Here's one from the set that was quite interesting. I don't have much commentary on this, but somehow it seems indicative of some interesting and maybe key differences in the cultures of America and India.
I was sitting in the video tent when from behind the fabric wall I heard a yelp. I thought someone had kicked the slum dog that was hanging around the set. This happens all the time :-( but I wanted to see what the matter was so I got up to see. Where the yelp came from was a small circle of people surrounding a man on the ground who was writhing and occasionally shouting or muttering, which then turned into clear words in either Hindi, or more likely Telugu. He then stood up and began turning around pointing at the sky and kneeling and touching the ground and then the sky, the ground etc. while praying continuously. He then fell on the ground and began prostrating himself with his hands held together in prayer. People were talking to him but he was consumed with his ritual. When he finished he walked away from the set and sat apart from the group.
I did not know this man, but I believe he was one of the day workers. I wouldn't have known him even if he was on the crew. So I went to my co-workers and asked, "OK, what was that about?" and they answered "Possession!" Even though it may seem a little presumptive to say this, I have to add that the people answering this question are guys from the VFX company who are living an urban lifestyle in Mumbai, so the quick and frank answer surprised me. I said, "Oh. So what kind of possession and by who?" They answered that they didn't know, but one of the gods. They added that the people gathered had asked him who was possessing him but got no clear answer. They also asked him to answer questions about their future and fate as is often done in these cases and often answered, but he refused to answer these questions and said that he would only pray and then leave, which he did. The artist I was speaking to also added that he had later seen the same man having a similar experience a little later, off by himself.
Everyone treated the episode with the utmost respect and seriousness. No-one doubted the authenticity of the event and I was told that it is not uncommon. I was then asked, "Doesn't this ever happen in the US?" At first I was quick to say "No. This never happens." thinking that I can't very well say, "Yes, but we think the people are mentally ill or epileptic or looking for attention," and already trying to sort out how we and they look at this type of thing so differently, but then I realized that this does happen in the US. I stopped and said, "Wait! Yes. It does happen. We call it 'speaking in tongues' and it happens a lot, often in churches dedicated to the practice." I told them of my experiences as a radio announcer when on Sunday mornings we had to broadcast services live from various churches. In Newark, Ohio we rotated all the faiths and sooner or later we ended up at one of these churches where I did witness very similar behavior appreciated with the same seriousness and faith as the Indians were expressing towards this man on the set.
Maybe the most simple explanation of this is that in the west we associate places of worship to our religion whereas in India it's more a part of the environment. I mentioned this idea earlier when observing crew members, even the director, honoring the prop statue of Shiva near our set at Film City. People here don't need priests and churches to pray. You might see advantages to either way of worship depending on your view of religion in general and organized religion in particular. My most vivid impression was that these acts of divine channeling are obviously trans-cultural and the interesting bit is how seriously they are taken in general. Here in India it's immediately accepted by everyone, whereas in the US, even the Holy Rollers are looked at with doubt and uncertainty, never mind people who prophesy out in the streets.
Anyway it was the most illuminating experience of the day for everyone involved.
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