Sacred Wonders (2019): Season 1, Episode 1 - Angkor, Cambodia - full transcript

MANY OF THE WORLD'S
BEST-KNOWN LANDMARKS

HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY FAITH.

AND TODAY,

MORE WORSHIPPERS THAN EVER ARE
FLOCKING TO THESE SACRED PLACES.

BUT WHY DO THEY CONTINUE
TO PROVOKE SUCH PASSION?

HUNDREDS OF YEARS
AFTER THEY WERE FIRST BUILT,

MANY OF THEM REMAIN PLACES OF
DEEP SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE

AND CONTROVERSY.

FOR SOME PEOPLE,
THEY ARE SANCTUARIES

FOR QUIET CONTEMPLATION.

FOR OTHERS...



THEY ARE SITES OF ASTONISHING
ACTS OF WORSHIP,

DANGEROUS CHALLENGES,

AND EXTRAORDINARY
DEEDS OF DEVOTION

RARELY SEEN BY OUTSIDERS.

THIS TIME...

AT ANGKOR IN CAMBODIA...

A MAN WHO BELIEVES THESE TEMPLES

ARE HOME TO HIS
ANCESTRAL SPIRITS

RISKS HIS LIFE TO SAVE THEM
FROM THE JUNGLE.

AT AL AQSA IN JERUSALEM,

A YOUNG MUSLIM PARAMEDIC BATTLES

HIS OWN HUNGER AND EXHAUSTION.

TO HELP THOUSANDS OF OTHER

FASTING WORSHIPPERS
DURING RAMADAN.



AND AT THE SHAOLIN TEMPLE
IN CHINA,

A BUDDHIST MONK FACES A TEST

THAT WILL CHANGE THE COURSE
OF HIS LIFE FOREVER.

IN THIS SERIES,
WE REVEAL THE AMAZING THINGS

THAT PEOPLE DO
FOR THEIR FAITH...

IN SOME OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR
SACRED PLACES ON EARTH.

♪

THE LARGEST
RELIGIOUS SITE ON THE PLANET

IS IN CAMBODIA, SOUTHEAST ASIA.

♪

ANGKOR.

A VAST COMPLEX
OF OVER 70 TEMPLES,

ONCE PART OF
AN ANCIENT MEGACITY.

IT WAS FOUNDED
IN THE NINTH CENTURY

BY A POWERFUL HINDU KING

AND IS THOUGHT
TO HAVE ONCE COVERED

AN AREA WIDER THAN
SAN FRANCISCO.

AND AT ITS HEART,
THE BIGGEST TEMPLE OF ALL:

ANGKOR WAT.

BUILT TO HONOR
THE HINDU GOD VISHNU.

ITS 5 TOWERS REPRESENT
THE MOUNTAIN PEAKS

BELIEVED TO BE
THE HOME OF THE GODS.

BUT IN THE 12TH CENTURY,

BUDDHISM BECAME
CAMBODIA'S DOMINANT RELIGION,

AND ANGKOR BECAME A CENTER
OF BUDDHIST WORSHIP.

NOWADAYS, DEVOTEES ARE FAR
OUTNUMBERED BY TOURISTS.

THEY BRING OVER $100 MILLION

INTO THE CAMBODIAN ECONOMY
EVERY YEAR.

BUT THE TEMPLES ARE AT RISK.

500 YEARS AGO, THE ANCIENT CITY
WAS SLOWLY ABANDONED,

AND WAS EVENTUALLY COMPLETELY
ENGULFED BY THE JUNGLE.

TODAY,
A TEAM OF GARDENERS

WAGES A CONSTANT BATTLE TO STOP
NATURE FROM TAKING OVER AGAIN.

ONE OF THEM IS LOUN LORNG.

HE'S A BUDDHIST,
BUT HE ALSO BELIEVES

HIS ANCESTORS' SPIRITS
RESIDE HERE.

TOMORROW,
LORNG AND HIS TEAM OF GARDENERS

FACE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE
OF THE YEAR.

SAPLINGS HAVE BEEN SPOTTED
200 FEET UP

ON THE GREAT TOWERS
OF ANGKOR WAT.

LEFT TO GROW,
THEIR ROOTS WOULD EVENTUALLY

BRING THE TOWERS DOWN.

LORNG AND HIS TEAM MUST CLIMB
TO THE VERY TOP TO CLEAR THEM.

LORNG FEARS
THAT IF THE TEMPLES

ARE LEFT TO COLLAPSE,

THE SPIRITS OF ANGKOR
WILL BE UNHAPPY

AND WILL LEAVE FOREVER.

LORNG IS
AN EXPERT CLIMBER.

FOR DECADES, HE HAS SCALED
PALM TREES TO HARVEST THEIR SAP.

BUT NOW WITH OVER 18 YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE AS A TEMPLE GARDENER,

HE KNOWS JUST HOW DANGEROUS THE
TOWERS OF ANGKOR WAT WILL BE.

♪

5 A.M.

WHILE THE FIRST TOURISTS
GET READY TO CATCH

THE ICONIC SUNRISE
OVER ANGKOR WAT...

♪

LORNG AND HIS TEAM ARE
PREPARING FOR THE CLIMB.

THERE IS NEW GROWTH
ALL THE WAY UP THE TOWERS...

BUT IT'S THE SAPLINGS
AT THE VERY TOP

WHICH WILL BE
PARTICULARLY HARD TO REACH.

AND LORNG'S NOT
AS FIT AS HE WAS.

HE WILL CLIMB
AS FAR AS HE CAN.

THEN, UNDER HIS GUIDANCE,
HIS APPRENTICE CHERM TRI

WILL MAKE THE FINAL ASCENT.

LORNG LEADS THE WAY.

♪

THE THOUSAND-YEAR-OLD
STONEWORK IS VERY FRAGILE.

SO, THE TEAM CAN'T FIX
ANY SAFETY ROPES TO IT.

THEY MUST CLIMB BAREFOOT WITH

LITTLE SAFETY EQUIPMENT
OTHER THAN HARD HATS.

JUST LAST YEAR,
A MEMBER OF LORNG'S TEAM

FELL AND WAS BADLY INJURED.

THEY'VE REACHED
A SECTION WHERE

THE LADDERS AREN'T LONG ENOUGH.

SO, THEY HAVE TO TIE
TWO TOGETHER.

LORNG HAS GOTTEN
AS HIGH AS HE CAN GO.

NOW HIS APPRENTICE TRI
TAKES OVER.

THE GAP IN THE STONEWORK HERE IS
TOO NARROW FOR A METAL LADDER.

HE'LL HAVE TO USE A BAMBOO POLE

AND PULL THE LADDER
UP AFTER HIM.

IT'S HOT AND HUMID...

THE RUNGS OF THE LADDER
ARE SLIPPERY WITH SWEAT.

FINALLY, TRI HAS REACHED
THE PROBLEM PLANTS.

THE SUN'S HIGH,
AND THE STONEWORK

IS NOW BURNING HOT UNDERFOOT.

AT 200 FEET UP,
A SLIP WOULD BE FATAL.

BUT TRI HAS SPOTTED
ONE LAST SAPLING

RIGHT AT THE VERY TOP
OF THE TOWER.

WITH ONE SNIP...
THE JOB IS COMPLETE.

♪

ANGKOR WAT IS SAFE
FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

ATTRACTING OVER
TWO MILLION VISITORS A YEAR,

ANGKOR WAT HAS BECOME
SO IMPORTANT

TO CAMBODIA'S SENSE OF IDENTITY,

IT'S EVEN ON THE COUNTRY'S FLAG.

EUROPE'S SACRED WONDERS
ARE ALSO AMONG

ITS MOST RECOGNIZABLE
AND POPULAR LANDMARKS.

ST. MARK'S BASILICA IN VENICE

ATTRACTS OVER 5 MILLION
VISITORS A YEAR,

DESPITE BEING UNDER CONSTANT
THREAT FROM FLOODING.

AND ONE OF EUROPE'S MOST VISITED
CATHEDRALS UNTIL 2018

WAS NOTRE DAME IN PARIS.

OVER 12 MILLION PEOPLE A YEAR

PASSED THROUGH ITS DOORS...

BEFORE THIS FRENCH ICON
WAS DEVASTATED BY FIRE,

BRINGING PARIS TO A STANDSTILL.

BUT IN SOUTHERN SPAIN,
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE

COME TO SEE ONE SACRED WONDER

THAT SPENDS MOST OF THE YEAR
OUT OF SIGHT.

HIDDEN AWAY BEHIND THIS
UNREMARKABLE FACADE...

IS THE VIRGEN DE LA ESPERANZA.

THE VIRGIN OF HOPE.

A STATUE OF THE VIRGIN MARY,

CARVED IN THE 17TH CENTURY,

ON A GILDED WOODEN THRONE.

SURROUNDED BY NEARLY
200 CANDLES,

SHE WEARS A TUNIC STITCHED
WITH REAL GOLD THREAD.

BUT WHAT MAKES THIS WONDER
UNUSUAL IS THAT

THE FAITHFUL DON'T COME TO HER.

SHE GOES TO THEM.

OVER EASTER, SHE WILL BE PARADED
THROUGH THE STREETS OF MALAGA

IN FRONT OF THOUSANDS, ON
THE SHOULDERS OF A TEAM OF MEN.

FOR MANY OF THESE
THRONE BEARERS,

THE ENTIRE YEAR
REVOLVES AROUND THIS EVENT.

ONE OF THEM IS CATHOLIC
JAVIER HERNANDEZ MARTIN.

THIS WILL BE
THE 16TH YEAR RUNNING

THAT JAVIER HAS HELPED CARRY
THE ESPERANZA THRONE.

JAVIER APPLIED TO JOIN

THE ALL-MALE TEAM
OF THRONE BEARERS

AFTER SENSING A CALLING
FROM THE VIRGIN OF HOPE.

♪

ON THE THURSDAY
BEFORE EASTER,

JAVIER AND HIS BROTHERHOOD

WILL JOIN THRONE PROCESSIONS
TAKING PLACE ACROSS SPAIN.

THE ESPERANZA IS
ONE OF THE HEAVIEST.

IT WEIGHS 11,000 POUNDS...
ALMOST AS MUCH AS 3 FAMILY CARS.

JAVIER'S BROTHERHOOD WILL
CARRY IT FOR OVER 6 HOURS.

BUT IT'S SO SACRED, TODAY IS
THEIR ONLY REHEARSAL.

TO SPREAD
THE WEIGHT EVENLY,

EVERYONE IS ALLOCATED A POSITION
ACCORDING TO THEIR HEIGHT.

THIS ONE.

PERFECT.

JAVIER HAS ONE OF
THE MOST DEMANDING POSTS.

A FRONT CORNER.

WHENEVER THE FLOAT TURNS LEFT,

HE WILL ACT AS THE PIVOT

FOR THE ENTIRE 264-STRONG TEAM.

FINALLY, THEY ARE READY
FOR THEIR FIRST LIFT.

COORDINATED BY A BELL
AND SHOUTED COMMANDS...

EVERY MOVEMENT MUST BE
IN COMPLETE UNISON.

THE 1 1/2-MILE-LONG PARADE

WILL BE A BRUTAL TEST
OF STRENGTH... AND FAITH.

THRONE BEARERS
HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO COLLAPSE

DURING THE ORDEAL.

AFTER AN HOUR,
THE PRACTICE IS OVER.

NEXT TIME JAVIER
PICKS UP THE THRONE,

IT WILL BE ON THE BIG DAY.

♪

IT'S PARADE DAY.

BUT THEY'VE GOT A PROBLEM.

IT'S BEEN RAINING ON AND OFF
FOR 9 HOURS.

THE RAIN WOULD RUIN
THE PRICELESS ESPERANZA THRONE.

THEY'RE DUE TO SET OFF
IN 30 MINUTES.

BUT THE PARADE
MAY BE CALLED OFF.

AN EMERGENCY MEETING
IS HELD TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO.

ALL JAVIER CAN DO IS WAIT.

HIS SISTER ARRIVES
WITH HER NEW BABY.

JAVIER AND HIS WIFE

DON'T HAVE CHILDREN
OF THEIR OWN.

IF THE PROCESSION
GOES AHEAD,

HE WILL DEDICATE TONIGHT'S
EFFORT TO HIS NEWBORN NIECE.

♪

FINALLY, WORD COMES THROUGH.

THE PROCESSION IS ON.

LET THE PAIN BEGIN.

♪

EACH MAN HAS THE WEIGHT
OF A SACK OF CEMENT

PRESSING DOWN ON HIS SHOULDER.

IT WILL BE 6 HOURS
BEFORE THEY RETURN.

THRONE PARADES BEGAN
IN THE 16TH CENTURY

TO STRENGTHEN CATHOLICISM
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

TODAY, RELIGION IN SPAIN
IS ON THE WANE.

BUT FOR JAVIER, IT'S A UNIQUE
CHANCE TO ATONE FOR HIS SINS.

THE LENGTH
OF THE ROUTE

IS NOT THE ONLY CHALLENGE.

SOME OF THE STREETS
ARE BARELY WIDE ENOUGH

FOR THE THRONE TO PASS.

BUT IT'S IN THESE NARROW ALLEYS

THAT WORSHIPPERS CAN GET CLOSEST
TO THE VIRGIN OF HOPE.

♪

OTHER MEMBERS
OF THE BROTHERHOOD

MARCH WITH THEIR FACES COVERED,
AS THEIR PENANCE.

THEY'RE NOW
3 HOURS IN.

MANY ARE
IN INTENSE PAIN.

ALONG THE WAY,
BELIEVERS URGE THEM ON.

AHH!

IT'S ALMOST
4 IN THE MORNING

AND NOW THEY'VE GOT TO PERFORM

THE MOST DIFFICULT MANEUVER
OF THE NIGHT...

THE ONE JAVIER
HAS BEEN DREADING...

A 90-DEGREE LEFT TURN
IN THE NARROW STREETS.

ARRIBA, ARRIBA,
ARRIBA, ARRIBA,
ARRIBA, ARRIBA.

AS THE THRONE
SWINGS AROUND,

JAVIER IS THE PIVOT
OF THE ENTIRE MOVE.

THE PRESSURE IS COLOSSAL.

BUT HE MUST
HOLD HIS POSITION

OR THE THRONE COULD GET WEDGED.

♪

THEY'VE
ROUNDED THE CORNER.

♪

AND AFTER 6 LONG HOURS...

THEY'RE BACK.

ARRRRRRRIBA.

IT'S OVER.

JAVIER HAS COMPLETED HIS PENANCE
FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

THERE ARE
SOME SACRED WONDERS

THAT ARE FAMOUS
THE WORLD OVER...

WHETHER IT'S THE 120-FOOT-HIGH
STATUE OF CHRIST THE REDEEMER,

KEEPING WATCH OVER RIO
IN BRAZIL SINCE 1931,

OR THE SACRED ABORIGINAL
SITE OF ULURU

TOWERING 1,000 FEET
ABOVE THE AUSTRALIAN DESERT.

♪

BUT THERE'S ONE
ANCIENT WONDER IN CHINA

THAT ONLY BECAME
WORLD FAMOUS IN THE 1970s...

♪

THE SHAOLIN TEMPLE...

BUILT ON THE SLOPES OF

SACRED SOONG MOUNTAIN
IN CENTRAL CHINA.

A BUDDHIST MONASTERY HAS STOOD
HERE SINCE THE FIFTH CENTURY.

BUT THE REASON TOURISTS
FLOCK HERE EVERY DAY...

ISN'T JUST THE ORNATE
THOUSAND BUDDHA HALL...

OR THE TOMBS OF GREAT BUDDHIST
MASTERS AT THE PAGODA FOREST.

THEY COME FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

KUNG FU.

THE SHAOLIN TEMPLE
BECAME WORLD FAMOUS

AS THE HOME OF KUNG FU

AFTER BEING DISCOVERED BY
HOLLYWOOD 50 YEARS AGO.

BUT FOR CENTURIES,
IT'S BEEN ONE OF

THE MOST IMPORTANT CENTERS OF
BUDDHISM IN CHINA.

400 MONKS LIVE AND STUDY HERE.

100 OF THOSE ARE WARRIOR MONKS.

FOR THESE STUDENT MONKS, KUNG FU
IS NOT JUST A MARTIAL ART,

A FORM OF MOVING MEDITATION.

IN TWO DAYS, SHI YANDIAN
WILL FACE A TEST

TO QUALIFY AS A FULL
WARRIOR MONK.

MASTERING KUNG FU
TO THE LEVEL EXPECTED

AT THE SHAOLIN TEMPLE

TAKES YEARS OF DEDICATION.

YANDIAN WILL
HAVE TO PROVE HIMSELF

BEFORE A PANEL OF SENIOR MONKS

IN BOTH KUNG FU
AND BUDDHIST SCRIPTURE.

IF HE FAILS THIS SCRIPTURE TEST,

HE'LL HAVE TO WAIT
3 YEARS TO TRY AGAIN.

SENIOR MONK YANCEN
IS YANDIAN'S MENTOR.

IT'S BELIEVED
SHAOLIN KUNG FU

BEGAN AS A WAY FOR
THE EARLY CHINESE MONKS

TO STAY FIT AND ALERT DESPITE
HOURS OF SEATED MEDITATION.

IN THE PAST, SHAOLIN
WARRIOR MONKS USED THEIR SKILLS

TO PROTECT THEIR
MONASTERIES AND VILLAGES.

BUT TODAY, ITS PERFECTION
IS A MARK OF FAITH.

EACH MONK
CHOOSES A SPECIALTY.

YANDIAN'S IS THE "MONKEY STICK."

YANDIAN HAS BEEN
PRACTICING WITH THE MONKEY STICK

FOR 11 YEARS.

BUT THERE'S ONE MOVE
HE STRUGGLES WITH:

"MONKEY GOING UP THE TREE"...

ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT
IN ALL KUNG FU.

YANDIAN MUST PLACE
BOTH FEET ON THE STICK,

LET GO WITH HIS HANDS,

AND CATCH THE STICK
BEFORE IT HITS THE GROUND.

STRENGTH, BALANCE,

AND TOTAL CONCENTRATION
ARE ESSENTIAL.

AT HIS ASSESSMENT
IN TWO DAYS' TIME,

HE WILL NEED TO PERFORM
THIS ROUTINE PERFECTLY.

♪

BUT YANDIAN WILL NOT
JUST BE TESTED

ON HIS KUNG FU THIS WEEK.

HE MUST ALSO RECITE A PASSAGE
OF BUDDHIST SCRIPTURE...

FROM MEMORY.

THE EXAMINERS
COULD CHOOSE ANY PASSAGE

FROM THIS BOOK OF MANTRAS.

SO, YANDIAN NEEDS TO LEARN
ALL 200 PAGES... BY HEART.

♪

IT'S JUDGMENT DAY.

THE SHAOLIN TEMPLE IS
ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S

MOST IMPORTANT EXAMINATION
CENTERS FOR ASPIRING MONKS.

APPRENTICES ARE ARRIVING
FROM ALL OVER CHINA,

ALL HOPING THAT THIS WILL BE
THE YEAR THEY QUALIFY.

YANDIAN'S
KUNG FU ASSESSMENT.

THE ABBOT... HEAD OF THE TEMPLE...

AND 3 SENIOR MONKS
WILL BE HIS JUDGES.

YANCEN CAN ONLY WATCH
FROM THE SIDELINES.

11 YEARS OF GRUELING TRAINING
HAVE COME TO THIS MOMENT.

HIS EXAMINERS HAVE
THE VERY HIGHEST EXPECTATIONS.

MOVEMENT MUST BE MATCHED
BY STILLNESS.

♪

SO FAR, SO GOOD.

BUT NEXT... THE TECHNIQUE

YANDIAN FEARS THE MOST...

MONKEY GOING UP THE TREE.

♪

FLAWLESS.

YANDIAN'S EXCELLED
AT HIS KUNG FU...

BUT HIS SUCCESS WILL
COUNT FOR NOTHING

IF HE NOW FAILS
THE SCRIPTURE TEST.

THE SELECTION PANEL
ASKS EACH TRAINEE

TO RECITE FROM
THE BOOK OF MANTRAS.

♪

THE MONKS ARE TRAINED
TO SHOW NO EMOTION...

EVEN IN
THE FACE OF FAILURE.

IT'S FINALLY YANDIAN'S TURN.

IF HE SUCCEEDS, HE WILL
BECOME A FULL MONK.

FAIL... AND IT'S ANOTHER
3-YEAR WAIT TO TRY AGAIN.

♪

HE'S MADE IT.

YANDIAN
WILL NOW BECOME

A FULL SHAOLIN WARRIOR MONK.

♪

HE WILL SPEND THE REST
OF HIS LIFE TRAINING, STUDYING,

AND MEDITATING ON HIS
ROAD TO ENLIGHTENMENT.

♪

THE SHAOLIN TEMPLE
IS OVER 1,500 YEARS OLD.

BUT NEW WONDERS ARE
BEING BUILT ALL THE TIME.

THE DHAMMAKAYA TEMPLE
IN THAILAND,

COMPLETED IN 2010,
IS COVERED IN

300,000 SMALL STATUES OF BUDDHA.

AND EVERY NIGHT IT'S ILLUMINATED
BY THOUSANDS OF LANTERNS.

BUT ONE SACRED WONDER IN LONDON

BUILT 25 YEARS AGO

ISN'T JUST NEW,

IT'S THE WORLD'S FIRST
FLAT-PACK TEMPLE.

♪

SRI SWAMINARAYAN MANDIR...

A TRADITIONAL HINDU TEMPLE...

IN NEASDEN, NORTHWEST LONDON.

IT WAS THE FIRST
TRADITIONAL HINDU TEMPLE

EVER BUILT IN EUROPE...

AND EVEN TODAY IS ONE OF
THE BIGGEST OF ITS KIND.

COMPLETED IN 1995,
IT'S MADE FROM OVER

5,000 TONS OF MARBLE
AND LIMESTONE BOUGHT IN EUROPE

AND THEN SENT TO INDIA
TO BE HAND-CARVED.

OVER 26,000 INDIVIDUAL PIECES
WERE THEN SHIPPED TO THE U.K.,

TO BE CAREFULLY ASSEMBLED
BY 3,000 VOLUNTEERS.

HINDU GODS ARE BELIEVED
TO INHABIT THE TEMPLE'S
MANY STATUES,

AND THE RESIDENT MONKS
FEED AND DRESS THEM EVERY DAY

AS LIVING BEINGS.

AND IN 3 DAYS' TIME,

THESE DEITIES WILL BE HONORED

WITH THE BIGGEST EVENT
OF THE YEAR.

MIRAJ PATEL IS GOING
TO PLAY A KEY ROLE.

MY FAITH IS
REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.

I TRY AND KEEP IT AT THE
FOREFRONT OF EVERYTHING I DO.

22-YEAR-OLD MIRAJ
IS A MEDICAL STUDENT.

MUCH OF HIS FREE TIME
IS SPENT AT THE TEMPLE.

I SEE THE TEMPLE AS NOT
ONLY A PLACE OF WORSHIP, ERM,

BUT AS A, AS
A SECOND HOME ALMOST.

THE TEMPLE
SERVES A 100,000-STRONG

HINDU COMMUNITY IN LONDON.

AND ALONG WITH THE TEMPLE'S
OTHER VOLUNTEERS,

MIRAJ IS PREPARING FOR ONE OF
THE MOST IMPORTANT DATES

NEW YEAR.

JOGNESH.
ANOTHER YEAR.

MIRAJ IS PART OF
THE TEAM PREPARING

A GIGANTIC OFFERING TO THE GODS
FOR NEW YEAR'S DAY.

THE MOUNTAIN OF FOOD.

READY?
LET'S ROCK AND ROLL.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR
ME TO SAY THANKS TO THE GODS.

MAKING THE MOUNTAIN
OF FOOD AS BEAUTIFUL AS POSSIBLE

IS AN IMPORTANT PART
OF GIVING THANKS.

OH, BLUEBERRY... NICE.

FOR MIRAJ,
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO PRESENT

THE ANNAKUT OFFERING ON TIME.

12:00 IS
THE LUNCHTIME PERIOD

THAT THE GODS AND THE GURUS
NORMALLY EAT.

WE CAN'T BE 5 MINUTES LATE
AND WE CAN'T BE 5 MINUTES EARLY.

BUT THEY HAVE TO
LAY OUT OVER 1,400 DISHES...

AND THERE'S A MAJOR HURDLE.

TODAY IS DIWALI,

ITSELF AN IMPORTANT
HINDU FESTIVAL...

AND THE PRAYER HALL WHERE
THE FOOD NEEDS TO BE DISPLAYED

WILL BE IN CONSTANT USE
UNTIL SUNSET.

SO, MIRAJ AND THE TEAM
WILL HAVE VERY LITTLE TIME

TO GET ALL THE FOOD IN PLACE
FOR THE BIG EVENT TOMORROW.

PUT ONE CIRCLE ROUND
AND THEN PUT
THE THING...

YEAH, NO PROBLEM.

ALL THEY CAN DO NOW IS

PLATE UP AS MUCH FOOD
AS THEY CAN

SO THEY ARE READY TO GO
THE MOMENT THEY ARE

ALLOWED INTO THE PRAYER HALL.

TAKE IT THAT WAY.
GO THERE.

THERE ARE MORE THAN
10,000 BISCUITS

AND 30,000 INDIAN SWEETS.

SEE THOSE 3
PURPLE TRAYS OVER THERE?

- THEY WANT THEM STACKED.
- THOSE ARE THE ONES WITH,

SO, PUT THEM OVER HERE
IF YOU WANT.

SOME MADE
IN THE TEMPLE KITCHENS,

OTHERS DONATED BY WORSHIPPERS.

IT'S MORE STABLE
LIKE THIS.

WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS

AS AESTHETICALLY PLEASING
AS POSSIBLE,

BECAUSE IT'S AN OFFERING TO GOD.

THE TEAM TAKES
ENORMOUS CARE TO MAKE EACH DISH

LOOK AS SPECTACULAR AS POSSIBLE.

PERFECT.

BUT MANY ARE
NERVE-RACKINGLY AMBITIOUS.

- DID YOU BREAK IT AGAIN?
- YEAH.

THE SUN HAS SET.

DIWALI ENDS, AS ALWAYS,
WITH A BANG.

AS THE WORSHIPPERS
ENJOY THE FIREWORKS...

IN THE EMPTY PRAYER HALL,
MIRAJ AND THE TEAM

CAN START TO SET UP
THE "MOUNTAIN OF FOOD."

BUT MOVING THE DISHES
INTO PLACE IS HAZARDOUS.

IT'S REALLY BAD.

OFFERING DIRTY FOOD
WOULD BE DISRESPECTFUL,

SO, IT HAS TO BE THROWN AWAY.

YOGHURT... SLOWLY TAKE IT.
THIS WAY.

SOME DISHES
ARE TRICKIER THAN OTHERS.

BISCUITS, THEY ARE
ALWAYS NOTORIOUSLY HARD,

BECAUSE THEY OFTEN KIND OF SLIP
AND SLIDE AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO, TO BE HONEST,
I KIND OF TEND

TO STAY AWAY FROM THE BISCUITS.

IT'S 11 P.M.

MIRAJ AND THE TEAM HAVE GOTTEN
AS FAR AS THEY CAN TONIGHT.

THE FRESH FOOD WILL BE
PUT OUT IN THE MORNING.

TIME TO GO HOME
AND GRAB SOME SLEEP.

♪

HINDU NEW YEAR.

VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN
COOKING SINCE DAYBREAK,

MAKING EVERYTHING FROM
CURRIES TO SAMOSAS.

'SCUSE US, SWAMI.

MIRAJ AND THE TEAM
NOW HAVE TWO HOURS

TO CAREFULLY ADD THE NEW
OFFERINGS TO THE DISPLAY.

THE ATMOSPHERE IS TENSE.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS
IS READY IN TIME FOR MIDDAY.

♪

THE STAGE IS NOW
SO PACKED WITH DISHES,

A TRIP WOULD BE A DISASTER.

KEEP BRINGING THEM UP
AND FILL THE GAPS.

OFF CENTER IT.

WE HAVE TO
CALM DOWN A BIT.

OUTSIDE THE HALL,
THE WORSHIPPERS ARE GATHERING.

♪

WHAT TIME IS IT?

BE VERY CAREFUL.

FINALLY... MIRAJ
PUTS HIS LAST DISH IN PLACE.

THE MOUNTAIN OF FOOD
IS COMPLETE.

♪

1,400 PLATES... LOVINGLY PREPARED
AND PERFECTLY PRESENTED.

THE MONKS CAN OFFER THE GODS

THEIR FIRST MEAL OF
THE HINDU NEW YEAR.

I'M SO GLAD IT'S ALL
FINISHED IN TIME.

IT'S GREAT.
IT'S AMAZING.

WORSHIPPERS
AND VISITORS ALIKE

FLOOD IN TO ENJOY
THE ANNAKUT OFFERING.

EVEN THE MAYOR OF LONDON
HAS COME.

AT THE END OF THE DAY,
THE FOOD WILL BE DISTRIBUTED

AMONG THE VOLUNTEERS.

MIRAJ IS EXHAUSTED,
BUT PLEASED HE'S DONE HIS BIT.

I LIKE TO THINK
THAT THE GODS

ARE VERY, VERY HAPPY
WITH OUR EFFORTS.

THE SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT
THAT YOU GET IS ASTONISHING.

♪

IN LONDON,
THERE IS A WHOLE RANGE

OF DIFFERENT
RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES

COEXISTING SIDE BY SIDE.

BUT ONE CITY IS HOME TO SITES

SO DEEPLY SACRED TO
3 DIFFERENT RELIGIONS...

THAT IT HAS BECOME THE MOST
CONTESTED SACRED PLACE ON EARTH.

JERUSALEM.

FOR CHRISTIANS, THE CHURCH
OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE

MARKS THE SITE OF JESUS CHRIST'S
CRUCIFIXION AND BURIAL.

FOR JEWS, THE WESTERN WALL
IS A RELIC

FROM THE SITE OF
A SACRED TEMPLE...

BELIEVED TO BE
THE DWELLING PLACE

OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD ON EARTH.

AND FOR MUSLIMS, ONE OF
THE MOST SACRED SITES

ON THE PLANET...

AL AQSA.

A WALLED COMPOUND
1,600 BY 1,000 FEET.

AT ITS HEART IS
THE DOME OF THE ROCK,

MARKING THE SPOT WHERE
THE PROPHET MOHAMMED

IS BELIEVED TO HAVE
ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN.

FOR MANY MUSLIMS,
THIS IS AS CLOSE AS

YOU WILL GET TO HEAVEN
WHILE STILL ON EARTH.

♪

THOUSANDS OF WORSHIPPERS
ARE FLOCKING TO AL AQSA

TO MARK THE FINAL DAYS OF
RAMADAN, THE MUSLIM HOLY MONTH.

WITH EVERYONE FASTING
FROM DAWN UNTIL DUSK,

HUNGER AND DEHYDRATION
MEAN MANY COLLAPSE.

THE PALESTINE
RED CRESCENT IS ON HAND

TO DEAL WITH ANY CASUALTIES,

BOTH IN-AND OUTSIDE
THE COMPOUND.

EHAB ABDEEN HAS
VOLUNTEERED AS A PARAMEDIC

DURING THE BUSIEST
PART OF RAMADAN.

24-YEAR-OLD EHAB

USUALLY WORKS AS
AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER.

HE OFTEN COMES TO
ALAQSA TO PRAY.

BUT OVER
THE NEXT 4 DAYS,

EHAB WILL BE DOING SHIFTS WITH

ONE OF THE 5 AMBULANCES
AT THE MAIN GATE.

HE TRAINED AS
A VOLUNTEER FIRST RESPONDER

SO THAT HE COULD
HELP WORSHIPPERS

AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.

AND LIKE EVERY RAMADAN,
HIS STINT WILL END

WITH THE MOST DEMANDING
SHIFT OF ALL...

ON THE MOST SACRED NIGHT
OF THE YEAR:

THE NIGHT OF POWER.

THE PACE IS ALREADY FRANTIC.

AND JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE,

EHAB AND AMBULANCE DRIVER BASSAM
ARE FASTING.

HE WILL BE WORKING
ALL DAY WITHOUT FOOD OR DRINK

IN THE SCORCHING HEAT.

A WOMAN
HAS BEEN STRETCHERED OUT
AFTER COLLAPSING.

IT'S ONE
IN THE AFTERNOON.

AS THE TEMPERATURE RISES,

SO DOES THE NUMBER
OF CASUALTIES.

BUT HEAT, HUNGER,
AND DEHYDRATION

AREN'T THE ONLY PROBLEM.

THE SITE IS A POWERFUL DRAW.

AND SOME PEOPLE GO TO

EXTRAORDINARY LENGTHS
TO GET HERE.

INSIDE THE COMPOUND,
PARAMEDICS HAVE PICKED UP

A 20-YEAR-OLD WITH
A SEVERELY INJURED FOOT.

HE'S RUSHED OUT
TO EHAB'S AMBULANCE

TO BE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL.

THIS CASUALTY
IS A PALESTINIAN

FROM THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK.

THE ISRAELI
AUTHORITIES CONSIDER ALAQSA

TO BE A FLASHPOINT
FOR POLITICAL PROTESTS,

AND THERE HAVE BEEN VIOLENT
INCIDENTS OVER THE YEARS.

SO, ON THE HOLIEST DAYS
OF RAMADAN,

NO PALESTINIAN MEN
UNDER THE AGE OF 30

ARE ALLOWED ACCESS.

DENIED THE RIGHT
TO PRAY AT ALAQSA

AT THIS IMPORTANT TIME OF YEAR,

IT SEEMS THIS YOUNG WORSHIPPER

CLIMBED OVER THE CONTROVERSIAL
HIGH BARRIER

BUILT BY THE ISRAELI AUTHORITIES
IN AND AROUND THE WEST BANK.

AS A RESULT, HE HAS
SERIOUSLY HURT HIS FOOT.

EHAB'S BEEN VOLUNTEERING
FOR 10 YEARS

AND HE'S SEEN
MANY CASES LIKE THIS.

♪

BACK AT
THE RED CRESCENT DEPOT,

AFTER 14 HOURS WITHOUT
FOOD OR WATER... IT'S DUSK.

A FIREWORK
AUDIBLE ACROSS THE CITY

MARKS THE BREAKING
OF THE FAST...

AND FINALLY EHAB
AND THE PARAMEDICS CAN EAT.

EHAB'S LAST SHIFT
WILL BE

THE MOST CHALLENGING OF ALL...

BECAUSE TONIGHT IS
THE NIGHT OF POWER...

THE ANNIVERSARY, IT'S BELIEVED,

OF THE MOMENT
ALLAH BEGAN TO REVEAL

ISLAM'S HOLY BOOK,
THE QURAN, TO MOHAMMED.

IT'S THE BUSIEST NIGHT
OF RAMADAN.

OVER 350,000 PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED
TO COME TO AL AQSA TO PRAY.

KNOWING HOW HECTIC
IT'S GOING TO BE,

MORE PARAMEDICS ARE
ON CALL THAN USUAL.

AND BEFORE GOING OUT,
THEY ALL PRAY TOGETHER.

EHAB HAS 8 HOURS TO GO

UNTIL THE 4 A.M.
CALL TO PRAYER,

WHEN THE NIGHT OF POWER,
AND HIS WORK AT ALAQSA,

WILL BE OVER FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

IT'S BELIEVED
THAT A PRAYER TONIGHT

IS WORTH A THOUSAND MONTHS OF
DEVOTION AT ANY OTHER TIME.

SO, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF WORSHIPPERS

ARE SQUEEZED INTO THE COMPOUND.

AND ANY GOOD DEEDS
PERFORMED TONIGHT...

LIKE VOLUNTEERING... ARE ALSO
ESPECIALLY BLESSED.

THEIR FIRST CASUALTY
OF THE NIGHT IS A WOMAN

WHO HAS BEEN CRUSHED AGAINST
A WALL DURINGA CROWD SURGE.

HER WRIST
LOOKS BROKEN.

GETTING THE PATIENT
TO THE HOSPITAL

HAS GONE SMOOTHLY.

BUT AS THEY HEAD BACK TO
THEIR POST, THEY HIT TROUBLE.

THERE ARE NOW
SO MANY WORSHIPPERS

TRYING TO GET TO ALAQSA

THAT THE ROADS ARE
COMPLETELY GRIDLOCKED.

DESPITE THEIR LIGHTS
AND SIRENS, NO ONE IS BUDGING.

WITH CALLS COMING IN
ABOUT MULTIPLE CASUALTIES

CAUSED BY OVERCROWDING,

THEY NEED TO GET BACK.

FINALLY, THE TRAFFIC
MAKES WAY FOR THEM...

JUST IN TIME TO PICK UP
ANOTHER PATIENT.

THERE ARE STILL
3 HOURS TO GO.

AND AS THE WORSHIPPERS
KEEP COMING,

THE NUMBER OF CASUALTIES RISES.

AT LAST,
IT'S THE 4 A.M. CALL TO PRAYER.

EHAB AND BASSAM, ALONG WITH

THOUSANDS OF OTHER WORSHIPPERS
AT AL AQSA,

WELCOME A NEW DAY.

THE NIGHT OF POWER IS OVER.

♪