The Scindia School

 

The sequences shot around the Scindia School are probably a little niche compared to the rest of the films which are niche in themselves. That would make these double plus niche or double secret niche. Those references, yep, they're niche too. But The Scindia School was the reason and focus of the entire trip. Without the school, Richard may well have never visited India. So niche or not, here they are.

 

Mrs Shankar performing 'The Dance of Shiva' at the Sasbahu Temple.

 

I am fairly certain that Mrs Shankar taught at the Scindia School. The Sasbahu Temple is very close to the fort and therefore the school. Some descriptions place it inside the fort. At the start of the film as Mrs Shankar is shown approaching we see a brief shot of two boys in costume bottom right of shot. This sequence looks as if it was filmed during a rehearsal of one of Mr. Tucker's legendary productions.* She can be seen at the end of the rehearsal sequences in 'A Day in the Life Part 1' below dressed in the same sari in the same location.

The soundtrack is a traditional recording of the Dance of Shiva. It's not in time with the film.

 

*Legendary if you have read all the references in the online copies of The Barrovian.

Sculpture at Scindia

 

I assume this is to do with art at the Scindia School. On the box containing the reel was written 'The painting and sculpture of Ramkinkar (Baij) of Shantiniketan'. Ramkinkar was a famous artist who pushed the boundaries of sculpture and painting. He was based in Shantiniketan in West Bengal. A university town and home of Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore. Both Ramkinkar and Tagore promoted 'Contextual Modernism' in their art. I have no idea what that means. But, their paths crossed in Shantiniketan and Ramkinkar produced a sculpture of Tagore in 1940. The art in these segments must be copies produced at the school. Richard was known to be great friends with a Chinese art teacher also on sabbatical. I assume it is he who appears in these sequences.

               Scindia Art

 

I assume this is to do with art at the Scindia School. On the box containing the reel was written 'The painting and sculpture of Ramkinkar (Baij) of Shantiniketan'. Ramkinkar was a famous artist who pushed the boundaries of sculpture and painting. He was based in Shantiniketan in West Bengal. A university town and home of Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore. Both Ramkinkar and Tagore promoted 'Contextual Modernism' in their art. I have no idea what that means. But, their paths crossed in Shantiniketan and Ramkinkar produced a sculpture of Tagore in 1940. The art in these segments must be copies produced at the school. Richard was known to be great friends with a Chinese art teacher also on sabbatical. I assume it is he who appears in these sequences.

Scindia School

A day in the life part 1

 

One of the large reels was devoted, entirely, to the Scindia School. It had been spliced together in sequences I am pretty sure are supposed to reflect a school day. The footage flips between colour and monochrome as the day was cut together from all the films Richard shot around the school and school activities within the school and fort grounds. The lads dancing around in some form of traditional costume I am sure is a rehearsal for one of Richard's famed productions. He produced two plays at Scindia and many more during his tenure at King William's College. At the end of the rehearsal sequence, we see Mrs. Shankar standing and heading off in an orange sari. Maybe she was off to perform her 'Dance of Shiva'.

Scindia School

A day in the life part 2

 

One of the large reels was devoted, entirely, to the Scindia School. It had been spliced together in sequences I am pretty sure are supposed to reflect a school day. The footage flips between colour and monochrome as the day was cut together from all the films Richard shot around the school and school activities within the school and fort grounds.

This part has been shot, in the main, around the fort. We see a football match and a game of cricket after which, in this version, I have slotted in a rogue outdoor swimming event in black and white. There are exterior shots of the fort, driving out of the main gate and down the steep road past the Siddhachal caves. Toward the end we see the bugler sounding the retreat, the setting sun and students relaxing at the end of the day. The last shot was a march past but shot in the day  

It was on the end of the reel and I assumed it was meant to be the sign-off. But along with the rogue swimming footage I found another march past, seemingly at dusk. Richard tracks the camera  right to a statue of Gandhi in silhouette. That works much better as an ending, Apologies, Richard, for messing with your original idea.

Scindia School Sports

 

This was on a seperate reel to the rest of the Scindia School footage although most or all of this appears to be shot in the grounds. Some of the events and the contestants don't look as if they belong. Maybe it was some kind of open day. We will never know. 

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