Explore the legacy of Schindler’s List, the origins of Mysore Pak, Kerala’s satirical Dinkoism movement, and the viral Chikiri Chikiri song in this week’s Window Seat
Mrinal Chatterjee
Schindler’s List
On this date, 30 November in 1993, “Schindler’s List”, an epic historical drama film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg and written by Steven Zallian was first released in Washington DC. It was based on the historical novel Schindler’s Ark (1882) by Thomas Kenelly.
Twenty two years later, it remains relevant. In fact, one should watch it now more than ever, primarily as a moral imperative to stand against hatred and indifference. Its themes of human resilience, the potential for individual redemption, and the dangers of extreme ideologies remain profoundly relevant in today’s world.
For those of you, who have not watched the film yet, here is the story:
Oskar Schindler, an opportunistic German businessman and Nazi Party member, moves to Kraków, Poland, during World War II, intending to get rich using cheap Jewish labour. Initially motivated by profit and a lavish lifestyle, he gradually becomes a witness to the horrific persecution and mass murder of Jews by the SS, particularly under the brutal Commandant Amon Göth.
A pivotal moment, often symbolized by witnessing a young girl in a red coat during the violent liquidation of the Kraków Ghetto, spurs a moral transformation in Schindler. Using his wealth, charm, and black-market connections, he bribes Nazi officials to protect his workers, eventually compiling a list of over 1,100 “essential” Jewish workers to transfer to a “safe” factory in his home region. By war’s end, Schindler has spent his entire fortune saving lives, leaving penniless but earning the eternal gratitude of the people he saved.
“Schindler’s List” remains one of the most well-known films made by Spielberg. Influenced by the 1985 documentary film “Shoah,” Steven Spielberg decided not to plan the film with storyboards, and to shoot it like a documentary. Forty percent of the film was shot with handheld cameras, and the modest budget meant the film was shot quickly over seventy-two days. Spielberg felt that this gave the film “a spontaneity, an edge, and it also serves the subject.”
While the film is shot primarily in black and white, a red coat is used to distinguish a little girl in the scene depicting the liquidation of the Kraków ghetto.
The girl was portrayed by Oliwia Dąbrowska, three years old at the time of filming. Spielberg asked Dąbrowska not to watch the film until she was eighteen, but she watched it when she was eleven, and said she was “horrified.” Upon seeing the film again as an adult, she was proud of the role she played. Although it was unintentional, the character is similar to Roma Ligocka, who was known in the Kraków Ghetto for her red coat. Ligocka, unlike her fictional counterpart, survived the Holocaust. After the film was released, she wrote and published her own story, “The Girl in the Red Coat: A Memoir” (2002, in translation).
Mysore Pak
Kakusura Maddappa’s name may be absent from most history books, but his legacy lives on in Mysore Pak, one of South India’s most iconic sweets. Earlier this year as India Pakistan tension escalated, Jaipur based sweet shops renamed it replacing Pak (short for Pakistan) with shree or Bharat completely bypassing the fact that ‘pak’ in Mysore pak is actually from ‘paka’, a Kannada word which means sweet condiment, and shares the same root as Hindi ‘pag’, and ‘pakva’ (cooked, ripe, baked) in Sanskrit (sugar syrup); but that is a different story.
In the early 20th century, Maddappa, a master in the Mysore Palace kitchens, was tasked with creating the royal desserts, a role that earned him the title of nalapaaka, the maker of sugar syrup.
One day, an experiment with gram flour, ghee, and sugar resulted in a new creation: a fragrant, porous block unlike anything served before. The king, Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, tasted it and, pleased with the innovation, named it Mysore Pak, after the syrup that bound the dish together.
The king even encouraged Maddappa to sell it to the public, and thus, common people like you and me could taste Mysore Pak.
Dinkoism
Kerala is well ahead of the rest of Bharat in many aspects. Not only have they eradicated extreme poverty from the state, they have put together a brand new religion called Dinkoism.
Before you clench your fist and gnash your teeth at the sheer audacity, let me tell you that Dinkoism or Dinkamatham is a parody religion and social movement that emerged and evolved on social networks organized by independent welfare groups in Kerala. Adherents describe Dinkoism as a genuine religion.
Dinkoism is a unique and funny social movement that started in Kerala, where people “worship” a cartoon superhero mouse called Lord Dinkan. The character first appeared in the Malayalam children’s magazine Balamangalam. Followers created this mock religion to make people think about blind faith and to promote logic and humour in society.
Dinkoists say that the universe was created when Lord Dinkan laughed loudly after eating cassava. They treat the cartoon stories as their “holy books” and even have a playful scripture called the Dinkapuranam. Many youngsters support the movement because it uses jokes, memes, and satire to talk about big topics like belief, superstition, and equality.
Chikiri Chikiri
A song with the words Chikiri Chikiri (Chikiri means cute girl in Telugu) from the upcoming film Peddi (which means Gentleman) has become a global raze immediately after its online release. It racked up an astonishing 46 million views within 24 hours, becoming one of the most viewed and liked tracks of the year.
Composed by A R Rahman and sung by Mohit Chouhan it floored the audience with its catchy tune. Filmed on Ram Charan and Janhavi Kapur, it has some electrifying dance moves by Ram Charan.
Originally made in Telugu, the film directed by Buchi Babu will be released early next year in multiple languages including Hindi.
Watch the song on youtube. I did and liked its vibe.
(The author is Professor at Indian Institute of Mass Communication, IIMC Dhenkanal. Views expressed are personal.)
