World within a world: A quest

quot;They are a very closed community, with very little contact with the outside world. Yet, their unique system of governance has put this small and secluded lot on the world map, and several attempts have been made to document the Malanan lifestyle,quot; he says.

The picture that emerges in this hour-long film is one of a community whose traditions have weathered time, the modern nation-state, and organised religion. The governing Malanan Parliament8217; comprises an upper and lower house and has three permanent members and eight elected members,while the lower house comprises all adults or heads of families in Malana. quot;Any issue, big or small, is endlessly discussed by this government, called Kameti, until a consensus is reached,quot; says Mohan. If not, the matter is referred to Lord Jamlu Dev, the sole repository of the community8217;s faith. Mohan ran up against the usual barriers outsiders face when trying to document a tight-knit rural community: suspicion of the outside world, and language. 8220;As I am from Himachal Pradesh, I felt that I would be more comfortable making a documentary on someplace back home 8212; but it turned out to be a nightmare,quot; recalls Mohan. quot;They have no script, and their dialect, Kanashi, draws from Sanskrit, Bhotti and Kinnauri.quot; So Mohan leaned heavily on his guide to strike up a rapport with the locals. quot;There were also no historical records about the place either within the community or in anthropological studies. They have been passing down their rituals and system of governance only through word of mouth, and they themselvesdon8217;t know the significance of their lifestyle or the reason behind it,quot; says Mohan.

Till date, the Malanas have kept their tryst with tradition by practising traditional festivals with a faith that has withstood time. That the Malanan road has seen few detours was evident when the Indian government issued community members photo identity cards. Remarks Mohan, quot;It is possibly the beginning of history itself after centuries spent in a changeless limbo, following a forgotten origin.quot;