By Nirmal Mangar
Gangtok: “Saga Dawa, A Close Watch,” a documentary based on one of the popular Buddhist traditions, has been selected for screening at Northeast Film Festival 2023, which is being held at NFDC Campus in Mumbai from March 25-26.
Produced under the banner of Sikkim Review Films, the documentary has been directed by journalist Sujal Pradhan and Nima Norbu Sherpa.
“This is our first documentary. It is more of journalistic work, and we have shot the film keeping the news in mind. We wanted to record the festival deeply. We were not very hopeful of the selection at the time when we pitched the film. Likewise, we are more than happy to know about its selection in the festival,” said Sujal while speaking with Sikkim Chronicle.
He is heading to Mumbai to attend the festival.
He added, “The only aim of documenting this film is to preserve the centuries-old tradition of Saga Dawa, which is a triple blessed day per the Buddhist tradition. Saga-Dawa is the most important occasion for Tibetan Buddhists. It commemorates the three important events in Lord Buddha’s life: his birth, his achieving enlightenment, and his passing away after attaining Nirvana or deliverance. Hence, it is called Triple Blessed Day.”
Another aspect to look into is that the festival is being celebrated at Tsuklakhang courtyard of Chogyal’s (the erstwhile king of Sikkim) Palace.
The film also highlights the spirit of the festival, in which people from all communities participate, becoming an integral part of Sikkimese society as a symbol of communal harmony.
