Family Krishnappa (1977)

Fore! [Music] Foreign! Foreign! [Music] [Applause] A day like so many others has just begun in the village of Arala Malise in southern India. The sun hasn't yet overcome the morning chill. [Music] >> The village lake is used as a bathroom for washing, brushing your teeth, and relieving yourself. They're not [Music] At the home of the Krishnapa family, the mother Kama is already busy with the morning's first chores. The father, called Krishnapa by friends, his family name, is trying to tell how soon their cow will give birth. Oh no. [Music] Not long ago, their other cow had a calf. Now it gives plenty of milk. [Music] The butter churn is simple but efficient. >> Breakfast is cooked over a fire. >> When it's ready to eat, Kempama always serves it in the same order. First to the man of the house. Then the children and lastly herself. [Music] The kitchen utensils are cleaned with a mixture of water, sand, and cow dung. When Krishnapa has gone off to the fields, Kama has a little time for herself. [Music] Krishnapa is removing seedling rice plants from this nursery for transplanting out in the rice field. [Music] >> At home, Cena and Chandra are almost ready to go to school. They have to be there at 10:00 every day. and they leave home in good time. [Music] The school day always begins with everyone praising India in unison and thanking the government. [Music] I put underneath. [Music] [Music] way. [Music] [Music] Subie wearing a bow in her hair is the oldest daughter. She left school after 3 years. Now she takes care of the family's cattle, leading them to grazing fields outside the village. [Music] Hey, hey, hey. [Music] It's midday and Krishnapa has almost finished spreading a chemical fertilizer when Campama and Sugata arrive with some food for him. [Music] Kama helps a little with the rice planting before returning home. The women often sing while they plant. It makes the work go a little easier. [Music] During the noon break, Krishnapa goes to a sugar field nearby. There a new type of sugar cane is being harvested which is supposed to give a larger yield than the old type. Krishnipa has been thinking he would like to try planting the new type himself. So he's very interested in the result. Sugar cane is the only crop which Krishnipa grows that is sold and earns money. For the harvesting, the farmer hires extra workers for however long he needs them. The farm workers wage is the equivalent of about $1 a day. I'm not in the [Applause] [Music] >> in the sugar mill. The juice is pressed out of the canes. The sweet liquid is boiled until most of the water is gone. The thick mass of raw sugar remaining will be sent to a refinery to be cleaned. [Applause] [Music] On the way home from school, Chandra visits the place where a cereal called raggi is being threshed to separate the kernels from the stalks. [Music] [Music] [Music] The stalks are gathered and put away as forage for the cattle. separated by the wind. The kernels being heavier fall to the ground first while the impurities are carried farther away. [Music] In a little ceremony, the farmer thanks the gods before the harvest. [Music] [Applause] After the midday break, Krishnipa begins preparing a field for planting sugar cane. It takes a great deal of skill to keep the strong oxen under control. [Applause] Back. [Applause] [Music] >> Washing clothes is one of Kama's many duties. Little Sugata helps her mother as best she can. [Music] As the afternoon passes, Subie starts getting ready to go home. Before leaving, she picks up all the cattle dunk. It's valuable manure for the crops. >> Cena has been given a day off from school and goes to watch the village blacksmith. [Music] The boy loves to watch the red hot iron being transformed into a hole, plow, or wagon axle. >> On the way home from the fields, Krishnipa looks in at the place where a new well is being dug. There's water underground, but to get enough for irrigating fields, you need a wide, deep hole. It'll take about 3 months for this drilling team to make a well that big. [Music] Allah [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Kama is interrupted in her cooking by a couple of wandering beggars who come to the house. [Applause] [Music] The flat chapati bread is almost ready for baking. [Music] while Chandra recites his homework. work. Krishnapa relaxes with a cigarette after dinner. [Music] >> His old mother prefers stronger stuff. She crushes the ara nut to make a good chewing tobacco. [Music] The children invent their own toys and games, sometimes with a few stones. >> If nothing better is available, the buffalo can serve as a blackboard. After Kama has washed the little altar in the yard, Krishnapa begins the short evening ceremony in which he thanks the gods for a good day without accidents or illness. be right over here. [Music] >> After a long day's work, it's relaxing for Kama to pick the lice out of Sugata's hair. Hey, could you discuss it? >> While Krishna reflects on what tomorrow will bring for him and his family, at the threshing site, the last of the grain is spread in the wind. Another ordinary day comes to an end. And it's been good to the Krishnapa family. [Music]