Rubin Museum of Art

The Journey Within
06/26/2013

The Journey Within takes us into the world of the early rock-cut caves of western India. The sites covered include the Bhaja Caves, Pitalkhora Caves, Bedsa Caves, Kondavane Caves, and others. 

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The Image of the Buddha
07/03/2013

The Image of the Buddha concerns the making of images of the Buddha, particularly in the art schools of Mathura and Gandhara. 

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Stupas of the Krishna Valley
07/10/2013

Stupas of the Krishna Valley is about the Buddhist heritage of the Krishna Valley in Andhra Pradesh. The sites covered are Guntupalli, Jaggayapeta, Amravati, and others.

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Masterpieces of Buddhist Art
07/17/2013

Masterpieces of Buddhist Art covers the second phase of Buddhist caves created in western India. The sites covered are the Ajanta Caves, Kanheri Caves, Kondivite Caves, Aurangabad Caves, and Ellora Caves.

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Orissa, a Cradle of Buddhism
07/31/2013

Orissa, a Cradle of Buddhism covers the Buddhist sites of Orissa, including Dhauli, Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri, Udaigiri, Langudi Hill, Kaima, and the villages of Naupatna and Maniabandha, where active Buddhist worship that began in ancient times (3rd century bce) continues.

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Phantom India: On the Fringes of Indian Society

Lunch Matters

Wednesday February 6, 2013 @ 1:00 PM
Price: $10.00


1969, France, Louis Malle, 52 min.

The 1969 documentary Phantom India is Louis Malle’s seven-part portrait of India. It serves as an investigation into the country’s sociopolitical landscape, traditions, and people, as well as a furthering Malle’s self-discovery as a non-fiction filmmaker.

This sixth episode charts the subcultural behaviors and customs of numerous Indian minority groups. It begins with an illustration of tribal culture: Malle spends an extended period of time with the Bandos, a bellicose and semi-barbaric mountainous tribe that inhabits around 100 villages in the region of Orissa and teeters on the verge of extinction due to their near complete assimilation into mainstream Indian society.

Following an trip to the Bando market, Malle shows more westernized subcultures in Indian society, including Indian Christians, Indian Jews, and an anomalous religious group run by Sri Aurobindo and administered by a figure known only as "The Mother”.

Post-screening discussion with Ravi Kalia.

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About the Speaker

Ravi Kalia is a Professor of History at The City College New York/CUNY, and Board Member of AAARI (CUNY). A graduate of the University of Delhi (BA Hons., MA) and University of California-Los Angeles (MBA, PhD), Prof. Kalia specializes in South Asian studies, with a focus on urban-architectural history in colonial and post-colonial India, as well as in conflicts, militancy and international wars in the region. He is the recipient of three Fulbright scholarships and numerous other research awards. He has contributed articles to journals and newspapers and authored several books, most recently Pakistan: From the Rhetoric of Democracy to the Rise of Militancy (2011). His Pakistan Labyrinths will be released later this spring by Rout-ledge.

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