Nadav Harel, director, Avatara. Hindi and Seraji (English subtitles)

The overwhelming multiplicity of Hindu gods is often a source of confusion.When viewed as part of a trans-local "Hindu" religion, the variety of deities is coalesced under several generic names, particularly "S iva," Vis n u," and "S akti."In regional communities, local deities are often brought in congruence with the Hindu cosmogonic system by being considered as distinct incarnations-avatras-of the major gods.Nevertheless, even when formally conceptualized through so-called "Hindu" religious terms and structures, these deities feature distinct regional characteristics, and the devotees' relationships with them could be realized only within the context of the local community.This distinct relationship between regional divinities and their local communities is the phenomenon addressed by Nadav Harel's AVATARA.The film focuses on the manifestations of the female Hindu goddess ("S akti") among the Khas population of the Karsog Valley, in northern India.This is a little-studied region in the district and erstwhile kingdom of Mandi, which is situated in the very heart of Himachal Pradesh and thus offers an especially salient example of the state's Khas society and culture.By bringing together multiple voices and images from the daily life and ritual activities of these communities, AVATARA provides a captivating cinematic "thick description" that teases its audience into experiencing the Goddess's effect on the people's lives and imagination.An air of mystery envelopes this short film from the opening shot, which shows the misty green mountain terrain of the Karsog Valley, accompanied by the rhythmic singing of the women working in the rice fields, the dramatic tone of the

Hindi · Hinduism · Linguistics · Philosophy of religion · Theology · History · Philosophy · South Asian Cinema and Culture · South Asian Studies and Conflicts · South Asian Studies and Diaspora