“Misfortune is great, but man is greater than misfortune." From Dominique Lapierre’s City of Joy
This is testimony to man’s quest to overcome his situations. Kolkata and its many people and their many lives are at the heart of this quote. This documentary is an effort to explore the daily lives of people along Mullick Ghat – ghats just below the iconic Howrah Bridge. Come rain or shine, they soldier on with their holy dip in the Hoogly, eking out a meagre living or even finding shelter-a secure place to sleep when they did not find shelter elsewhere, finding company in stray dogs.
The river is a friend to all. It cleanses their bodies and souls. It brings comfort to tired souls. It is a sanctuary to those seeking solace in togetherness. To friends it is a playground. To the homeless it is a home. To the poet it is a muse. To the fisherman and umpteen like them, it is their livelihood.
In all its mood Hoogly is home. And the Howrah Bridge is like the grand old man watching over its children.
