The NFB is committed to respecting your privacy

We use cookies to ensure that our site works efficiently, as well as for advertising purposes.

If you do not wish to have your information used in this way, you can modify your browser settings before continuing your visit.

Learn more
Skip to content Accessibility
New release
Coming 
None

The India Trip

1971 49 min
Leaving soon

This documentary is a portrait of modern-day Pondicherry, an ancient city near the southern tip of India. For several centuries an outpost of France, the city is now home to Auroville, a spiritual community growing on its periphery. There, European and North American devotees of Sri Aurobindo, a Bengali poet and mystic, come to live the contemplative life. Their guru is a 94-year-old woman from France. This mecca of sorts is seen through the eyes of Albert Jordan, a professor from Concordia University, in Montreal, who spent a year there with his family in 1971.

This content is not available for free viewing in your location.
Your rental expires on
None
You've already purchased this film.
Download it from My purchases.
Not available
Share
The India Trip

Details

This documentary is a portrait of modern-day Pondicherry, an ancient city near the southern tip of India. For several centuries an outpost of France, the city is now home to Auroville, a spiritual community growing on its periphery. There, European and North American devotees of Sri Aurobindo, a Bengali poet and mystic, come to live the contemplative life. Their guru is a 94-year-old woman from France. This mecca of sorts is seen through the eyes of Albert Jordan, a professor from Concordia University, in Montreal, who spent a year there with his family in 1971.

  • director
    Bill Davies
  • script
    Bill Davies
  • producer
    George Pearson
  • photography
    Eugene Boyko
  • sound
    Hans Oomes
  • editing
    Torben Schioler
  • sound editing
    Ken Page
  • re-recording
    George Croll
  • narrator
    Al Jordan

Enjoy the NFB experience on your favourite device

Education

Ages 15 to 16
School subjects
Students research eastern religions, meditation, yoga, ashrams, views of spirituality, utopian societies, etc., and report or present to class. Students can debate colonialism/expatriation impacts in India and other communities, and make a comparison: ex. French colonialism in Vietnam vs. India vs. Africa, history/research/today. Students research colonial history in India, Pondicherry in the 1870s and now. Students can compare Euro-centric colonial views in Asia, documentary vs. Somerset Maugham writings. Pick one teaching from film and further research- compare film (70s) to now.
The India Trip
Purchase options
Also available
Licence information
Already paid to see this film?
Licencing information

Home licence (worldwide); Classroom licence (Canada only)

You may download this film for private, personal or classroom use only. Public screenings and institutional (non-educational institutions) uses are not permitted. Download films in standard or high definition. (Please note that bonus materials are not available for DTO films.) You can copy each file up to 5 (five) times, onto various devices. DTO films cannot be hosted on a streaming server. To add DTO films to an institutional or educational streaming server, please contact a sales agent to discuss pricing.

Institutional licence

The institutional price includes the rights to screen this film in institutional settings and in free public screenings.