour by taking the final wicket.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50To the surprise of...
0:12:50 > 0:12:54absolutely no one, the Mittal family lift the trophy.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02Tonight is the last night Nidhi will spend with her parents as a daughter.
0:13:02 > 0:13:07Tomorrow she will officially become a wife and join Rahul's family.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11I want to find out how she's feeling about leaving home forever.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15But with several outfit changes and hundreds of relatives competing for her attention,
0:13:15 > 0:13:18I can only sneak in for a quick chat.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21Wow, look at you! Fantastic.
0:13:21 > 0:13:26So has does it feel to be on the verge of a whole different part of your life?
0:13:26 > 0:13:28- Nervous yet exciting.- Why?
0:13:28 > 0:13:31What things do you think are going to change for you?
0:13:31 > 0:13:35A new family so there's going to be a lot of change because of that.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37How are you feeling right now?
0:13:37 > 0:13:41Everybody at the wedding enjoys other than the bride and the bridegroom
0:13:41 > 0:13:43because they're all so heavily loaded.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46Look at her, she's still looking so pretty and elegant
0:13:46 > 0:13:50and she'll have a good time until the end of the evening and I'll be like, "OK..."
0:13:50 > 0:13:53Before eating also I'll think about my lipstick.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55So it's like that.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59I've been wondering if Nidhi will keep up the facade of this being an arranged marriage,
0:13:59 > 0:14:03or break with tradition and admit to being in love.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06You've known each other for a little while. Do you already love each other?
0:14:06 > 0:14:09- Yeah, yeah. - You already love each other?
0:14:09 > 0:14:13- Even though it's an arranged marriage, you're in love?- Yeah, we've spent a lot of time together
0:14:13 > 0:14:15- for the last one year. - That's brilliant.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19- Congratulations.- Lots of people get married in ten days of arrangements,
0:14:19 > 0:14:25like ten days and still they love each other, and the love continues ever after like our parents.
0:14:25 > 0:14:30They just met and they got married in 22 days and they're together, touch wood, for 25 years.
0:14:30 > 0:14:31- It must work.- Yeah.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Behind the scenes the social hierarchy is maintained.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43To ensure the guests want for nothing, an army of waiters has been employed
0:14:43 > 0:14:45to look after their every need.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49And then there are those whose job it is to serve the servers.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54It turns out that there are two kitchens -
0:14:54 > 0:15:01one for the guests, and an entirely separate kitchen purely to feed the hundreds of workers.
0:15:01 > 0:15:07One of those preparing the backroom meals is Vishram, who is busy making hundreds of parathas.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09Do you ever get to join in any parts of the wedding?
0:15:09 > 0:15:14TRANSLATION:
0:15:14 > 0:15:16You went and had a dance, last night?
0:15:18 > 0:15:20Does everybody go and have a little dance?
0:15:23 > 0:15:26The bride's father has been saving up for this for years.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Was it the same for your bride's father?
0:15:30 > 0:15:33But in my country we celebrate important events
0:15:33 > 0:15:38but we don't make anywhere near as much of a big splash as you guys do.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44It's probably true!
0:15:47 > 0:15:52When Vishram has finished cooking he and his fellow workers must keep themselves hidden from the guests
0:15:52 > 0:15:55who are enjoying yet another meal.
0:16:03 > 0:16:08It's difficult not to notice the huge divide between their worlds, but it's nothing new.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12The Indian caste system has maintained a divide for 3,000 years.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16The barriers are slowly coming down, but at moments like this
0:16:16 > 0:16:19the difference between rich and poor is still plain for all to see.
0:16:35 > 0:16:41Day three. Today is the day Nidhi and Rahul will actually get married.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45It's the day the bride's family will put on the ultimate display of wealth.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49But first, I have to get myself looking presentable.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55Wow! I'm ready for anything now.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00MUSICIANS PLAYS
0:17:04 > 0:17:10In an elaborate entrance, Rahul arrives dressed up as a prince on top of a white horse.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14Hundreds of family members come accompanied by musicians.
0:17:18 > 0:17:24And in a silver-plated sedan chair carried by four servants, here comes the bride.
0:17:32 > 0:17:38After months of planning, the bride and groom are officially presented to the guests.
0:17:38 > 0:17:43In more traditional times, this would have been the first moment the couple would set eyes on each other.
0:17:52 > 0:17:57Unlike a Christian wedding ceremony, this service will last into the night.
0:17:57 > 0:18:02The bride and groom are very much on display throughout whilst their guests get to eat and chat.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11Their elaborate costumes are beginning to look decidedly uncomfortable.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20PRIESTS CHANT IN SANSKRIT
0:18:25 > 0:18:29After three long days, the big moment arrives.
0:18:29 > 0:18:35Three Brahmin priests chant in Sanskrit, and then it's time for the Hindu equivalent of saying "I do".
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Nidhi and Rahul walk around the holy fire seven times
0:18:41 > 0:18:46promising to protect and befriend each other for all of their married lives.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55Finally, when the paint is marked on each other's foreheads, they're married.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58APPLAUSE, PRIESTS CHANT
0:19:01 > 0:19:04It's time for one last extraordinary feast.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07Oh, my God!
0:19:09 > 0:19:16'Nidhi's parents have built an exclusive VIP tent purely for Rahul's closest family.
0:19:16 > 0:19:22'Wedding planner Sarita has been working so hard to make it perfect she hasn't slept in days.'
0:19:22 > 0:19:24- You're looking a little bit tired. - Very tired.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26How much sleep have you had?
0:19:26 > 0:19:29I have lost my voice, you can see that.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32- You've been shouting at your staff too much.- Yeah.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35This is a special sit-down meal,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38for the special guests.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41- Who are the special guests? - The boy's...
0:19:41 > 0:19:42immediate family.
0:19:42 > 0:19:47The bride's father is paying and yet it's the boy's family who gets pampered.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49Yeah, and he's giving his daughter also.
0:19:49 > 0:19:50That's outrageous!
0:19:57 > 0:20:01Nidhi's father and the rest of his family must now roll up their sleeves
0:20:01 > 0:20:05and physically stuff food into Rahul's family's mouths.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12It's the ultimate act of servitude and humility.
0:20:29 > 0:20:34Finally, it's the end of the evening, and the moment Nidhi has to say goodbye to her mum, dad,
0:20:34 > 0:20:36brothers and sisters.
0:20:41 > 0:20:46From now on, she will be part of Rahul's family and can only return home for short visits.
0:20:48 > 0:20:55As only one per cent of all couples get divorced in India, there really is no going back.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05I have to admit, at first glance the wedding seemed little more
0:21:05 > 0:21:08than an extravagant display of wealth and social hierarchy.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14SHE SOBS
0:21:14 > 0:21:20But at 2am, there's suddenly genuine emotion after all the pomp and ceremony.
0:21:21 > 0:21:26Nidhi's family finally drop their guard and show genuine sadness
0:21:26 > 0:21:29as their daughter leaves the family forever.
0:21:43 > 0:21:50As Rahul and Nidhi fly off on their honeymoon, I head down south to the tropical state of Kerala
0:21:50 > 0:21:53in search of a different side of India.
0:21:53 > 0:21:58The wedding reinforced the traditional hierarchy of Indian society.
0:21:58 > 0:22:03But I'm on my way to a place where these rigid social divisions are said to be dissolving.
0:22:05 > 0:22:10I'm going to the Onam feast, where millions of people come together
0:22:10 > 0:22:14for ten days of celebrations across the entire state.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21I arrive in Kerala with the festivities just about to start.
0:22:21 > 0:22:27Kerala has been hugely influenced by trade with everyone from the Portuguese to the Arabs.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31I've heard it's a place where boundaries are more flexible.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33Kerala is lucky, people came here to trade.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36'I meet Ramesh, a local businessman.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40'He has a theory as to why Kerala is so different from the rest of India...'
0:22:40 > 0:22:45Kerala, luckily, does not have the politics of religion.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49In every other state religion is a strong political tool,
0:22:49 > 0:22:51here it's a social way of life.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54It's live and let live. And it carries on that way.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58You'll see many places where there's a church and a mosque and a temple, side by side.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Perfectly all right.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03There is something else different about Kerala.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Here, the women are in charge.
0:23:06 > 0:23:12We also decided that because it's the mother who gives birth to the child,
0:23:12 > 0:23:17the family hierarchy and line is through the woman and not the male.
0:23:17 > 0:23:22There's no where else in the world which has an absolute matriarchal society. We are the only ones.
0:23:22 > 0:23:23I don't know, in my house...
0:23:23 > 0:23:26And you see now here, the wearing of white.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28Onam dresses. Very beautiful.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30Thank you.
0:23:33 > 0:23:38Ramesh tells me the abundance of fish is another reason for Kerala's traditional harmony.
0:23:38 > 0:23:44The cheap, accessible food here removes one of the main causes of social unrest.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46This is a kingfish.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49The test is always the gill.
0:23:49 > 0:23:50You open the gill...
0:23:50 > 0:23:53This is absolutely fresh.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58- What have we got here? - That's a red snapper!
0:23:58 > 0:24:01They're lovely. HE LAUGHS
0:24:01 > 0:24:04That is extraordinary. I've never seen one that big.
0:24:04 > 0:24:09You can come here, buy yourself a small fish, he'll clean it and they'll cook it for you.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11Just grill it with butter and garlic, it's great.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14- Can we do this now, is the guy here? - Yeah.
0:24:18 > 0:24:25After eating so much exotic food at the wedding feast, it's great to have something that's simple.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27That's fantastic. It's really good.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30- The main thing is you can tell how fresh it is.- Yeah. That's right.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39This is my last chance to enjoy Keralan fish.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41Onam is a vegetarian feast.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48Even the fishermen will be putting away their nets to celebrate.
0:24:55 > 0:25:01With just one day before the start of the festival, there's an air of anticipation all over Kerala.
0:25:03 > 0:25:08Onam celebrates the return to earth of the mythical King Mahibali,
0:25:08 > 0:25:12who's coming to check that his people are still living in paradise.
0:25:12 > 0:25:17Looking like a half naked Father Christmas, there are signs of him everywhere I go.
0:25:18 > 0:25:26Every Keralan must show the King that for ten days, at least, they can live as equals and in harmony.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36As I make my way to the celebrations,
0:25:36 > 0:25:42I'm wondering if an entire state really can pull together for a public display of unity.
0:25:42 > 0:25:48It's almost a cliche now but India really is a land of huge contradictions.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52There's extreme wealth side by side with extreme poverty.
0:25:52 > 0:25:58There's ancient idols and then people in shop fronts with flat screen computers.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02But Kerala is actually quite different from any part of India I've ever seen.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06There seems to be a lot fewer...
0:26:06 > 0:26:11beggars on the streets, the houses seem pretty decent.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15There seems to be a little bit more general wealth.
0:26:18 > 0:26:23My driver Abdul soon gets bored of me pontificating about Keralan society.
0:26:23 > 0:26:28To shut me up, he offers to let me drive the rickshaw for the rest of our journey.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36This is not Abdul's best idea.
0:26:36 > 0:26:37That's the clutch.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39Hop in the back.
0:26:41 > 0:26:42That's the brake.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44Do we need the brake?
0:26:46 > 0:26:48We don't worry about the brake. OK.
0:26:48 > 0:26:49- First.- First...
0:26:49 > 0:26:52Little, little. Slowly, slowly.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57Where's the hooter, which one's the hooter? That one there?
0:27:01 > 0:27:03Do you make a lot of money?
0:27:05 > 0:27:07500, that's good.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11How do I...?
0:27:11 > 0:27:12Am I supposed to put my arm out?
0:27:17 > 0:27:19I guess you're supposed to avoid the bumps.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Oh, there's a big one, oh, there's a big one.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29Am I going a bit too fast?
0:27:29 > 0:27:30How am I...? Am I good?
0:27:32 > 0:27:34Would you give me a job?
0:27:36 > 0:27:37Oh, hand signal.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51Morning!
0:27:51 > 0:27:55I feel like I'm in power.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58# I'm a happy auto rickshaw driver! #
0:28:00 > 0:28:03- HORN TOOTS - Beep-beep!
0:28:05 > 0:28:07It was going really well.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17It's about 8am.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20It's time for the Onam festivities to start
0:28:20 > 0:28:24and it's just about to bucket down, again.
0:28:24 > 0:28:30Because it's the end of the monsoon season so there's a few lingering clouds of rain.
0:28:33 > 0:28:38Amongst all the celebrations, there are two main feasts during Onam.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41I've been invited to spend the first with a local family.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45Chako is a taxi driver.
0:28:49 > 0:28:54The family is cooking a special feast for about two dozen relatives.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57Chako's wife Elsie is in charge of the preparations.
0:28:57 > 0:28:58OK, so what are you doing?
0:28:58 > 0:29:00Ah, sort of skinning it?
0:29:02 > 0:29:06Is there a lot of pressure on you as the head woman of the family?
0:29:06 > 0:29:09TRANSLATION:
0:29:15 > 0:29:17This family is Christian.
0:29:17 > 0:29:21But like most people in Kerala, they fully embrace this traditionally Hindu festival.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28Outside, the kids have been busy.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33- So this is your pookalam?- Yes.
0:29:33 > 0:29:34It looks brilliant.
0:29:34 > 0:29:41It's a flower design, a sort of Keralan version of a Christmas tree, made of fresh petals.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43OK, what can I do?
0:29:46 > 0:29:49- You can put it here. - In this area here.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53I notice I'm the only grown-up on the job.
0:29:53 > 0:29:57Is this something that children do, rather than adults?
0:29:59 > 0:30:01Am I being a bit naughty coming to play?
0:30:06 > 0:30:08What is the reason for making a pookalam?
0:30:12 > 0:30:14What does Mahibali look like?
0:30:18 > 0:30:19A big fat guy.
0:30:29 > 0:30:33But my modest attempt at flower arranging may have angered King Mahibali.
0:30:34 > 0:30:38As soon as I finish helping it starts to rain again.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40A bit of a disaster here. The flood is coming.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42We might have to build a dam!
0:30:51 > 0:30:54The house is beginning to fill up. There's kids crawling around everywhere.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57We'll check on the nerve centre of the operation.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00PEOPLE CHATTER
0:31:04 > 0:31:07Elsie and her sisters are still hard at work.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12'Her father is also busy, making his speciality.'
0:31:12 > 0:31:14Can I taste it?
0:31:14 > 0:31:15Can I taste from the spoon, is that OK?
0:31:20 > 0:31:22Oh! Oh!
0:31:22 > 0:31:24That's the...
0:31:24 > 0:31:27Wow! That's the sourest thing I've ever tasted in my life.
0:31:29 > 0:31:30That's fantastic.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32It's ginger and cardamom.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37Brilliant.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43A drink of water.
0:31:43 > 0:31:49After a lifetime of backbreaking work, Elsie's mum and dad are now looked after by the family.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07STEAM HISSES
0:32:11 > 0:32:14Chako and his father-in-law bring me to their well.
0:32:14 > 0:32:20It's Onam tradition to have a ritual bath before the feast to wash away the sins from the past year.
0:32:38 > 0:32:43As we bathe, I can't help but notice the physical difference between these two men.
0:32:43 > 0:32:49100 million Indians have been pulled out of poverty in the last 15 years,
0:32:49 > 0:32:51and this change is plain to see.
0:32:51 > 0:32:55Chako grew up in relative comfort in a more modern and prosperous India
0:32:55 > 0:33:00whilst his father-in-law, struggled doing hard manual labour just to get by.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14Everyone puts on new Onam outfits for the feast.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20A banana leaf is used as a plate.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23There used to be over 60 dishes served during Onam.
0:33:23 > 0:33:28When one leaf was finished a new leaf was simply placed on top.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31There's a procession of food coming in.
0:33:31 > 0:33:35'There are now fewer dishes but the banana leaf remains.'
0:33:38 > 0:33:43Eleven dishes are served, and must be eaten in a specific order.
0:33:43 > 0:33:48The food is meant to be symbolically pure, so it's cooked with very little oil.
0:33:48 > 0:33:53It's very mild, I thought with all those chillies it would be really, really hot.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58It's an extraordinary mixture of
0:33:58 > 0:34:04really bland flavours and some absolutely mind-blowing fiery flavours.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08Suddenly there's something that wallops you in the mouth.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10Keeps you on your toes.
0:34:15 > 0:34:19Onam isn't just celebrated in people's living rooms.
0:34:19 > 0:34:25Every year entire communities also come together for huge public feasts.
0:34:31 > 0:34:33TRADITIONAL MUSIC PLAYS
0:34:36 > 0:34:41We've come to a local temple to have a look at the preparations for the big feast.
0:34:41 > 0:34:46There's a whole troop of extraordinary elephants over here covered in gold jewellery.
0:34:46 > 0:34:51Over here there's some amazing dancers with flowers for heads.
0:34:51 > 0:34:55There's a real air of anticipation here.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58'Most Hindu temples organise Onam celebrations
0:34:58 > 0:35:01'where they throw the doors open to everyone. I'm on my way
0:35:01 > 0:35:04'to meet the head of the temple organising this huge event.'
0:35:04 > 0:35:06Hi, I'm Stefan.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14President of the temple. The big man!
0:35:14 > 0:35:16Your today's most important man.
0:35:16 > 0:35:17Can you show me around?
0:35:20 > 0:35:23'Onam marks the start of the harvest.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26'It's traditional to cook vast amounts of food
0:35:26 > 0:35:29'to show King Mahabali that Kerala is still prosperous.'
0:35:36 > 0:35:40Lady finger, Okra we call it.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42Has everyone here been working all day?
0:35:42 > 0:35:44Are you the choppers?
0:35:51 > 0:35:52So what is this?
0:36:01 > 0:36:02So you are the coconut people?
0:36:06 > 0:36:08Excellent.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11This is the biggest saucepan I've ever seen in my life.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14Can we try and pick one up, I want to see how heavy it is.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17Wow, blimey, that's big isn't it?
0:36:17 > 0:36:20You could fit my whole family in here,
0:36:20 > 0:36:22which is probably not a good idea.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29Brass! That's an expensive bit of kit.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32There's such a lot of money involved in all of this,
0:36:32 > 0:36:35how does it all get paid for? Who pays for the meals?
0:36:44 > 0:36:46That's a very nice thing to do.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54Onam only, after Onam back to the usual way!
0:36:56 > 0:36:57THEY LAUGH
0:37:01 > 0:37:06LOUD DRUMMING MUSIC
0:37:16 > 0:37:21Next morning the entire state of Kerala bursts into life.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31Legend has it that the Gods were jealous of King Mahabali
0:37:31 > 0:37:33for being so popular amongst his people.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37They banished him to the underworld,
0:37:37 > 0:37:41allowing him to return just once a year to visit his subjects.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44So every year, rich and poor alike
0:37:44 > 0:37:47pull out all the stops to welcome him back.
0:37:49 > 0:37:54I return to the temple to find the celebration in full swing.
0:37:56 > 0:38:00So today is the big day. This is Thiruonam, the big feast day.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03Everyone's pouring into the temple grounds.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05There are thousands of people here already.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08The monsoon's cleared for a little while.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11The sun's come out. I'm going to go and check up on the cooks
0:38:11 > 0:38:14and see if they survived the mayhem and chaos of last night.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23'The ground's littered with exhausted workers.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26'It's clear everyone's been working flat out.
0:38:26 > 0:38:30'Despite his lack of sleep, the Vice President is in high spirits.'
0:38:30 > 0:38:34- Good morning sir. How are you? - Very fine.
0:38:34 > 0:38:35- Happy Onam.- Thank you.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37So how are the preparations going?
0:38:41 > 0:38:43How many people will that pot serve?
0:38:46 > 0:38:476000 or 8000 people!
0:38:48 > 0:38:49Oh, blimey!
0:38:51 > 0:38:53How many people will this feed?
0:38:53 > 0:38:55- 200. - 200 people? That's rice for 200?
0:38:55 > 0:38:56Have you had any sleep yet?
0:38:56 > 0:38:58- No sleep.- No sleep.
0:38:58 > 0:39:02You must be exhausted. Why do you do it?
0:39:02 > 0:39:06Satisfaction and money. Two days 2,000 rupees.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08- That's pretty good.- Yes.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13Will you teach me how to do it?
0:39:16 > 0:39:19So I need to flip them round?
0:39:19 > 0:39:21Stand back. OK.
0:39:24 > 0:39:25Ooh.
0:39:28 > 0:39:29- HE LAUGHS - Ow!
0:39:30 > 0:39:32- HE LAUGHS - Ow, that hurt.
0:39:38 > 0:39:43After weeks of preparation, the hard work is about to pay off.
0:39:51 > 0:39:55What's extraordinary is that this is exactly the same meal
0:39:55 > 0:39:59as Chako's family had prepared with huge amount of love and dedication.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02But on a massive scale for 7,000 people.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12Then, as the guests arrive, the inevitable happens.
0:40:16 > 0:40:21It's extraordinary. Five minutes ago it was completely blue skies, baking sunshine.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24Then the monsoon starts falling which could be disastrous
0:40:24 > 0:40:27because there are very few covered spaces so the big worry is
0:40:27 > 0:40:30that the thousands of people who are expected won't actually turn up.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36But the sun soon comes out along with thousands of guests.
0:40:36 > 0:40:41Before the queues get too big I head out to meet Chako and his family.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44- Good morning.- Hi.
0:40:44 > 0:40:48- How are you?- Very good, how are you?
0:40:48 > 0:40:50You all look beautiful. Fantastic!
0:40:50 > 0:40:52So smart! More new clothes.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54- Yes.- Excellent.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02Is this the start of the queue?
0:41:02 > 0:41:04How long do you reckon to get down there?
0:41:04 > 0:41:07- Two or three...- Two hours?
0:41:07 > 0:41:09'After 60 years of independence
0:41:09 > 0:41:13'the Indians have kept one British tradition alive...queuing.
0:41:15 > 0:41:20'Groups of 400 people are let in at each sitting.
0:41:20 > 0:41:25'They have just 15 minutes to eat, so the clock's ticking.'
0:41:25 > 0:41:27People are relatively quiet.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31For a room full of 400 people there's just a light hum.
0:41:31 > 0:41:33Everyone's concentrating on eating.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35What's absolutely amazing is the idea that
0:41:35 > 0:41:39millions of people across the whole of Kerala
0:41:39 > 0:41:42are sitting down at the same time to exactly the same meal.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46Maybe that's something to do with why Kerala has this legendary sense
0:41:46 > 0:41:49of tolerance and unity because things like this
0:41:49 > 0:41:52bring people together in a really extraordinary way.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01'This is a world away from the wedding feast.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03'Here, I can see rich and poor,
0:42:03 > 0:42:06'Christian and Hindu all sitting eating together.
0:42:06 > 0:42:11'This equality and harmony is what Onam is all about.'
0:42:21 > 0:42:24This is the best bit, isn't it?
0:42:24 > 0:42:25It's all that cardamom.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28Elsie, it's exactly same as the one that you cooked.
0:42:28 > 0:42:29It's amazing.
0:42:31 > 0:42:35'Suddenly, I realise that everyone else has finished.'
0:42:35 > 0:42:37Everybody's gone.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39OK, we better be quick.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46I'm suddenly feeling a bit out of place sitting here and eating.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57Chako, thank you very, very much.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00It's been a real privilege spending Onam with you.
0:43:00 > 0:43:02Thank you very much.
0:43:04 > 0:43:05Have a great rest of Onam. OK.
0:43:19 > 0:43:21Onam lasts for ten days,
0:43:21 > 0:43:25so there are constant spectacular celebrations across the state.
0:43:25 > 0:43:29It's about time I got well and truly stuck in.
0:43:29 > 0:43:31I'm on my way to a town called Thrichur
0:43:31 > 0:43:34for a part of the festivities called Pulikali.
0:43:34 > 0:43:38Now, this could be one of the great high points of my life.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41It could also be one of the great low points of my life
0:43:41 > 0:43:46because for Pulikali you dress up like a tiger.
0:43:46 > 0:43:48Not just dress up like a tiger,
0:43:48 > 0:43:53you have full body paint and you perform a ritual dance.
0:43:53 > 0:43:54Obviously my concern is that
0:43:54 > 0:43:57I'm going to look like a complete pillock,
0:43:57 > 0:44:00making a mockery of a wonderful and beautiful ceremony.
0:44:03 > 0:44:07DRUMMING
0:44:15 > 0:44:20I suddenly feel sick with, I don't know if it's fear or excitement,
0:44:20 > 0:44:25or something, but they're practising drumming down here
0:44:25 > 0:44:30and it's some sort of primal sensation you get from the drumming.
0:44:30 > 0:44:33I suddenly realise that I kind of thought this was fun
0:44:33 > 0:44:36a little while ago, but now I'm thinking this is actually
0:44:36 > 0:44:39a really important part of somebody's culture.
0:44:39 > 0:44:41It's not something to be messed about with.
0:44:49 > 0:44:54'By the next morning, I'm still feeling well out of my depth.'
0:44:54 > 0:44:55God, What am I doing?
0:45:12 > 0:45:15- Oh! - HE CHUCKLES
0:45:18 > 0:45:20Morning!
0:45:20 > 0:45:22Good morning!
0:45:22 > 0:45:26'The tiger dance is a competition between local neighbourhood teams.
0:45:26 > 0:45:30'This year there'll be 800 tigers on display.
0:45:30 > 0:45:33'I'm going to be the first foreigner to take part.
0:45:35 > 0:45:40'The first stage of my tiger transformation is a full body shave.
0:45:42 > 0:45:45'Without any shaving cream.'
0:45:46 > 0:45:48- Is this an important part of it? - Yes.
0:45:48 > 0:45:51Why can't the tiger have a little bit of hair?
0:45:55 > 0:45:57My wife quite likes this.
0:45:57 > 0:45:59Sorry, honey.
0:46:09 > 0:46:12It feels like any second you're going to slice my nipple off.
0:46:14 > 0:46:15Not that as well!
0:46:21 > 0:46:24It feels a bit like a layer of skin's being taken off,
0:46:24 > 0:46:28leaving you somehow slightly purer in a funny way.
0:46:28 > 0:46:32Maybe because it looks like I'm 14 underneath this!
0:46:39 > 0:46:43Word gets out that a pasty British guy is about to take part.
0:46:43 > 0:46:46The news crews begin to gather.
0:46:47 > 0:46:52A real tiger? I've got a little way to go but I hope so.
0:46:52 > 0:46:54It's very exciting.
0:46:54 > 0:46:56- Are you going to get your belly out? - Oh, no.
0:46:56 > 0:46:58Come here! Come on, let me have a go.
0:46:58 > 0:47:00HE LAUGHS
0:47:07 > 0:47:09I thought it was going to be funny.
0:47:09 > 0:47:14There's a huge hole in the floor and I pushed him down it!
0:47:14 > 0:47:16Was that live?
0:47:26 > 0:47:30'It appears I'm missing something to make my tiger a total success.'
0:47:40 > 0:47:42So the big belly is better?
0:47:51 > 0:47:56'Perhaps it's a slow news day, but the cameras keep on coming.
0:47:58 > 0:48:01'I'm keen to fit in with my team.
0:48:01 > 0:48:03'Maybe a coat of paint is all I need.
0:48:03 > 0:48:07'The dancers bring pictures of the style they're after.
0:48:07 > 0:48:09'I just ask for a basic tiger.'
0:48:12 > 0:48:15A bit of household matt emulsion.
0:48:15 > 0:48:16Lead based!
0:48:23 > 0:48:27After they shaved me and left the skin all raw on my chest,
0:48:27 > 0:48:30the paint seems to be seeping into the raw skin.
0:48:30 > 0:48:32It's agony.
0:48:35 > 0:48:38'I'm not the only one feeling the pain.
0:48:38 > 0:48:41'But the guys have a remedy - local brandy.'
0:48:48 > 0:48:51'My team come from all different walks of life
0:48:51 > 0:48:55'lorry drivers, accountants, businessmen.
0:48:55 > 0:48:57'But we all seem to be getting along incredibly well.
0:48:57 > 0:48:59'Perhaps a little too well.'
0:48:59 > 0:49:02There's a strange sort of male bonding going on.
0:49:02 > 0:49:04It's slightly disturbing at the same time.
0:49:04 > 0:49:06Maybe it's just me!
0:49:07 > 0:49:08Oh!
0:49:10 > 0:49:12And then he tickles my nipples!
0:49:13 > 0:49:18'It's one thing to be painted like a tiger, but this is a competition.
0:49:18 > 0:49:22'And I have just half an hour to learn how to dance like a tiger.'
0:49:29 > 0:49:31Grrraahh!!
0:49:31 > 0:49:33There's too many things to do at once.
0:49:33 > 0:49:35Argh!
0:49:37 > 0:49:39THEY LAUGH AND CHEER
0:49:46 > 0:49:48Time to earn my stripes.
0:49:48 > 0:49:52I feel as though I've really bonded with my team and I want to do them proud.
0:49:52 > 0:49:57I'm obviously not going to be the best tiger dancer on the planet,
0:49:57 > 0:50:01but what would be really, really nice is if I had my mask on,
0:50:01 > 0:50:04just for a moment, that people didn't know
0:50:04 > 0:50:08that I was the weedy English bloke that turned up earlier on.
0:50:18 > 0:50:23Our team of 50 men are competing against the other neighbourhoods.
0:50:24 > 0:50:26Everyone's turned out to wish us well.
0:50:32 > 0:50:36I'm ordered to go to the front but I still feel like I'm blending in,
0:50:36 > 0:50:38a bit too much for some.
0:50:41 > 0:50:46I keep wanting to put my mask down, but they keep coming and putting it back up again,
0:50:46 > 0:50:48saying that they're more likely to win
0:50:48 > 0:50:51if there's an English guy in their troupe.
0:50:52 > 0:50:59I carry on regardless, in a an increasingly desperate attempt to prove that white guys can dance.
0:51:06 > 0:51:10It's like being back in the '80s, like some crazy rave.
0:51:10 > 0:51:13Getting carried away with some beat I know nothing about!
0:51:36 > 0:51:39Hundreds of thousands of people turn up.
0:51:39 > 0:51:41After my self consciousness fades,
0:51:41 > 0:51:46I begin to lose myself in this intoxicating communal celebration.
0:52:01 > 0:52:04I've been dancing for about three hours.
0:52:06 > 0:52:08It's the same dance, pretty much all the time.
0:52:09 > 0:52:13The weird thing is, I never see a sign of a judge.
0:52:13 > 0:52:16It doesn't even feel like there's a competition going on.
0:52:17 > 0:52:21But it is an extraordinary experience.
0:52:21 > 0:52:24It was amazing because you're there in the middle of it,
0:52:24 > 0:52:27there's all this stench of fumes and petrol
0:52:27 > 0:52:30and stench of sweat from all of our bodies as well.
0:52:30 > 0:52:34And you can see all the crowds shouting and waving their hands
0:52:34 > 0:52:38along the side of the road as well in time with this monotonous beat.
0:52:38 > 0:52:43And they're just all enjoying it because they're together doing something all as one.
0:52:45 > 0:52:46Extraordinary sensation.
0:52:46 > 0:52:49Now I'd really like to get the paint off.
0:52:49 > 0:52:52I'd really, really, really like to get the paint off.
0:52:52 > 0:52:53But there's a problem.
0:52:58 > 0:53:04The one guy that we know of who can take this stuff of with some kerosene is very, very drunk.
0:53:05 > 0:53:06He refuses to help.
0:53:06 > 0:53:10It looks like I'll have to stay painted as a tiger for the rest of my trip.
0:53:10 > 0:53:16But the neighbours take pity and start scraping my flesh with their finger tips.
0:53:16 > 0:53:21It's absolute agony but I'm so grateful for their help.
0:53:21 > 0:53:25They rub kerosene into my skin until the paint finally starts to come off.
0:53:27 > 0:53:32After two hours of intensive and painful scrubbing, I shed my skin.
0:53:39 > 0:53:41Feeling raw and tender the next day,
0:53:41 > 0:53:45I go to relax with the papers in my local tea shop.
0:53:46 > 0:53:50But my attempt to blend in with the crowd has amounted to nothing.
0:53:51 > 0:53:53Everyone's staring at me.
0:53:55 > 0:53:58Overnight I've become a Keralan superstar.
0:53:58 > 0:54:00This morning's papers are quite interesting.
0:54:02 > 0:54:05That's me, twice, giving a bit of a roar there,
0:54:05 > 0:54:08doing a little bit of a dance in that one.
0:54:08 > 0:54:11It gets better. There's me actually looking quite aggressive,
0:54:11 > 0:54:14which I'm quite pleased about as I didn't think I quite managed it.
0:54:14 > 0:54:17There's me, looking a little bit bored.
0:54:18 > 0:54:22This is very nice because Will, the cameraman,
0:54:22 > 0:54:24managed to get on the front page as well.
0:54:24 > 0:54:26I've got my eyes closed but, there you go.
0:54:26 > 0:54:29I kept on talking about how it was so wonderful
0:54:29 > 0:54:33that there were all these different religions and castes coming together for Onam,
0:54:33 > 0:54:38that might sound fluffy, but in fact these things are really important to India.
0:54:38 > 0:54:41In the same paper there are lots of reports about religious violence.
0:54:41 > 0:54:46Here's a report about Christian groups retaliating after they were attacked by Hindus.
0:54:46 > 0:54:49There's lots of reports of inter caste violence,
0:54:49 > 0:54:52and a few days ago 12 people were killed in a bomb in Delhi.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55There are problems bubbling under the surface in India,
0:54:55 > 0:55:00and so I'm just beginning to realise now how important events like Onam are,
0:55:00 > 0:55:02events that bring people together.
0:55:17 > 0:55:20Today is one of the last events of the Onam festival,
0:55:20 > 0:55:22and the communal spirit lives on.
0:55:22 > 0:55:26I've come to Pathanamthitta to see the spectacular snake boat races.
0:55:26 > 0:55:32Hundreds of years ago local leaders brought the Onam harvest down the river as a ritual offering.
0:55:32 > 0:55:35Now those journeys have been turned into a celebratory race,
0:55:35 > 0:55:39where thousands of people come to end Onam with a bang.
0:55:48 > 0:55:51Men from all walks of life wear traditional dress
0:55:51 > 0:55:55in boats decked out with ancient symbols of wealth.
0:55:57 > 0:55:59They don't seem to be putting much effort in.
0:55:59 > 0:56:01They're having too much fun on the boat.
0:56:01 > 0:56:04Just before they started, the announcer said,
0:56:04 > 0:56:07"It's very much like the Oxford and Cambridge boat race, but better."
0:56:07 > 0:56:10I have to say it's a hell of a lot more fun.
0:56:16 > 0:56:20Waves of boats set off down the river, singing their team anthem.
0:56:31 > 0:56:36I've been wondering what this insane, huge, shared experience says about India.
0:56:36 > 0:56:39And the one thing that's surprised me more than anything else,
0:56:39 > 0:56:43that I didn't really expect to find, was the enormous sense of fun here.
0:56:43 > 0:56:47I kind of thought Onam would be a relatively formal affair,
0:56:47 > 0:56:51that it would be about religion or culture or history.
0:56:51 > 0:56:56I'm sure those things are sunk deep inside here but everybody here is just having a laugh.
0:56:59 > 0:57:02As the boats come down here, there are two right next to each other
0:57:02 > 0:57:05and they're trying to draw, rather than trying to win.
0:57:05 > 0:57:08They're trying to cross the line as a dead heat,
0:57:08 > 0:57:10which is an extraordinary thing.
0:57:10 > 0:57:12I don't think you'd get that in Britain.
0:57:12 > 0:57:14But everybody here seems to be in great spirits.
0:57:14 > 0:57:20There's now, I don't know, a hundred thousand people stretched along a couple of miles of river.
0:57:20 > 0:57:24They're here for a party, more than anything else, and there's a sense of joy.
0:57:24 > 0:57:27It's an expression of quite pure celebration.
0:57:27 > 0:57:30CHEERING
0:57:45 > 0:57:52India as a whole may suffer from the deep divides reinforced at the wedding feast I'd been to.
0:57:52 > 0:57:53But Onam was different.
0:57:53 > 0:57:58Ten unforgettable days when an entire state came together
0:57:58 > 0:58:02in a series of extraordinary, massive celebrations.
0:58:03 > 0:58:05That's the power of a feast.
0:58:05 > 0:58:11The people of Kerala are unique in their ability to put aside class or religious differences,
0:58:11 > 0:58:15all in the name of making their old King Mahabali proud.
0:58:15 > 0:58:16And you know what?
0:58:16 > 0:58:18I think he would have been.
0:58:46 > 0:58:49Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:49 > 0:58:52E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk