Experiencing Interruptions?

SACRED TIMEKEEPER (on going Project)

The idea of time has played a crucial role in framing the religious and cultural mindsets of the great anthropological civilizations. A Water Clock is among the oldest time-measuring instruments. In remembrance of their glorious past, a few traditional Bengali families still use Jalghari, the Water Clock during the festivities of Durgapuja and Kalipuja. A Jalghari performs on simple mathematical calculations. A hereditary timekeeper keeps the record of khyana, the sacred moments and informs at intervals to get the rituals observed on time.

In Hindu communities, Sandhi Puja, a consecrate ritual of Durgapuja, is strictly advised to be performed at the exact intersection of Ashtami and Navami, two chronological lunatic days. A timekeeper has to track the exact moment of intersection. This edition of water clock consists of two parts, one comparatively smaller copper bowl with a pinhole at the bottom and a large water-filled earthen vessel to float the bowl. The measuring unit of this clock is danda, a twenty-four-minute period, the amount of time the bowl takes to sink. The process usually begins at sunrise or sunset, and the sank copper bowl is emptied time and again to positively meter a day.

Nowadays, a ghariyal’s profession is declining due to the widespread use of wristwatches and cellphones. This documentary venture traces the practice and the practitioners still in vogue.

  • SUBRATA GHOSH
    Director
  • SUBRATA GHOSH
    Writer
  • SITAL ACHARYA
    Key Cast
    "SITAL ACHARYA"
  • Subir Bhattacharya
    Key Cast
    "Subir Bhattacharya"
  • Nikhil Acharya
    Key Cast
    "Nikhil Acharya"
  • Vaskar Chakrabarty
    Key Cast
    "Vaskar Chakrabarty"
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    30 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    December 31, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    India
  • Country of Filming:
    India
  • Language:
    Bengali, English
  • Shooting Format:
    DIGITAL HD
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - SUBRATA GHOSH

Subrata Ghosh (b.1983) is a writer and documentary filmmaker from Hooghly, India. For more than a decade and a half, he has been working in the fields of storytelling, script writing and filmmaking to document the diverse cultural landscape of the region.
In 2012, he made his first documentary film Ranakhetra on chronicle the event of cockfighting- prevalent among the indigenous tribes of India. As a school teacher, he has got an edge on getting access to deeply rooted social phenomena in the lesser-known parts of Bengal. Theatrically, he loves to term himself as an admirer of New Historicism. His works often trace people and communities, through their socio-cultural upheavals.

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Director Statement

The documentary will be made in three specific Gram Panchayet areas of West Bengal. The custom of counting the sacred time at the specific temple during the puja will be recorded. This year this event is going to happen on October 2021. As we have already recorded this particular event in two places (Bankura and Hooghly) , we are going to shoot this very event at Village-Mithani, Kulti, Bardhaman.
We want to use their personal notebook and newspaper cutting as archival footage. We will follow them on location on that very moment in their actual historical world.
Due to the widespread of wristwatches in the last century, the importance of this profession has been declining. In this digital age, everyone can easily say perfect time. Age of Machines will be portrayed as antagonist in this film. Nikhil Acharya will discuss this very situation, how he lost his job six years ago.
We have selected three sacred timekeepers for documenting this very subject. But they will perform their job in some sacred places. So the supporting characters will be the family members and Mandir authority of these very places.
The selected persons are going to narrate this documentary themselves. We want to explore the subject through their personal stories. Professor Arjundev Sensharma from Assam University will discuss the significance of sacred time and Sandhipuja as a specialist.
We want to treat this documentary as a Hybrid film as we are going to follow them some times.

NOW WE ARE LOOKING FOR PRODUCER TO COMPLETE THE FILM.WE NEED RS.300000/- INDIAN MONEY) WE WANT TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT WITHIN DECEMBER 2022 POSITIVELY.