The Voice of the Lake: Unveiling the documentary

The documentary is dubbed as a poetic journey into the culture and spirituality of the Leptcha and Bhutia people living in a remote village immersed in the Himalayas.

Georgina Barreiro, director, producer and editor, from Buenos Aires, Argentina, tells us why they plan to develop this documentary.

Georgina Barreiro (GB): Our story takes place in the fascinating Himalayas, portraying the life of the  Butia and Leptcha people living in a remote community in Sikkim, India. Best known by its mystic lake, also called “wish fulfilling lake”, venerated by both Hindus and Buddhists, this village has been considered a sacred place for some of the most important spiritual teachers who have meditated in the caves surrounding the lake for centuries.

Sikkim is a state of India located in the northeastern part of the country. Bordered by Tibet, Bhutan, West Bengal and Nepal, it was integrated to India in 1975. Since their incorporation, the Leptcha and Bhutia people have been struggling to preserve their culture, their language and their traditions. They speak mostly Nepali and their main spiritual practice is Tibetan Buddhism.

Ancestral Bhutia and Leptcha tradition, Tibetan Buddhism, Hindu culture and western influence all coexist in this magical place. Most families work in farms that are very well known across India for their organic agriculture. Those dedicated to the spiritual path live and study in the monasteries. Although young people have access to high quality education, unemployment is one of the major issues confronted by youth, being the main cause of emigration.

Every year this mystical town is the scene for a very important Tibetan Buddhist ceremony that takes place at the same time as a dancing and singing Sikkimese competition. Pilgrims from all around come to the lake to join both celebrations.

The weeks before the festival, kids practice hard at school and at home to prepare the choreographies and design their clothes. They present typical Nepali and Indian dances and traditional songs. A jury of distinguished locals evaluates the performances of the participants during the festival and awards are given at the closing ceremony. In the monasteries, monks work hard making tormas (flour and butter sculptures), decorating the altars, designing mandalas and studying the practice for ceremony purposes. Visitors from everywhere come to bring their offerings to the lake and pay respect to the monks to receive their blessings.

As the narrative evolves, the film delves deep into the lives of Leptcha and Bhutia people, observing their experiences, their emotions and their role in the community

The voice of the lake | La voz del lago - Crowfunding from Georgina Barreiro on Vimeo.

Help the team to raise funds for developing the documentary. You may contribute through indiegogo www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-voice-of-the-lake-documentary-music-india#/ or write to Georgina at georginabarreiro@gmail.com.

Help the team to raise funds for developing the documentary. You may contribute through indiegogo www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-voice-of-the-lake-documentary-music-india#/ or write to Georgina at georginabarreiro@gmail.com.