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I'm in India,
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with a 1913 Bradshaw's Handbook To
Indian, Colonial And Foreign Travel.
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00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:14,800
Published at the height of
the British Raj,
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my 100-year-old guidebook
will lead me on
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a spectacular railway adventure
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through a land of majestic mountains
and holy rivers,
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where magnificent beasts roam
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00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:29,720
and epic stories are told.
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I'll encounter maharajahs,
explore ornate palaces,
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00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:37,720
witness the technology of
modern India
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and ride some of the most
exhilarating trains in the world.
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00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:47,160
I'll discover how imperial railways
and the English language
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inadvertently spread ideas of
independence
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among hundreds of millions
of Indians,
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who today live in the largest
democracy in the world.
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My Bradshaw's has lured me to
what it calls
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"the region of India
that lies to the south
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"of the Indo-Gangetic Plain,
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"and includes the great
triangular peninsula
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"that projects into
the Indian Ocean."
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It was here that the British
involvement with India began,
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based on trade and greed,
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here that maharajahs, left in power
by the British,
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governed most successfully,
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and here that science and industry
that flourished 100 years ago
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bred the information technology
revolution of modern India.
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HORN HONKS
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My journey takes me through the
states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu,
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beginning in the palatial city of
Mysuru,
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formerly known as Mysore.
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I then travel to the hi-tech state
capital of Bengaluru,
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previously Bangalore,
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before journeying further east to
the mining region around Bangarapet.
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My route will end where the story
began for the British in India -
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then Madras, today Chennai.
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On my travels, I try to keep up with
south India's tech revolution...
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Your food is ready.
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Please turn off your burner.
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Thank you very much. I will.
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Your food is ready... OK, OK!
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..discover the lengths that
the workers go to
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in India's silk industry...
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How long may the yarn be, then,
from a single silkworm?
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Each silkworm produces about
1,000 metres of silk.
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1,000 metres?
1,000 metres of silk, yes.
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That's absolutely extraordinary.
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..and learn how the British managed
to colonise this nation
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where other foreigners failed.
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I think they schemed a lot better
than anyone else.
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They understood the Indian psyche
exceedingly well,
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and so they managed to get their
hands on what they wanted.
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Bradshaw's comments that,
"Every native state acknowledges
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"the supremacy of the
British government.
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"Some are defined by treaty.
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"The majority are bound to follow
British advice and to govern their
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"subjects with justice."
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At my first stop, Mysore,
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I want to investigate the maharajahs
who handled the British
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with canny diplomacy,
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won the love of their subjects
by respecting their traditions
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and culture, yet recognised
that western technology
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could bring prosperity
to both monarch and people.
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Mysuru was the regal capital of
the ancient kingdom of Mysore,
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which, since 1973, has been known as
the state of Karnataka.
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The anglicised names have changed,
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but, strolling through the city
on a Sunday morning,
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I encounter other British legacies.
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Cricket is India's
most popular sport,
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played in every park and open space
across the nation.
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You play. I can play?
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Yeah. Thank you very much.
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You're welcome.
Don't bowl as fast as that, though.
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Oh, thank you. Thank you very much.
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THEY CHEER
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It's been a long while
since I played
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but, thanks to some
generous bowling,
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I don't think I'm doing too badly.
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THEY CHEER
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Take it in!
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Thank you very much, indeed!
You're welcome.
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Thank you. Well played!
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In this enchanting city of
spectacular monuments
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and tranquil green spaces,
my Bradshaw's leads me to the best,
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beginning with a very special visit.
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The magnificent Mysore Palace.
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Bradshaw's says, "The native state
of Mysore is one of
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"the best governed
in the Indian Empire,
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"being now in a highly
prosperous condition."
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That would be a reference to
Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV.
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Who better to tell me about him than
the present maharajah?
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Which explains why, in the sultry
heat of this pre-monsoon period,
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I've put on a jacket and tie to
enter the palace.
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This Indo-Saracenic masterpiece
was built by British architect
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Henry Irwin for the Wadiyar
family dynasty
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who'd ruled Mysore for centuries.
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At the time of my guide, the ruling
monarch was Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV,
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revered by many for sowing the seeds
of prosperity in this region.
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I'm meeting Yaduveer Wadiyar,
who became maharajah in 2015.
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Your Highness. Pleasure to meet you.
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Thank you so much for inviting me to
the palace.
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It is our pleasure to have you here.
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This is a stunning room
full of artefacts.
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What do you call this room?
Well, it's called the Green Room,
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basically because it was
my grandfather's study,
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and he had the green desk,
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and all of the furniture upholstery
as well coordinated with it,
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and it was all green
so it's, sort of, a name that stuck.
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And it's the monarch
Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV that
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I particularly wanted to
talk to you about -
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a most exceptional monarch.
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He truly was.
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He in many ways symbolised
the ideal ruler of the time.
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He balanced the modernity of the
British, which they brought along,
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as well as our ancient culture
and tradition.
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Born in 1884, Krishna Raja Wadiyar
IV was taught by Indian and British
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tutors, who educated him in both
Indian and western studies.
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With British permission, he ruled
the princely state of Mysore
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as an independent entity
from 1902 to 1940,
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and is celebrated for his
progressive policies.
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Give me an example of
his modernisation.
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I think the best example of his
modernisation was in the fact that
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he realised that electricity
and power generation
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would be the unit which would power
his economy, and so he actively
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looked to hydroelectric power plants
across Karnataka,
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the first one being at
Shivanasamudra,
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which powered the...gave electricity
to the gold mines in Kolar,
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as well as to the streets of
Bangalore and to the palace here,
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and eventually the whole state.
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What were his notable
social policies?
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The most notable to me is definitely
when he included women
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into education
and made it compulsory.
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It was brought about, I think,
by seeing his very strong mother,
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who reigned as regent
when his father
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passed away at a very young age.
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Truly, in Mysore, that equality
was a sort of policy move,
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social policy move from day one.
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The women of Mysore State were
the first in India to be
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allowed to vote in 1923.
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Wadiyar IV established schools,
universities and hospitals,
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and developed manufactories
of silk and soap
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that continue to this day.
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I believe that Mahatma Gandhi
referred to his reign
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as some kind of ideal monarchy,
didn't he?
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True. He called it the Rama Rajya,
which is, I suppose,
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our utopia for the ideal kingdom.
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He did come down to Mysore,
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and he found it to be
extremely well-organised,
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extremely well-run.
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The melding of the tradition
and culture with the modernity was
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so well done that he truly called it
what was the ideal for India.
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This was a golden age for Mysore,
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since Wadiyar IV was
an accomplished musician,
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and a great patron of the arts.
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I'm visiting the
Lalitha Mahal Palace.
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With its dome inspired by
St Paul's Cathedral in London,
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it was built by Wadiyar IV for
the visiting British Viceroy.
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Here I'm being treated to
a performance of Carnatic music,
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the distinctive classical genre of
the region.
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MAN SINGS IN OWN LANGUAGE
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Thank you so much.
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HORNS HONK
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The legacy of Krishna Wadiyar IV
is widespread,
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and I've been told his
favourite treat was Mysore pak,
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which I find in the city's
sweet shops.
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Is that Mysore pak over there?
Yeah, sure.
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And what's that made of, sir?
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Yeah, it's made out of
gram flour and sugar with ghee.
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Ghee? Ghee.
That's like clarified butter, yes?
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Yeah, butter.
So, sugar and butter, basically.
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Yeah, butter. Very slimming?
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Erm... Maybe.
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I think not! Now, look, I just want
a little piece to try. Yeah, yeah.
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Is that all right? Is that OK?
Yeah, sure, sure.
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OK, let me try this fantastic thing.
Sure.
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In Britain we have a thing
called fudge,
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which may be a bit like this.
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Yes.
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Mmm.
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It is a bit like fudge, but it's
warm and it's very, very soft. Yeah.
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It's really, really good.
Thank you so much.
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Nice to meet you, sir.
I'm a bit sticky, I'm afraid.
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Yeah, sir. Nice to meet you, sir.
Nice to meet you. Thank you.
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HORN HONKS
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These solid iron posts
are to prevent cows
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from entering the market.
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Devaraja Market is open from sunrise
till well beyond sunset
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and sells fruits, flowers, food,
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and some of the most colourful
powders that I've ever seen.
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Beautiful.
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Amazing colours.
Absolutely beautiful.
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You mark your head with those.
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Shall I put it on my head? Yes.
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Fine, fine.
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Is that... Is that right?
Is that right?
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Thank you very much indeed.
Thank you.
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Hello. Excuse me, sir.
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This is a watermelon essential oil,
seed oil.
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It's a very nice fragrance.
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It's a wonderful fragrance.
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Made from watermelon?
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Yes, watermelon. Men or women?
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For both.
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Absolutely beautiful.
Thank you so much. Yes, sir.
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Sir, I thought it was soap.
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00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:08,840
I thought it was soap.
No soap. This is sugar cane jaggery.
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00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:10,840
Sugar cane? Very sweet.
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Mmm. It's incredibly sweet. Yeah.
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Amazing. I was going to take it in
the bath with me.
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No, no, no! Not a good idea!
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Yes.
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MAN SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE
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I've picked up sweet-smelling things
and an adornment for my hat.
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00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:51,160
My Bradshaw's refers to Mysore
as a great silk-producing province,
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00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:54,480
and today that remains
a thriving industry.
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I'm visiting
the Chamundi Silk Factory,
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00:14:56,760 --> 00:15:00,000
located in an industrial area to
the north-west of the city.
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They've been making this most
luxurious of fabrics here
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for 70 years.
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00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:10,160
Mr Muthiah is the son of
the company's founder.
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Good morning. Very good to see you.
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Very nice meeting you. When does
silk production begin in India?
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Erm...
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The production started
in India because Tipu Sultan
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was the leader of Mysore State.
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He became interested because one of
the Chinese ambassadors brought him
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a silk shawl as a gift,
and that created passion in him
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that he should produce silk
here in his kingdom.
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Tipu Sultan ruled from 1782
to 1799, after his father
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had overthrown the Wadiyar king
in a coup.
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00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:47,680
Famed for his bravery
and brutality while fighting
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the East India Company,
Tipu Sultan is also credited with
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00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:54,440
starting the silk industry
in Mysore.
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Today, it produces around 10,000
tonnes of silk, making it one of the
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largest producers in India.
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00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:08,240
How do we get silk from a silkworm?
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Well, see, the silkworm produces the
silk from the saliva of the worm.
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See, it twists round the cocoon,
238
00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:20,160
and the saliva has got
the fibre inside,
239
00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:24,080
and over that we have
a protein called gum,
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00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:26,160
so that gives the strength
for the yarn,
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00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:30,280
but we have to remove this to get
the lustre inside for the silk.
242
00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:33,880
Well, someone has taken the cocoons
of the silkworms... Yes.
243
00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:35,480
..and undone them to
make this thread.
244
00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:38,880
That's right. You see, the cocoons
are put into hot water,
245
00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:40,680
and the silk becomes soft,
246
00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:43,040
and then they start reeling
the silk,
247
00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:45,360
and that's how the silk yarn
is produced.
248
00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:49,600
And how long may the yarn be, then,
from a single silkworm?
249
00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:53,680
Silkworm... Each silkworm produces
about 1,000m of silk.
250
00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:56,080
1,000m? 1,000m of silk, yes.
251
00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:58,120
That's absolutely extraordinary.
Yes, and...
252
00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:00,560
It's a very clever little creature,
isn't it, the silkworm?
253
00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:03,000
Yeah, it's very good.
Very interesting.
254
00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:06,680
The factory turns this silk
into a number of products.
255
00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:11,200
Saris are hand-dyed using
an age-old technique.
256
00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:14,400
It's fashionable to have two or
three blocks of colour
257
00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:16,120
in the same piece of fabric.
258
00:17:16,120 --> 00:17:19,040
Preventing the dyes from
bleeding into each other
259
00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:20,880
requires a precise skill.
260
00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:26,080
He's now going to clamp it,
261
00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:29,640
so that the colour doesn't
penetrate the body.
262
00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:31,680
That's what he does,
so it's very difficult.
263
00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:33,800
So he's got to go and press it
and clamp it.
264
00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:36,280
And the force of the clamp...
Yes, the force of the clamp...
265
00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:37,480
..can stop the dye passing.
266
00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:40,200
Yeah, it can stop the dye passing,
going up. Wow. It must.
267
00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:46,680
The silk is soaked in the dye
for around 20 minutes,
268
00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:50,000
and carefully tended to ensure
an even colour.
269
00:17:55,280 --> 00:18:00,680
The dye is sealed with an acid wash,
and finally rinsed clean.
270
00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:04,040
Well, with that deep, deep red
and that vivid yellow, that's going
271
00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:07,000
to make a beautiful garment. That's
a beautiful garment, isn't it?
272
00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:13,520
These saris are valued pieces
and sell for up to 30,000 rupees -
273
00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:15,600
around £400.
274
00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:19,880
Of course, not everything
is done by hand,
275
00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:23,560
and one of the reasons that south
India has prospered so much was the
276
00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:26,400
early adoption of machinery.
277
00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:30,120
These looms are used to weave silk
fabrics for clothing
278
00:18:30,120 --> 00:18:31,520
and furnishings.
279
00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:36,800
Well, these are glorious colours.
280
00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:40,800
How long have you been
in the silk business?
281
00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:43,560
Well, I have been in the silk
business for the last 60 years now.
282
00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:47,600
Where do you think the Indian silk
industry will be in 60 years' time?
283
00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:49,360
The sari business is
slowly going down
284
00:18:49,360 --> 00:18:52,640
because people are now changing to
western dress.
285
00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:55,160
India is the biggest market,
but then, apart from it,
286
00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:57,280
we are now shifting towards
furnishing fabrics
287
00:18:57,280 --> 00:18:58,480
and then we are exporting it.
288
00:18:58,480 --> 00:18:59,880
Most of it is exported.
289
00:18:59,880 --> 00:19:03,440
And even silk fabrics, also,
are being exported to Italy.
290
00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:05,600
So, saris are going down
and sofas are coming up?
291
00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:07,400
Yeah, that's right. Yes, correct.
292
00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:17,200
It's near the end of the day
and, before I retire for the night,
293
00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:20,400
I'm retracing my steps
back to Mysore Palace.
294
00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:29,800
Wadiyar IV electrified
Mysore Palace,
295
00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:33,520
and now the illumination of
the exterior of the building on
296
00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:37,440
Sunday evenings is one of the great
tourist events in southern India.
297
00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:43,840
The palace was one of the first
buildings in the state
298
00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:49,600
to have electricity, and since 1909
it's been illuminated at night
299
00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:52,760
by around 100,000 light bulbs.
300
00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:56,880
Very nice, very nice, very nice...
301
00:19:58,560 --> 00:19:59,880
Paneer!
302
00:19:59,880 --> 00:20:01,200
Cheese!
303
00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:02,320
Cheese!
304
00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:03,640
Cheese!
305
00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:06,600
Nice!
306
00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:09,720
Beautiful colours. You're all in
such beautiful colours. Excuse me.
307
00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:13,600
Yes? Would you like to have
one photo, please? Yes.
308
00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:15,640
CAMERAS CLICK
309
00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:19,800
That's nice. Thank you very much.
310
00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:22,080
Very nice. Thank you. Thank you.
311
00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:25,680
India must be the selfie capital of
the world.
312
00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:36,720
Really, everyone is just killing
time before the big moment.
313
00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:44,360
CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
Oh!
314
00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:49,560
Oh, that was so exciting
and so spectacular.
315
00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:53,880
Every detail of the palace lit up.
316
00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:59,200
The wealth of the maharajahs
and the memory of Wadiyar IV,
317
00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:00,680
commemorated in lights.
318
00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:18,960
PEOPLE CHANTING
319
00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:25,240
I've risen early to take part,
against my better judgment,
320
00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:28,840
in an ancient practice whose origins
are here in India.
321
00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:32,560
Inhale, upward dog.
322
00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:34,760
Exhale, downward dog.
323
00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:39,720
Mysuru has a reputation as one of
the best places in India for yoga.
324
00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:41,920
Inhale, look front.
325
00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:43,640
Jump forward.
326
00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:47,480
The practice dates back 5,000 years
in India,
327
00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:51,280
and began to spread to the west at
around the time of my guidebook.
328
00:21:56,520 --> 00:21:58,800
And exhale, downward dog.
329
00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:01,200
Inhale, upward dog.
330
00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:04,840
And as you exhale, downward dog.
331
00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:10,960
The introduction of yoga to the west
is often credited to a social
332
00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:15,080
and religious reformer named
Swami Vivekananda,
333
00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:19,480
who in 1893 travelled to
the World Fair in Chicago
334
00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:24,960
and began the global spread of
Indian spiritual traditions.
335
00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:27,160
Push your hips back.
336
00:22:27,160 --> 00:22:29,440
That's you. Good.
337
00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:31,120
Open your shoulders.
338
00:22:31,120 --> 00:22:33,000
Three, look at your nail.
339
00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:34,440
Good. Very good.
340
00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:40,360
Great.
MICHAEL EXHALES
341
00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:58,480
I'm leaving Mysuru to take a
three-hour train ride north-east
342
00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:02,360
to the state capital of Karnataka,
Bengaluru,
343
00:23:02,360 --> 00:23:04,840
a modern international phenomenon.
344
00:23:13,560 --> 00:23:18,280
My next stop will be the city known
in Bradshaw's time as Bangalore.
345
00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:21,760
"District headquarters,
British territory in Mysore.
346
00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:25,280
"Highest summer temperature
89 degrees.
347
00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:30,600
"Good English society and shops.
Race meeting in July.
348
00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:35,400
"Fine botanical and zoological
gardens with floral hall."
349
00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:37,160
The British who were posted here,
350
00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:40,040
relieved to be in
moderate temperatures,
351
00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:44,360
brought with them the indispensable
institutions of the Raj,
352
00:23:44,360 --> 00:23:48,160
and built for themselves in India
a home from home,
353
00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:50,720
except with many more servants.
354
00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:56,000
Hello. Hi.
355
00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:59,200
I see you have a T-shirt
that says Bangalore. Yeah.
356
00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:02,880
But the modern name of the city is
Bengaluru. Bengaluru, yeah. Yeah.
357
00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:06,080
Does it matter to you what
the name of the city is?
358
00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:09,720
It kind of does because Bengaluru
is more traditional,
359
00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,440
so I prefer that,
360
00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:16,000
and I couldn't get Bengaluru
written on this, unfortunately.
361
00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:18,080
Describe the city to me today.
What is it like?
362
00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:21,920
Today, the city is known as
the Silicon Valley of India,
363
00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:26,920
and the rise in start-ups have
just increased, like, exponentially
364
00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:28,200
over the past ten years.
365
00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:30,480
Even people like me are
getting into start-ups.
366
00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:33,680
I feel like I'm in LA
or San Francisco.
367
00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:46,280
HORN HONKS
368
00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:52,280
Even from the first moment that you
arrive at the railway station,
369
00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:54,360
Bengaluru is overwhelming.
370
00:24:54,360 --> 00:24:56,640
It is big and it is busy
371
00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:59,240
and, despite what Bradshaw's says,
it's hot!
372
00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:11,040
Home to 12 million people,
373
00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:15,720
Bengaluru is one of the
fastest-growing cities in the world.
374
00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:17,920
Whilst the skyline is ever-changing,
375
00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:22,440
some peaceful green spaces and
colonial-era buildings remain.
376
00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:27,640
I'm on the hunt for some
much-needed refreshment.
377
00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:30,080
Hello, guys.
Are the mangoes good here?
378
00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:32,040
Yeah. Lovely. Lovely mangoes?
379
00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:33,800
Just one mango, please. One, yeah.
380
00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:41,760
Lovely. Thank you very much indeed.
381
00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:44,240
These mangoes are incredibly juicy.
382
00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:46,280
Really, you should, kind of,
eat them in the bath,
383
00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:49,760
otherwise you'll get
covered in juice.
384
00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:52,320
Mmm! That's lovely.
385
00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:53,920
And they're very difficult to peel.
386
00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:57,440
He had to cut either side of
the long, thin stone
387
00:25:57,440 --> 00:25:59,160
but it's really worth it.
388
00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:01,680
Fine?
They're really nice. Thank you.
389
00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:12,440
Making my way around this city,
390
00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:16,440
I'm struck by the contrast
between old and new.
391
00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:29,960
This is the bold architecture of
India's new technology revolution.
392
00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:34,080
In the new areas of Bengaluru,
in technology parts like this,
393
00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:37,560
each morning, thousands of young
minds who make it happen
394
00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:40,800
pour in on motorbikes and in buses.
395
00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:44,360
This is the new India that would
have been inconceivable to the
396
00:26:44,360 --> 00:26:47,160
most imaginative of
Bradshaw travellers.
397
00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:57,400
Bengaluru is now a world leader in
IT, with many of the world's biggest
398
00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:01,160
businesses based in the city's
numerous tech parks.
399
00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:04,320
To find out about the origins of
this phenomenon,
400
00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:06,920
I'm meeting Kiran Jonnalagadda,
401
00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:11,480
who has been part of the Bengaluru
IT boom since the 1990s.
402
00:27:14,840 --> 00:27:18,120
Kiran, why do you think, of all
places, Bengaluru becomes the place
403
00:27:18,120 --> 00:27:21,400
where the technological revolution
in India happens?
404
00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:25,200
I think it's a story that goes back
at least 100 years.
405
00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:28,120
A lot of times people will tell you
the technology revolution started in
406
00:27:28,120 --> 00:27:29,480
the '80s or the '90s.
407
00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:31,680
I think it really goes back
much longer.
408
00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:35,680
Bengaluru's current
technology economy
409
00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:39,800
has been built on the foundation of
a previous industrial economy
410
00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:42,800
that the Mysore kingdom, being
independent of the British Empire,
411
00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:44,920
was able to establish industries,
412
00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:48,400
create a base of people who were
reasonably better educated
413
00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:51,640
than the rest of the country,
more secure in their lives,
414
00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:55,040
had stable employment, had property,
415
00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:58,120
lived in this neighbourhood,
and their children could in turn
416
00:27:58,120 --> 00:27:59,920
go on and do something slightly
more risky.
417
00:27:59,920 --> 00:28:03,440
The Indian government, I'm afraid,
is famously bureaucratic.
418
00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:06,080
Yes. How is it the software
industry manages to
419
00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:08,000
escape the clutches
of the bureaucracy?
420
00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:11,800
I suspect, one, by being
a long distance from Delhi,
421
00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:14,960
and, second, by operating
in an industry
422
00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:16,800
that the bureaucrats
don't understand.
423
00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:18,920
I mean, people sitting in
front of computers,
424
00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:20,760
nobody knows what the
heck they are up to,
425
00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:23,520
but they seem to be making money,
so let them do it.
426
00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:25,280
And that's really how it built.
427
00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:33,360
This educated middle-class workforce
has encouraged 40% of India's
428
00:28:33,360 --> 00:28:37,400
IT industry to locate in Bengaluru,
429
00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:40,760
and along with the
international IT giants
430
00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:45,640
are countless local entrepreneurs
hot-desking in work spaces
431
00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:47,040
across the city.
432
00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:49,400
So, this here is
the start-up warehouse,
433
00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:51,040
and this is the Innovation Lab.
434
00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:55,040
It's a bunch of fairly early-stage
start-ups, literally one per table.
435
00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:58,080
So, what's cooking today?
What's this invention about?
436
00:28:58,080 --> 00:29:01,200
We are a connected cooking platform
company.
437
00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:04,680
We can actually monitor what's
happening in cooking
438
00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:06,640
and help the cook to cook better.
439
00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:08,480
OK, now, I'm not much of a cook,
440
00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:10,840
so can I try something simple to
begin with?
441
00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:12,760
Yeah. Hi, there.
442
00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:13,800
What are you cooking?
443
00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:17,120
Boiled eggs.
444
00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:19,800
Do you want it to be soft-boiled
or hard-boiled?
445
00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:22,160
Soft-boiled.
446
00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:24,880
Based on your input, it will take
approximately three minutes to
447
00:29:24,880 --> 00:29:26,480
cook soft-boiled eggs.
448
00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:29,200
I will remind you after
three minutes of cooking.
449
00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:33,760
And for, say, a complicated recipe,
can it guide me through that?
450
00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:37,560
Say, for example, you want to
cook some chicken dish,
451
00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:39,320
you can ask, "How do I cook that?"
452
00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:41,880
And then it'll start telling you
step-by-step.
453
00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:43,280
So, it's a bit like driving a car -
454
00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:45,400
instead of telling me to
turn left or turn right,
455
00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:47,120
it tells me to add salt
or add sugar,
456
00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:48,800
or turn it down or turn it up.
457
00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:50,640
You've got it. Very good.
458
00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:52,680
PHONE CHIMES
459
00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:57,200
Your food is ready.
Please turn off your burner.
460
00:29:57,200 --> 00:29:58,440
Thank you very much. I will.
461
00:29:58,440 --> 00:30:00,680
Your food is ready.
Please turn off your burner. OK, OK.
462
00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:02,680
I will, I will! Your food is ready.
463
00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:05,360
OK, OK! Please turn off your burner.
464
00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:06,640
I turned it the wrong way.
465
00:30:07,720 --> 00:30:10,640
You can't eliminate human error.
466
00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:15,080
In this one building alone,
there are over 100 start-ups.
467
00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:20,280
Among them is a med-tech company,
which is developing a DIY heart scan
468
00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:22,800
for patients who live
in remote villages
469
00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:25,920
that will connect them directly
with a cardiologist.
470
00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:28,320
At this moment, the device is
capturing the data,
471
00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:29,880
displaying it, analysing it,
472
00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:32,640
and also pushing it over the cloud
using the data network,
473
00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:35,520
so any doctor in the city can
see the data, real-time.
474
00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:38,240
Your heart rate has stabilised
to 70, right now.
475
00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:40,600
71, 72 is a normal heart rate.
476
00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:45,960
One successful app-based taxi
and delivery company
477
00:30:45,960 --> 00:30:48,400
has even achieved unicorn status,
478
00:30:48,400 --> 00:30:53,000
the term for a start-up which is
valued at over 1 billion.
479
00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:54,840
When was the company founded?
480
00:30:54,840 --> 00:30:57,280
Go-Jek was founded in 2011.
481
00:30:57,280 --> 00:30:59,560
And how fast have you grown
since then?
482
00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:06,680
So, January 2015 to August 2016
saw us growing by 900-fold.
483
00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:08,120
900-fold?
484
00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:09,640
900 fold.
485
00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:12,080
That is extraordinary.
Is that some kind of record?
486
00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:15,640
It does definitely put us
among the fastest-growing
487
00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:17,680
companies in history.
488
00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:20,800
I suppose these people could be
employed now anywhere on the globe -
489
00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:22,440
that must impact on their salaries.
490
00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:23,560
Yes, absolutely it does,
491
00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:27,120
and from 2015 to 2016,
it went up 80% in one year.
492
00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:29,840
So, what's the impact of all
this income being
493
00:31:29,840 --> 00:31:31,600
poured out into Bengaluru?
494
00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:35,240
So, we're seeing an explosion of
what used to be a very sleepy
495
00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:39,760
retirement town into something
that's slowly growing into a true
496
00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:42,520
metropolis, which would have been
unimaginable without
497
00:31:42,520 --> 00:31:44,720
this kind of money
coming into the ecosystem.
498
00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:53,720
And I plan to explore the impact of
that expanding metropolis tomorrow.
499
00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:03,880
BIRDSONG
500
00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:17,000
This morning,
I'm staying in Bengaluru,
501
00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:19,160
but I'm travelling to the suburbs
502
00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:21,000
on one of the city's
commuter trains.
503
00:32:25,360 --> 00:32:27,880
HORN HONKS
504
00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:30,560
Urban sprawl has engulfed
the surrounding
505
00:32:30,560 --> 00:32:32,800
countryside and villages.
506
00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:37,000
I'm on my way to what was
once a remote rural community,
507
00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:39,440
16km from the city centre.
508
00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:44,680
My next stop will be Whitefield,
which Bradshaw's tells me
509
00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:48,680
is the station for
the Anglo-Indian colony.
510
00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:52,360
At a time when society was generally
socially segregated
511
00:32:52,360 --> 00:32:55,400
between the races, there were
nonetheless some people
512
00:32:55,400 --> 00:32:58,800
with one Indian
and one British parent.
513
00:32:58,800 --> 00:33:02,840
They were too dusky to be acceptable
in the British community,
514
00:33:02,840 --> 00:33:06,400
and, being very likely Christian
and with an English accent,
515
00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:10,160
they were equally rejected
in indigenous circles.
516
00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:12,880
The discrimination was enough
to drive them into
517
00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:15,920
their own Anglo-Indian colony.
518
00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:38,920
The Whitefield colony was set up
in 1882 by David Starkenburgh White,
519
00:33:38,920 --> 00:33:42,680
an Anglo-Indian who envisaged
a self-sustaining
520
00:33:42,680 --> 00:33:44,160
agricultural community.
521
00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:48,440
A development of English-style
houses was built around
522
00:33:48,440 --> 00:33:52,640
a central green, designed to evoke
a typical English village.
523
00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:56,240
GOAT BLEATS
524
00:33:58,800 --> 00:34:01,000
But as modern-day developers
move in,
525
00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:04,880
only one habitable bungalow from
Bradshaw's time remains.
526
00:34:06,360 --> 00:34:10,280
It's been home for the last
30 years to Merlyn D'Souza,
527
00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:12,240
who I'm meeting with her son, Paul.
528
00:34:15,240 --> 00:34:17,920
Nice to meet you.
How very good to see you.
529
00:34:17,920 --> 00:34:21,320
And, erm, well, thank you
for your hospitality. Yes.
530
00:34:21,320 --> 00:34:22,760
Tell me about the house.
531
00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:26,880
Well, we always longed for an old
house, but I told my husband,
532
00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:30,200
when we settle down,
after he retires from the Army,
533
00:34:30,200 --> 00:34:33,280
I said, "I'd like a nice old place."
534
00:34:33,280 --> 00:34:36,200
What was Whitefield like
when you first came to it?
535
00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:38,600
Very nice. Very peaceful.
536
00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:43,120
Everyone knew everyone.
537
00:34:43,120 --> 00:34:47,560
The architecture was this old,
traditional British architecture.
538
00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:51,400
Most of the buildings had this...
A very...
539
00:34:51,400 --> 00:34:54,000
A sort of sameness about them,
in a sense.
540
00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:55,440
They all had high roofs.
541
00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:58,760
They all had Burma teak,
which was used for the rafters,
542
00:34:58,760 --> 00:35:00,320
tiled roofs...
543
00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:02,040
Every house had its own garden,
544
00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:06,240
its fruit trees and its little
vegetable garden at the back.
545
00:35:06,240 --> 00:35:08,720
Then we had vendors who used to come
to the door.
546
00:35:08,720 --> 00:35:11,680
We had a butcher, who'd come with
choice cuts of beef.
547
00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:13,600
And the vegetables would
also come to the door.
548
00:35:13,600 --> 00:35:15,040
Vegetables would come to the door.
549
00:35:15,040 --> 00:35:18,160
There was a flower man who used to
come and sell flowers.
550
00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:21,320
Were there are lots of older houses
still left when you got here?
551
00:35:21,320 --> 00:35:23,840
All, all. There was not a...
552
00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:27,080
Mike, there was not
a single apartment.
553
00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:29,920
I have nothing good to say
about apartment blocks.
554
00:35:29,920 --> 00:35:35,040
Many people have offered us
because they just view this land now
555
00:35:35,040 --> 00:35:38,240
in so many square feet
is worth so much.
556
00:35:38,240 --> 00:35:41,200
So, they say, "Name your price.
You know, you will be a rich lady."
557
00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:43,240
I say,
"Thank you. I am rich already.
558
00:35:43,240 --> 00:35:45,400
"If I give this up,
I'll have nothing.
559
00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:47,240
"I'll be like everyone else."
560
00:35:47,240 --> 00:35:49,960
That's why I feel that
we should make it available
561
00:35:49,960 --> 00:35:52,720
for anyone who wants to look around,
562
00:35:52,720 --> 00:35:54,840
because they'll never see
anything like this,
563
00:35:54,840 --> 00:35:56,880
and very soon this also
will be gone.
564
00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:06,640
The 19th-century bungalows of
Whitefield have all but vanished,
565
00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:10,680
but Anglo-Indian culture
has left an enduring legacy.
566
00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:13,040
I'm going to the Taj Hotel,
567
00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:17,000
built in 1887
and mentioned in my Bradshaw's,
568
00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:21,360
to meet chef Sandip Narang to
investigate the culinary heritage
569
00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:22,640
of the Anglo-Indians.
570
00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:29,080
Chef, good evening.
Hi. Good evening.
571
00:36:29,080 --> 00:36:31,880
I'm Michael. Hello, Michael.
What an honour to meet you.
572
00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:34,680
Thank you. What an extraordinary
display of food.
573
00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:36,480
This is all Anglo-Indian, is it?
574
00:36:36,480 --> 00:36:40,320
That's correct. These are the
signature Anglo-Indian dishes
575
00:36:40,320 --> 00:36:42,200
from the kitchens of this hotel.
576
00:36:42,200 --> 00:36:45,360
I bet I recognise this one,
because it's the most famous
577
00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:48,160
Anglo-Indian dish, mulligatawny.
Mulligatawny. That's correct.
578
00:36:48,160 --> 00:36:50,000
And mulligatawny is made of what?
579
00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:54,960
It's basically lentils and apples
and coconut cream.
580
00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:57,480
One of the spices is the
curry powder... Yes.
581
00:36:57,480 --> 00:36:59,960
..which is a mixture of
coriander, cumin, etc.
582
00:36:59,960 --> 00:37:02,520
That is delicious.
Now, these look like croquettes.
583
00:37:02,520 --> 00:37:03,840
Is that right? That's correct.
584
00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:05,400
Also known as beef chops.
585
00:37:05,400 --> 00:37:07,680
Now, beef in a Hindu country...
586
00:37:07,680 --> 00:37:09,320
It's not cow - it's buffalo.
587
00:37:09,320 --> 00:37:12,280
This is called the devil's sauce,
which was... Devil?
588
00:37:12,280 --> 00:37:15,400
So, the croquette was the Anglo bit
589
00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:18,560
and the devil's sauce
was the Indian bit
590
00:37:18,560 --> 00:37:21,040
because Indians found it tough to
eat it just like that
591
00:37:21,040 --> 00:37:22,600
without the spicy sauce.
592
00:37:22,600 --> 00:37:23,960
Mmm!
593
00:37:23,960 --> 00:37:26,560
You devil,
that is a lovely spicy sauce.
594
00:37:26,560 --> 00:37:29,280
Do you think most of these dishes
were invented by people who had
595
00:37:29,280 --> 00:37:31,160
an Indian and a British parent,
596
00:37:31,160 --> 00:37:33,920
or by British people who lived here
for a long time, or what?
597
00:37:33,920 --> 00:37:38,240
They were mainly done by
Indian cooks who learned how to make
598
00:37:38,240 --> 00:37:42,600
British recipes, and then, since
they couldn't eat the British food
599
00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:45,720
because of its blandness,
they have spiked it up a little bit.
600
00:37:45,720 --> 00:37:49,280
The Brits also started appreciating
that food,
601
00:37:49,280 --> 00:37:54,440
so, strictly speaking, it is one
step lower in spice levels
602
00:37:54,440 --> 00:37:57,320
compared to the regular Indian food
603
00:37:57,320 --> 00:38:01,000
and slightly spicier
than British food.
604
00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:05,680
This is a very famous curry known as
the Railway Mutton Curry.
605
00:38:05,680 --> 00:38:09,760
So, rail travel at the turn of
the 19th century was a luxury,
606
00:38:09,760 --> 00:38:14,240
so this was made by the Indian cooks
for their British masters
607
00:38:14,240 --> 00:38:15,400
at the time.
608
00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:17,840
And is it really mutton these days
or is it still lamb?
609
00:38:17,840 --> 00:38:19,720
It's in fact goat.
610
00:38:19,720 --> 00:38:21,120
It's in fact goat!
611
00:38:21,120 --> 00:38:23,160
MICHAEL CHUCKLES
612
00:38:24,240 --> 00:38:26,760
Choo-choo! That's very good.
613
00:38:26,760 --> 00:38:29,240
After all that,
I think it's time for pudding.
614
00:38:29,240 --> 00:38:31,760
The bread-and-butter pudding
spiked up a little bit.
615
00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:36,320
Mmm! That is brilliant.
616
00:38:36,320 --> 00:38:38,400
That is the definition of
Anglo-Indian, isn't it?
617
00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:41,800
Because it is a completely
recognisable British pudding
618
00:38:41,800 --> 00:38:44,440
and suddenly it has that
spicy edge to it.
619
00:38:44,440 --> 00:38:45,880
Yes, sir. Thank you, Chef.
620
00:39:02,680 --> 00:39:07,760
Today, I'm moving on from Bengaluru
and making my way back to the rails.
621
00:39:14,240 --> 00:39:17,360
My travels here in the southern
state of Karnataka
622
00:39:17,360 --> 00:39:20,680
continue due east to the
city of Bangarapet,
623
00:39:20,680 --> 00:39:22,880
where riches were once in abundance.
624
00:39:24,160 --> 00:39:27,960
From there, I'll make my final
journey into state of Tamil Nadu
625
00:39:27,960 --> 00:39:30,080
to the port city of Chennai.
626
00:39:30,080 --> 00:39:32,920
I will finish where
British India began.
627
00:39:34,960 --> 00:39:37,000
HORN HONKS
628
00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:40,240
Morning. Good morning.
629
00:39:49,320 --> 00:39:52,360
My Bradshaw's tells me that the
first important station
630
00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:57,040
on this branch is Bowringpet,
now known as Bangarapet,
631
00:39:57,040 --> 00:40:00,560
the junction for the lucrative
gold mines.
632
00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:05,400
They produced in their time
about 950 tonnes of gold,
633
00:40:05,400 --> 00:40:07,440
which doesn't sound an awful lot,
634
00:40:07,440 --> 00:40:10,520
but, actually, I calculate
it would be worth today
635
00:40:10,520 --> 00:40:13,720
about 60 billion US dollars.
636
00:40:24,160 --> 00:40:25,560
Bye. Bye. Thank you.
637
00:40:28,200 --> 00:40:31,000
Gold is important to Indians,
638
00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:34,080
and they are amongst
its biggest buyers,
639
00:40:34,080 --> 00:40:37,080
but, today, the country
produces very little
640
00:40:37,080 --> 00:40:40,960
and relies instead on importing
800 tonnes per year.
641
00:40:43,400 --> 00:40:47,760
At the time of my guidebook,
however, India had important mines
642
00:40:47,760 --> 00:40:51,400
here at the Kolar Gold Fields,
known as KGF.
643
00:40:54,240 --> 00:40:57,240
I'm meeting historian
Gayatri Chandrashekar,
644
00:40:57,240 --> 00:41:01,320
whose husband worked at the mines,
which closed in 2001.
645
00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:07,040
Gayatri, an impressive piece of
heritage here,
646
00:41:07,040 --> 00:41:09,520
this massive winding gear.
647
00:41:09,520 --> 00:41:11,120
When did mining start here?
648
00:41:11,120 --> 00:41:16,600
Modern mining actually
started in 1880.
649
00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:21,760
That was when this company called
John Taylor and Sons established the
650
00:41:21,760 --> 00:41:24,520
first mine at the Mysore mines.
651
00:41:24,520 --> 00:41:29,400
From a single mine,
it became a multi-mine, multilevel,
652
00:41:29,400 --> 00:41:31,720
big industrial operation.
653
00:41:31,720 --> 00:41:35,320
Now, who was the client for this
gold? Where was it being sent to?
654
00:41:35,320 --> 00:41:36,920
They sent it to England,
655
00:41:36,920 --> 00:41:39,840
and they were getting
the gold standard price -
656
00:41:39,840 --> 00:41:44,520
that is something like
3 pounds and 17 shillings per ounce.
657
00:41:44,520 --> 00:41:47,240
Was the production
very significant here?
658
00:41:47,240 --> 00:41:52,120
What was significant in KGF was
they were technological leaders.
659
00:41:52,120 --> 00:41:56,960
From 1911 to 1956,
660
00:41:56,960 --> 00:41:59,840
they were the deepest mines
in the world.
661
00:41:59,840 --> 00:42:01,680
How deep did they go?
662
00:42:01,680 --> 00:42:04,880
First it was something like
3,000-odd feet.
663
00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:11,760
Then, by the 1950s, they had gone
as deep as 8,000 feet.
664
00:42:11,760 --> 00:42:14,200
Extraordinary. We're talking about
a mile and a half.
665
00:42:14,200 --> 00:42:17,480
Yes, actually 3.2km down.
666
00:42:19,760 --> 00:42:24,520
Bringing the ore up from such depths
was a Herculean task,
667
00:42:24,520 --> 00:42:28,840
especially as it needs to be mined
in vast quantities.
668
00:42:28,840 --> 00:42:33,800
Extracting just 10g of gold
from one tonne of material was
669
00:42:33,800 --> 00:42:35,560
considered a very good yield.
670
00:42:38,160 --> 00:42:40,400
What an enormous room.
671
00:42:40,400 --> 00:42:41,440
Isn't it?
672
00:42:41,440 --> 00:42:43,520
This is a brilliant shaft,
673
00:42:43,520 --> 00:42:48,880
and this at one point of time
was the deepest shaft in the world.
674
00:42:48,880 --> 00:42:51,960
That was in 1954.
675
00:42:51,960 --> 00:42:58,680
And here is the winder on which
beautifully well-oiled wire ropes,
676
00:42:58,680 --> 00:43:03,880
miles and miles of them, were bound,
and these wire ropes used to go up
677
00:43:03,880 --> 00:43:06,080
through a system of pulleys
678
00:43:06,080 --> 00:43:09,640
and take the people and material
in a huge cage
679
00:43:09,640 --> 00:43:11,560
which can carry 15 men.
680
00:43:11,560 --> 00:43:14,000
How was this place powered?
681
00:43:14,000 --> 00:43:18,160
Electric power came
as early as 1902.
682
00:43:18,160 --> 00:43:22,800
KGF was the first industrial
undertaking in the whole of Asia,
683
00:43:22,800 --> 00:43:25,480
not just India,
to get electric power,
684
00:43:25,480 --> 00:43:28,720
even before it came to big cities
like Delhi, Bombay,
685
00:43:28,720 --> 00:43:32,320
Calcutta or Chennai
or even Bangalore.
686
00:43:32,320 --> 00:43:36,440
The early adoption of electricity
was possible thanks to Mysore's
687
00:43:36,440 --> 00:43:39,080
forward-thinking ruler, Wadiyar IV,
688
00:43:39,080 --> 00:43:42,760
who commissioned one of Asia's first
hydroelectric dams
689
00:43:42,760 --> 00:43:46,640
at Shivanasamudra Falls in 1889.
690
00:43:46,640 --> 00:43:50,040
Located over 140km
from the gold mine,
691
00:43:50,040 --> 00:43:53,720
the challenge of generating and
transporting the electricity
692
00:43:53,720 --> 00:43:56,280
was given to General Electric
of America,
693
00:43:56,280 --> 00:43:59,960
who imported machinery from
the United States and Britain.
694
00:43:59,960 --> 00:44:04,280
They brought all this machinery,
landed them in Goa,
695
00:44:04,280 --> 00:44:09,080
and then brought them by
600 elephants to Shivanasamudra,
696
00:44:09,080 --> 00:44:12,280
where the electric power station
was built,
697
00:44:12,280 --> 00:44:17,360
and from Shivanasamudra,
they brought the transmission lines
698
00:44:17,360 --> 00:44:20,480
all the way to KGF,
699
00:44:20,480 --> 00:44:25,600
and GE said, "We have never
drawn this length of power line
700
00:44:25,600 --> 00:44:30,160
"anywhere in the world,
and therefore it is at your risk
701
00:44:30,160 --> 00:44:31,560
"you are building this.
702
00:44:31,560 --> 00:44:34,720
"We give no guarantee that power
would actually flow."
703
00:44:35,840 --> 00:44:40,240
Sensationally, power did flow
along the 140km of cables.
704
00:44:41,760 --> 00:44:44,720
The electrified mines were
modern and efficient,
705
00:44:44,720 --> 00:44:48,320
and put India on the map
as a leading producer of gold.
706
00:44:51,520 --> 00:44:56,440
The company built houses, hospitals,
churches and shops for its workers.
707
00:45:00,920 --> 00:45:04,920
The miners were mostly Tamils from
the surrounding area,
708
00:45:04,920 --> 00:45:08,000
middle managers were
generally Anglo-Indians
709
00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:10,240
and the bosses were Europeans.
710
00:45:12,120 --> 00:45:15,760
This clubhouse was built for the
two upper echelons to relax
711
00:45:15,760 --> 00:45:17,160
and to socialise.
712
00:45:22,800 --> 00:45:26,760
What is the attitude of
Indian people to gold today?
713
00:45:26,760 --> 00:45:28,320
Oh, they just love it.
714
00:45:28,320 --> 00:45:31,560
No matter what religion
they belong to,
715
00:45:31,560 --> 00:45:35,680
they trust in gold as
a store of value.
716
00:45:35,680 --> 00:45:38,120
They trust in its appreciation,
717
00:45:38,120 --> 00:45:41,240
that gold can never
go down in value,
718
00:45:41,240 --> 00:45:44,880
and gold can easily be converted
into hard cash,
719
00:45:44,880 --> 00:45:50,080
and gold has a certain
spiritual aura in India.
720
00:45:50,080 --> 00:45:52,920
They almost worship
the gold they have.
721
00:45:52,920 --> 00:45:55,720
It's a very, very auspicious thing.
722
00:46:05,360 --> 00:46:08,160
The next five-hour leg of
my journey will be in
723
00:46:08,160 --> 00:46:12,080
an air-conditioned, superfast,
double-decker express.
724
00:46:22,240 --> 00:46:25,560
This modern service was
inaugurated in 2013,
725
00:46:25,560 --> 00:46:30,040
and links the cities of
Bengaluru and Chennai,
726
00:46:30,040 --> 00:46:34,240
but the line on which the trains run
was built in 1864,
727
00:46:34,240 --> 00:46:38,160
and unusually it connected
a princely state, Mysore,
728
00:46:38,160 --> 00:46:41,200
with a British presidency, Madras.
729
00:46:41,200 --> 00:46:44,400
This railway was a sign of
their special relationship,
730
00:46:44,400 --> 00:46:47,680
and provided transport links
for all that gold.
731
00:46:51,600 --> 00:46:54,720
As evening falls, my train
approaches Chennai,
732
00:46:54,720 --> 00:46:56,800
which used to be known as Madras.
733
00:46:56,800 --> 00:47:00,920
Bradshaw's tells me, "It's the
oldest British possession in India,
734
00:47:00,920 --> 00:47:05,560
"and so has set the pace in
education and public works.
735
00:47:05,560 --> 00:47:09,280
"The province is one of
the best administered in India.
736
00:47:09,280 --> 00:47:12,440
"It has the largest proportion
of English-speaking
737
00:47:12,440 --> 00:47:15,480
"and university-educated
inhabitants."
738
00:47:15,480 --> 00:47:20,200
In 1639, Madras became
the first Indian property
739
00:47:20,200 --> 00:47:23,320
of the London-based
East India company,
740
00:47:23,320 --> 00:47:27,480
a bunch of adventurers who sailed
here under the flag of trade,
741
00:47:27,480 --> 00:47:31,720
hoping to export into British hands
some of the vast wealth
742
00:47:31,720 --> 00:47:33,200
of the subcontinent.
743
00:47:48,360 --> 00:47:49,960
It's been a long journey,
744
00:47:49,960 --> 00:47:54,080
so I'll be exploring this most
historic city in the morning.
745
00:48:09,080 --> 00:48:12,440
On my final day, I awake in Chennai.
746
00:48:12,440 --> 00:48:16,040
It's the commercial and cultural
capital of south India
747
00:48:16,040 --> 00:48:18,240
and home to over 10 million people.
748
00:48:18,240 --> 00:48:20,280
HORN HONKS
749
00:48:30,040 --> 00:48:32,200
"Madras," says my Bradshaw's,
750
00:48:32,200 --> 00:48:35,040
"was formerly known as
Fort St George
751
00:48:35,040 --> 00:48:38,480
"and formed the nucleus of
British India.
752
00:48:38,480 --> 00:48:42,880
"The Black Town, renamed George Town
in commemoration of the visit of
753
00:48:42,880 --> 00:48:48,080
"the Prince and Princess of Wales in
1906, is the chief business quarter.
754
00:48:48,080 --> 00:48:51,400
"A drive through will well repay."
755
00:48:51,400 --> 00:48:55,120
The great epic history of
the British Raj,
756
00:48:55,120 --> 00:49:02,080
with all its ups and downs, and all
its pros and cons, began here.
757
00:49:10,360 --> 00:49:14,080
The strip of land purchased
by the British in 1639
758
00:49:14,080 --> 00:49:17,520
amounted to just a few square miles.
759
00:49:17,520 --> 00:49:21,840
Today, Chennai spreads massively
along the coast.
760
00:49:21,840 --> 00:49:24,680
Because of its important
automobile industry,
761
00:49:24,680 --> 00:49:28,000
it was dubbed the Detroit of Asia.
762
00:49:28,000 --> 00:49:29,560
ENGINES RUMBLE
763
00:49:29,560 --> 00:49:30,800
MICHAEL LAUGHS
764
00:49:30,800 --> 00:49:36,080
I'm keen to find out about
India's most famous motorbike.
765
00:49:36,080 --> 00:49:37,840
Hi, I'm Michael. Hi, Walter.
766
00:49:37,840 --> 00:49:41,320
Walter, good to see you, sir.
What wonderful, wonderful bikes.
767
00:49:41,320 --> 00:49:43,760
So, these are Royal Enfields.
Royal Enfields.
768
00:49:43,760 --> 00:49:47,360
And why is this such a special bike
in India?
769
00:49:47,360 --> 00:49:50,400
Ah, it's more of it
because of its history,
770
00:49:50,400 --> 00:49:53,800
and more of it to do with the Indian
army used to ride it,
771
00:49:53,800 --> 00:49:56,720
and then it was with the police
also all over India,
772
00:49:56,720 --> 00:49:59,440
and that's when the whole legendary
thing started off,
773
00:49:59,440 --> 00:50:00,920
back from the '50s,
774
00:50:00,920 --> 00:50:03,440
and then it carried on
over the years.
775
00:50:03,440 --> 00:50:06,360
And it has, doesn't it,
a particular noise to it?
776
00:50:06,360 --> 00:50:10,280
Yes. Oh, yeah. It's compared to
the heartbeat, is what people say.
777
00:50:10,280 --> 00:50:14,080
It's like our hearts and our bikes'
engines synchronise as one.
778
00:50:14,080 --> 00:50:15,520
The Bullet is the iconic model.
779
00:50:15,520 --> 00:50:16,720
Yes, the iconic model.
780
00:50:16,720 --> 00:50:20,760
It started way back in the '50s,
and ran the production line
781
00:50:20,760 --> 00:50:23,680
all the way to right now.
782
00:50:23,680 --> 00:50:25,560
Established in the 1890s,
783
00:50:25,560 --> 00:50:30,800
Royal Enfield is one of the oldest
motorcycle companies in existence.
784
00:50:30,800 --> 00:50:36,120
British operations ceased in 1978,
but the Indian subsidiary in Chennai
785
00:50:36,120 --> 00:50:40,560
is going strong and still
manufactures the iconic Bullet.
786
00:50:41,840 --> 00:50:45,400
So, every engine has this thing that
you've got to decomp it first.
787
00:50:45,400 --> 00:50:47,120
Yeah. So that's your decomper.
788
00:50:47,120 --> 00:50:49,320
You kick it in slowly,
and soothe it in,
789
00:50:49,320 --> 00:50:51,000
and then after you have a thump...
790
00:50:51,000 --> 00:50:53,880
ENGINE RUMBLES
..and this is how you start
the motorcycle.
791
00:50:53,880 --> 00:50:55,760
I can't hear it.
ENGINE RUMBLES LOUDER
792
00:50:55,760 --> 00:50:57,000
I can't hear it!
793
00:50:57,000 --> 00:50:59,040
ENGINE ROARS
794
00:51:00,520 --> 00:51:02,280
Still can't hear it?!
795
00:51:02,280 --> 00:51:04,120
That's good.
796
00:51:04,120 --> 00:51:06,200
Any chance of a ride?
Oh, yeah, sure.
797
00:51:13,520 --> 00:51:15,240
Wahey! Off we go.
798
00:51:15,240 --> 00:51:16,720
ENGINE RUMBLES,
HORN HONKS
799
00:51:16,720 --> 00:51:18,280
Oh, I'm hearing that roar now.
800
00:51:19,560 --> 00:51:21,720
ENGINE ROARS
801
00:51:21,720 --> 00:51:24,280
HORN HONKS
802
00:51:24,280 --> 00:51:26,600
In post-independence India,
803
00:51:26,600 --> 00:51:29,240
Royal Enfields were ridden
by the military,
804
00:51:29,240 --> 00:51:31,440
the police and heads of villages.
805
00:51:31,440 --> 00:51:34,480
They came to symbolise prestige,
806
00:51:34,480 --> 00:51:38,240
and today they retain
an enduring cool.
807
00:51:38,240 --> 00:51:40,280
ENGINES RUMBLE
808
00:51:46,840 --> 00:51:48,400
When the British ruled in India,
809
00:51:48,400 --> 00:51:51,600
they aimed to create
a home from home,
810
00:51:51,600 --> 00:51:55,720
and brought with them a favourite
institution, the gentlemen's club.
811
00:51:57,720 --> 00:52:02,920
The Madras Club was founded in
1832 as a men-only, white-only
812
00:52:02,920 --> 00:52:05,920
establishment for civil servants
and officers.
813
00:52:07,640 --> 00:52:11,800
Today, it is open to Indian
and female members.
814
00:52:11,800 --> 00:52:14,920
I'm meeting historian
Sriram Venkatakrishnan
815
00:52:14,920 --> 00:52:18,360
to learn about the East India
Company's beginnings in India.
816
00:52:20,760 --> 00:52:22,760
Nice to meet you. Good to see you.
817
00:52:25,360 --> 00:52:30,760
Sriram, what did the East India
Company do here in 1639?
818
00:52:30,760 --> 00:52:32,240
Very little.
819
00:52:32,240 --> 00:52:35,280
In fact, when they came here,
they were pretty unsure about
820
00:52:35,280 --> 00:52:37,200
what is it that they
were going to do.
821
00:52:37,200 --> 00:52:40,440
All that they knew was this was
a location where there was
822
00:52:40,440 --> 00:52:42,400
cloth to be had.
823
00:52:42,400 --> 00:52:47,800
This was a centre for weaving
and sourcing textiles for export.
824
00:52:47,800 --> 00:52:51,000
Was Madras a spectacular
natural harbour?
825
00:52:51,000 --> 00:52:55,560
It wasn't. The closest that any ship
could come was two miles in the sea,
826
00:52:55,560 --> 00:52:58,440
and then a set of rafts rowing over,
827
00:52:58,440 --> 00:53:03,000
and every English man and woman
off-loaded onto the backs of these
828
00:53:03,000 --> 00:53:06,520
oarsmen, who were wearing nothing
other than a loincloth,
829
00:53:06,520 --> 00:53:09,840
and then get onto that raft,
and then being rowed ashore.
830
00:53:09,840 --> 00:53:13,640
It was said that, you know, if you
survived the six-month journey,
831
00:53:13,640 --> 00:53:16,120
it was still hazardous to
travel the last two miles
832
00:53:16,120 --> 00:53:19,000
between where the ship stopped
and to Madras,
833
00:53:19,000 --> 00:53:21,400
so, you know, anything could happen
even then.
834
00:53:21,400 --> 00:53:23,600
So, you imagine struggling
all the way for six months
835
00:53:23,600 --> 00:53:26,080
and then dying at the last bit.
THEY LAUGH
836
00:53:26,080 --> 00:53:29,520
But, even so, thousands of tonnes of
freight must have travelled
837
00:53:29,520 --> 00:53:31,320
by that route. Absolutely.
838
00:53:31,320 --> 00:53:36,760
And what is very interesting is that
in 1856 when the first railway
839
00:53:36,760 --> 00:53:40,400
engines came, each one
weighing 13 tonnes
840
00:53:40,400 --> 00:53:46,200
and being off-loaded from a ship
by using a mechanical crane
841
00:53:46,200 --> 00:53:49,760
onto these rafts,
and then getting the raftsmen
842
00:53:49,760 --> 00:53:53,840
to bring the engines onto shore,
and there was a public holiday to
843
00:53:53,840 --> 00:53:57,840
watch the way the engines were being
off-loaded and brought onto shore.
844
00:53:57,840 --> 00:53:59,960
Now, that is spectacular.
845
00:53:59,960 --> 00:54:03,000
So, from such modest starts, then,
846
00:54:03,000 --> 00:54:07,880
how can one explain that
the East India Company becomes
847
00:54:07,880 --> 00:54:11,520
a private organisation that
virtually runs a country... Mm-hmm.
848
00:54:11,520 --> 00:54:15,720
..that deposes rulers, that has
an enormous army and a navy?
849
00:54:15,720 --> 00:54:18,000
How can one account for this?
850
00:54:18,000 --> 00:54:20,520
You have to thank
the French for that.
851
00:54:20,520 --> 00:54:23,880
The French taught the English that,
apart from trade,
852
00:54:23,880 --> 00:54:28,520
you could also get onto managing
kingdoms on behalf of rulers
853
00:54:28,520 --> 00:54:30,200
and things and people like that,
854
00:54:30,200 --> 00:54:33,040
and, at that time,
we had a singularly inept
855
00:54:33,040 --> 00:54:34,640
set of rulers over here,
856
00:54:34,640 --> 00:54:39,200
and all our rulers had 300 wives,
450 concubines
857
00:54:39,200 --> 00:54:41,040
so every one of them had
two children,
858
00:54:41,040 --> 00:54:42,400
so, by the time the ruler died,
859
00:54:42,400 --> 00:54:44,160
there were 900 claimants
to the throne
860
00:54:44,160 --> 00:54:46,040
and so they were easy pickings.
861
00:54:46,040 --> 00:54:48,840
The French could back one,
the British could back the other,
862
00:54:48,840 --> 00:54:50,800
and that's how the whole thing
started.
863
00:54:50,800 --> 00:54:54,800
And from then on came
Dalhousie's doctrine of lapse,
864
00:54:54,800 --> 00:54:57,600
which said that if
a king dies intestate,
865
00:54:57,600 --> 00:54:59,280
and if he doesn't have an heir,
866
00:54:59,280 --> 00:55:01,640
the kingdom goes to the
East India Company.
867
00:55:01,640 --> 00:55:03,600
The kingdom goes to
the East India Company?
868
00:55:03,600 --> 00:55:06,360
I have never understood
the logic of this,
869
00:55:06,360 --> 00:55:07,520
but it did happen.
870
00:55:09,480 --> 00:55:10,520
Quite amazing.
871
00:55:11,600 --> 00:55:16,520
Trading in commodities such as
cotton, silk, dye, salt,
872
00:55:16,520 --> 00:55:20,800
tea and opium, the East India
Company's business grew
873
00:55:20,800 --> 00:55:24,080
to account for half of
the world's trade,
874
00:55:24,080 --> 00:55:28,400
and rewarded handsomely the wealthy
merchants and aristocrats
875
00:55:28,400 --> 00:55:30,640
who were its shareholders.
876
00:55:30,640 --> 00:55:34,120
Its dominance came to
an end in 1858,
877
00:55:34,120 --> 00:55:38,200
when the British Crown
assumed direct control of India
878
00:55:38,200 --> 00:55:40,680
in the new British Raj.
879
00:55:40,680 --> 00:55:44,120
The East India Company
has been said to surpass
880
00:55:44,120 --> 00:55:46,960
the most rapacious of
modern multinationals.
881
00:55:46,960 --> 00:55:49,320
How do you look back on it?
882
00:55:49,320 --> 00:55:51,040
I would agree with that statement.
883
00:55:51,040 --> 00:55:54,720
It was an exceedingly
exploitative system
884
00:55:54,720 --> 00:56:00,120
that somehow gave a few benefits in
the process of being exploited -
885
00:56:00,120 --> 00:56:02,440
that's how I would classify it.
886
00:56:02,440 --> 00:56:06,560
The Portuguese had been here, the
Dutch, the French and the British.
887
00:56:06,560 --> 00:56:09,520
Why did the British succeed
where the others had not?
888
00:56:09,520 --> 00:56:12,560
One, they were more tenacious.
889
00:56:12,560 --> 00:56:16,320
Secondly, I think they schemed
a lot better than anyone else.
890
00:56:16,320 --> 00:56:20,360
They understood the Indian psyche
exceedingly well,
891
00:56:20,360 --> 00:56:24,280
and so they managed to get their
hands on what they wanted.
892
00:56:24,280 --> 00:56:28,120
Thirdly, they did not interfere
with the local practices
893
00:56:28,120 --> 00:56:29,200
and the religion.
894
00:56:29,200 --> 00:56:30,720
They were here for commerce,
895
00:56:30,720 --> 00:56:34,080
and the way they schemed and the way
they organised themselves,
896
00:56:34,080 --> 00:56:35,800
they had the right man
at every moment,
897
00:56:35,800 --> 00:56:39,000
till somewhere in 1920 or so,
898
00:56:39,000 --> 00:56:42,000
when you find that
we had the right man, Gandhi,
899
00:56:42,000 --> 00:56:44,280
and then things moved in
a different direction.
900
00:57:06,560 --> 00:57:11,280
My rail journey across the south has
shown me a modern India.
901
00:57:11,280 --> 00:57:14,800
British-built railways and the
English language itself
902
00:57:14,800 --> 00:57:18,160
helped to unify this
vast, multicultural,
903
00:57:18,160 --> 00:57:21,920
multilingual subcontinent,
but, from the start of the
904
00:57:21,920 --> 00:57:26,760
East India Company here in Madras,
Britain's interest was to export
905
00:57:26,760 --> 00:57:30,840
India's wealth and to import
British machinery.
906
00:57:30,840 --> 00:57:36,800
The seeds of the new hi-tech India
were sown not by the colonial Raj
907
00:57:36,800 --> 00:57:41,160
but by a forward-looking
Maharajah of Mysore.
908
00:57:48,000 --> 00:57:49,040
Hello.
909
00:57:49,040 --> 00:57:52,800
Next time, I'll learn about
19th-century drug dealing...
910
00:57:52,800 --> 00:57:55,000
The amount of opium almost
made it impossible
911
00:57:55,000 --> 00:57:57,000
for people to not be addicts.
912
00:57:57,000 --> 00:58:00,320
..explore an enormous
locomotive factory...
913
00:58:00,320 --> 00:58:03,360
You could run a perfectly decent
horse race in here.
914
00:58:04,520 --> 00:58:08,120
..discover how British cotton
led to conflict...
915
00:58:08,120 --> 00:58:09,560
They were flooding the market,
916
00:58:09,560 --> 00:58:12,400
and making us lose the handloom
industry.
917
00:58:12,400 --> 00:58:15,520
..and get a lesson in meditation.
918
00:58:15,520 --> 00:58:20,840
Focus all your mind on the tip of
your nose.
122281
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