Mother teresa, the beatified saint of Kolkata, came alive on screen in talented young filmmaker Payal Mohanka’s soulful documentary, From Saint to Sainthood, which was screened at the Max Mueller Bhawan auditorium recently. Mother Teresa has been immortalised in a million hearts through her unconditional service offered to the noble cause of humanity, the poorest of the poor in particular. A 22-minute moving depiction of the “blessed soul of Calcutta”, tending to the dying destitute, homeless orphans and stigmatised leprosy patients, left every viewer teary-eyed at the crowded gallery. The showcasing of the movie is one among various such other tributary events organised in memory of the Mother to pay her a homage on the commemoration of her birth centenary in 2010.
Present on this special occasion was a galaxy of dignitaries and the who’s who of the art and culture fraternity from the city. West Bengal governor M.K. Narayanan had lighted the ceremonial lamp to inaugurate the event, which was put together by the Bengal Team and Ideas Creations and Productions Pvt. Ltd. Summing up the day’s mood, veteran Bengali litterateur Sunil Gangopadhyay said: “My heart became heavy this morning noticing gory pictures in the newspaper of rampant political violence across Bengal (read Lalgarh massacre in West Midnapore district). But after watching this heart-rending film, I found some solace thinking that where daggers are drawn to kill people, there hands are also extended for help in the hour of need.”
The governor lamented: “What a shameful moment for Bengal! The soil, on which a genius like Mother was inspired to sacrifice her personal comforts to embrace the hapless, is now being stained with blood and unhealthy political rivalries.” “Nonetheless, Payal’s creation is worth appreciating and with what delicate strokes, she has painted the magnanimous image of Mother Teresa!” he said.
Singer Usha Uthup presented a nostalgic recital of self-composed songs on the Mother. Contemporary artist Sanatan Dinda’s beautiful portrait on the Mother was unveiled by the governor. The artist’s sketch impression of the Mother was also gifted to him as a token of reverence.
The tiny figure with folded hands, always exuding a placid charm of warmth and a greeting smile across her face, comes as a perpetual symbol of peace and grace to our eyes. Having lived with modesty and humility, wrapped in the drape of her trademark blue-bordered white cotton sari in all seasons, Mother has been the true bonafide ambassador of selfless nurture, concern and care all along her life. Albeit she was bent with age but her resolve to salvage the distressed, indigent souls languishing in the dire straits of struggle and undernourishment remained undeterred. The staid wrinkled face showed a myriad lines of experience and wisdom, incessantly withstanding the squall of the tumultuous times.
Advocating adoption and censuring abortion, Mother had always championed for the cause of saving an innocent child from losing its birth right to live with dignity in this world before even opening its eyes. In the short movie, the bite of one Sister Georgina from the Missionaries of Charity reveals: “She would say, give me the child and relive yourself from the guilt-pang of killing a life in its pre-natal stage. The parentless and roofless children that you find being sheltered at the premises of our Shishu Bhavan are not majorly a victim of fate in the registered roll of illegitimate cases conceived by unwed mothers but most of them are being rescued from the jaws of death inflicted upon by their own family members as a result of female foeticide enforced by the norms of an oppressive patriarchy. The voiceless mothers defencelessly fall prey to the merciless societal and external compulsions. They don’t have much say in the matter.” It is only natural for the eager and earnest messenger of God herself — Mother Teresa — to justifiably think of not nipping a creation in the bud. Let the bud blossom into a flower and spread its fragrance, she would espouse.
As God’s dedicated disciple, she has carried forth His command to serve the poorest of the poor people on this earth. “Her train journey to Darjeeling gave her a vision. She could as if hear the Holy Son, Jesus speak to her. It was a god-sent message conveyed to her. A task was set for her wherein she was assigned to take up the cause of the poor. In 1950, she had founded the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata. She has been a great source of inspiration for one and all in the literal sense of the word,” said Archbishop Henry D’Souza.
She gave refuge to those that sought shelter at her doorstep. Several people have been miraculously healed by her magical powers, even as disastrous diseases like the deadly cancer. Many have taken the call to willingly volunteer their participation in her mission to eradicate sufferance, pain, misery and penury or better still offer aid and succour to those who desperately need it. The faces of poverty-stricken masses, ailing and angst-ridden bodies would torment her to pieces. The film encapsulates many people’s fond memories of Mother’s hardwork and determination to ward off the evil spirits that begetted crisis, anguish and problems. The predominant purpose of Mother’s sole sustenance was to lift up the underprivileged and the ill-fated destitute and lepers from the streets and pavements into her warm, affectionate embrace, her hospitable and accommodating arms.
“The film opens on a glorious note, etching out that very historical moment of her ceremonious beatification. It navigates her journey from saint to sainthood. Aptly titled, the movie tells an extraordinary life story of an ordinary woman, who was emblematic of the term simplicity personified,” said Bengal team chairman H.M. Bangur in his speech delivery prior to the screening.
Journalist-turned-filmmaker, Mohanka shared: “I have to jog my memory at least 20 years ago when I did a cover story on the 1979 Nobel Prize for Peace and the 1980 Bharat Ratna winning Mother Teresa as a correspondent of the leading Illustrated Weekly magazine. I was enormously amazed by the austerity and severity of her order and could discover the real “mother” within the four walls of her cloistered Mother’s House from a close proximity. Her huge volume of humanitarian work surrounding the abandoned orphans, dying destitute and leprosy patients just speak for itself and its immense spirit of the painstaking undertaken by her organisation. Through this film of mine, I have had in my own limited capacity, offered my salutation to the saint and her sainthood.”
Adding further, she informed: “The project has been funded by my producer husband Manoj Mohanka and its CD is being currently marketed by the Music World. So, those who want to collect a piece, must check out the store’s nearest outlet.” Reminiscing more about her reel-baby, Mohanka said: “I had made this film soon after her beatification took place in 2003. But with the celebration of Mother’s birth centenary only last year, there has been a rejuvenated interest shown in this film from different quarters.”
Incidentally, it is also noteworthy that Mother had set her foot on Kolkata’s ground on January 7 as an 18-year-old Loretto nun way back in 1929, precisely 82 winters ago. The film was also showcased at the Nehru Centre in London in 2004, followed with a screening at the Wilson College of Cambridge University. In the same year, the Ladies Study Group in Kolkata had arranged a single show of the film. Last year, a three-day international film festival was hosted on Mother Teresa from August 26 onwards at the Nandan theatres in Kolkata, wherein the movie was once again showcased. “Not many people are aware of the places like Shishu Bhavan, Shanti Daan or Nirmal Hriday in Kolkata that are home to many a forsaken lot who have been infused with a fresh lease of life. I’ve tried to lend a fairly detailed description of the Mother’s congregation of nuns, her life and works and the numerous people who have felt lucky enough to have been blessed by her divine hand,” says Mohanka.
Via the viewfinder of my In a stipulated minuscule span, I have endeavoured to hold onto people’s attention," emphasised Mohanka, whose thought-provoking, laudable venture From Saint to Sainthood is infested with a flurry of emotionally charged moments, worth-knowing facts and poignant images. It’s worth a watch for every sensitive viewer.