Wildest India (2012–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Thar Desert: Sacred Sands - full transcript

(thrilling music)

- [Voiceover] India's great desert.

Baking heat,

desiccating winds,

and near-permanent drought

have earned this unforgiving
land another name,

the "Region of Death."

But this desert is full of life,

it's a hotspot for nature,

home to some of the toughest
and rarest creatures on Earth.

Millions of people live here, too.



It's the most crowded desert in the world.

Humans and animals

have forged incredible
alliances to survive.

This is no ordinary wilderness,

this is the Thar,

the desert of life.

(splendid music)

(engaging music)

The Thar Desert,

a land of contrasts.

Temperature soar to over 50 degrees C.

And less than five centimeters
of rain falls each year.

It's one of the harshest
places on the planet.

Yet somehow, life has
existed here for millennia,



and not just typically
tough desert characters.

Beyond the dunes, lies a
tapestry of landscapes,

woodlands,

desert scrub,

salt pans,

grassy plains,

dry forests,

and even cities.

These habitats provide homes

for an incredible array of animals.

Humans have flourished
here since the Stone Age,

tribes with colorful histories,

ancient traditions,

and a spiritual connection with nature.

The world's most crowded desert

is home to over 80 people
per square kilometer,

compared with just seven in the Sahara.

Together, people and animals
have changed the face

of this deserted landscape.

In some places, it's unrecognizable.

The cities are man-made oases,

perfect for light-fingered opportunists.

But with so many mouths to feed,

even here, life is tough.

All the desert inhabitants
struggle to find food and water.

Their lives dictated by heat and drought.

Despite the difficulty
simply trying to survive,

the Thar is still overcrowded.

And miraculously,

this scorched land continues
to support a wealth of life.

Exploring India's great desert
reveals its hidden secrets

and the unique spiritual
relationships that exist here.

On these sacred sands,

the lives of man and beast
are so closely entwined,

but they owe their survival to each other.

India's desert covers
200,000 square kilometers

across the far northwest of the country.

Taking in the states of
northern Gujarat and Rajasthan,

the desert engulfs 10%
of India's land mass

before sweeping north across
the border into Pakistan.

This border country is the empty heart

of an otherwise crowded desert.

It's effectively a giant dust bowl.

(serene music)

Billions of sand grains are whipped up

by a hundred kilometer an hour winds.

They form immense sand dunes,

some almost a kilometer high.

Some never stop moving,

others have stood for thousands of years.

Dune ridges ripple like waves

in a seemingly endless sea of sand.

With no shade or water,

few animals make their home
on these shifting sands.

(camel grunts)

This is a land of nomads.

Many of the region's tribes
move through the desert

in a constant search for water

and grazing for their livestock.

And every spring,

they travel from the
far corners of the Thar

to a small town at its heart,

Nagaur.

20,000 people gather

for the desert's largest livestock market,

the Nagaur fair.

They come to celebrate their
traditional way of life

and their ancient alliance with nature.

These people are farmers,

but with regular droughts,

they can't rely on crops
for food or income.

Instead, they owe their survival
to domesticated animals.

Because of this dependence
on animal farming,

the desert is home to
10 times more livestock

than anywhere else in India.

Camels are central to desert life

because they can
withstand the intense heat

and lack of water that
would kill other species.

Owners take great pride
in their precious animals.

With painstaking attention to detail,

they're transformed into
living works of art.

The Marwari horse is also highly valued.

Its unique smooth step that (mumbles)

enables the rider to travel
across sand in comfort.

Marwarl means "From the land of death."

Originally bred for desert warriors,

it's a warhorse of incredible stamina,

but can thrive with little food or water.

Desert people have always
shared their lives with animals

and relied on them for survival.

This has created an ingrain tradition

of respect for animals,

fundamental to life all over the Thar.

200 kilometers from Nagaur,

on the desert's eastern edge,

is the state's capital,

Jaipur.

(dance-like music)

It's another world.

A man-made oasis,

plumbed into deep water supplies

and fed by desert farms.

Jaipur is a desert in disguise.

Approaching three million people,

it's one of the fastest
growing places on the planet.

But people don't have
the city to themselves.

Animals threaten to take over the streets.

The most successful invaders

are Jaipur's monkeys.

Alongside humans,

rhesus macaques are the world's
most adaptable primates.

The urban jungle is full of opportunities.

There's great food

and plenty to drink.

Traditionally, macaques live in forests.

But as Jaipur has expanded
into their natural home,

they've adapted to city life.

40 street gangs now
terrorize the neighborhood.

(lively music)

But above Jaipur's hectic streets,

one macaque family occupies
a privileged position.

This is the 60-strong temple troop.

Though protected by a male,

it's the alpha female who's in charge.

Female macaques stay together for life

and to the core of the group.

This family thrives because
they live in a temple

dedicated to monkeys.

Every year, thousands of pilgrims

come here to worship Hanuman,

the monkey god.

According to Hindu religion,

Hanuman defeated evil,

and as a result,

all monkeys are considered sacred.

(bell rings)

The temple troop is treated like royalty.

Pilgrims show their respect for Hanuman

by feeding the macaques.

This is monkey heaven

where the family can afford to relax

and have fun.

(lively music)

Life will get harder in time.

When summer sets in,
the city will heat up,

supplies of food and water will dwindle,

and the troop will have
to fight for survival.

But spring is a time of plenty.

Pilgrims have enough food to be generous.

It's not just monkeys
that are sacred here.

90% of India's population is Hindu,

a religion that worships many animal gods.

Hindus believe that humans and animals

are one family,

so all creatures should
be treated with respect

and kindness.

And in the Thar,

that includes a creature much
of the world loves to hate.

300 kilometers northwest of Jaipur

is the isolated town of Deshnoke.

The city is famous for
its temple of nightmares.

It's crawling with rats.

Even today, rats spread bubonic plague,

salmonella, and tuberculosis
via infected fleas.

Seen as vermin worldwide,

rats are often killed on sight.

(bell rings)

But here,

they are revered.

Thousands of Hindus flock to the temple

to honor the miracle goddess,

Karni Mata.

The temple's rats are believed
to be Karni Mata's children

reincarnated in a rat's body.

They are known as kabbas.

The sight of a kabba brings goof luck.

Feeding the rats is an even greater honor.

Worshipers offer the rats a
sweetmeat known as prasad.

Flour, sugar, and
clarified butter are mixed

into huge quantities
in the temple kitchens.

Visiting the rat temple

is a once in a lifetime
experience for some.

Others come here every day.

Devdam is one of the temple elite.

He can trace his family
back to the goddess,

Karni Mata.

He believes that when he dies,

he will return here

reborn as a rat.

Three times a day he comes
to pray to his holy aunt

and share food with his relatives.

20,000 rats live a life
of luxury in the temple.

There's never been an
outbreak of disease here

even though people share food with rats

which is considered the ultimate honor.

Hindus believe people and animals

share an eternal journey.

Born as a human in this life,

you may be a rat in the next.

Such reverence isn't reserved for rats.

In another part of the desert,

scavengers get special treatment, too.

160 kilometers south of
Deshnoke's rat temple

is a city known as the
gateway to the desert,

Jodhpur.

It's dominated by one of India's
most impressive buildings,

Mehrangarh Fort,

also known as "Mountain of Birds."

Its battlements tower 120
meters above the city,

and they've been occupied for centuries.

(man calls out to the birds)

The fort is a stronghold
for birds of prey,

thanks to the people of Jodhpur.

(adventurous music)

In the fabled blue city,

raptors have long been protected.

Caring for the black kite population

is a task Latif Kerishi takes to heart.

Latif feeds the kites every day

as his family has done for generations.

It's a great honor.

Nurtured by the city,

the kites thrive in their desert fortress.

They share their home
with long-billed vultures

that nest on its battlements.

But India's vultures
haven't been so lucky.

Their numbers fell by 90% in recent years.

Accidentally poisoned by
a drug that is now banned.

Fewer vultures nest here now.

But Jodhpur's fort remains
a vital breeding ground.

Numbers are slowly recovering.

Vultures rise on thermals

and soar effortlessly above the blue city.

The streets below are
crowded with working animals.

Cows are sacred to Hindus

and cannot be eaten when they die.

Instead, they must be
respectfully disposed of.

Every day, carcasses are
wheeled to the edge of the city

where they're left to the scavengers.

Birds of prey are invaluable to society.

Vultures are fed.

In return, they clean up the city,

helping ensure disease doesn't get a grip.

Mehrangarh Fort isn't
only a haven for birds,

it's a sanctuary for another
of India's most sacred animals.

(monkey whoops)

Revered above all monkeys

is the Hanuman langur,

believed to be the living
incarnation of the monkey god.

This adaptable primate
can survive everywhere

from steaming jungles to frozen forests.

No other monkey lives in the
center of a parched desert.

Langurs know which
desert plants are edible

and get most of the moisture
they need from solid food.

But they also seize
man-made opportunities.

Every morning,

the family leave their trees
to take a trip into town.

Incredible acrobats,

they gracefully scale the rooftops

on their way to Mehrangarh Fort.

It's usually a good place

to get handouts from generous pilgrims.

But today,

there's a very different
welcoming committee.

(menacing music)

Rogue bachelor males patrol the ramparts.

Without a troop of their own,

they team up to try and steal one.

And they use force.

(monkey growls)

Troop takeovers can be brutal.

New males never adopt existing youngsters.

If they win,

they will kill the infants.

Mothers are desperate
to save their babies.

The bachelors dwarf the females,

but the sisterhood stands strong.

The alpha female shows incredible bravery,

she risks life and limb
to repel the attackers.

It's not their time yet.

The bachelors flee,

but they'll be back.

Male takeovers are part
and parcel of langur life.

The alpha male is only strong enough

to retain a troop for a few years.

Scarred from previous battles,

his days at the top are numbered.

With frequent droughts,

food shortages and fierce
fights between rivals troops,

desert life is a struggle for langurs.

But thanks to their holy status,

help is at hand.

Mr. Borana runs a charity

dedicated to caring for
Jodhpur's sacred monkeys.

After their bruising encounter,

the langurs are ready
to see a friendly face,

particularly when he's
handing out a feast.

Many of the langurs have known Mr. Borana

since they were born,

and they're not shy.

Though bananas aren't the
natural food of desert monkeys,

they're the troop's favorite.

The alpha female is wise
enough to know that Mr. Borana

is a lifeline for her family.

There's no risk of starvation here

despite the constant threat of drought.

In this desert community,

people take the welfare of
animals into their own hands.

Mr. Borana's devotion to these monkeys

has created a unique bond

between man and his primate cousins.

Langurs thrive

because of their close
relationship with humans.

But in the summer,

desert life gets tougher for everyone,

even holy monkeys.

Fed year-round,

Jodhpur's langurs are the lucky ones.

Their big city relatives
must steal to survive.

Jaipur is hot and hectic,

with millions to feed.

Summer drought cuts supplies to the city.

With less food to feed their families,

the pilgrims' handouts at
the monkey temple dry up.

But there's still plenty to eat downtown.

The temple troop is on
a mission to find food.

But in the blistering heat,

the youngsters take time out to cool down.

(lively music)

The rest of the family
is anxious to move on.

They've got a date with
Jaipur's central market.

(languid music)

For the hungry troop,

this is a banquet too tempting to resist.

The family moves into position.

From their rooftop vantage point,

they plan their strategy.

It's a slick, carefully
coordinated operation.

The thieves move with stealth and speed.

It's daylight robbery.

Hindus may worship monkeys,

but their patience is pushed to the limit

during the long, hot summer.

The city's bracing macaques
become a serious nuisance.

But the people of Jaipur
have a secret weapon,

(active music)

Dana Lao,

the monkey catcher.

Dana is employed to rid the
city of problem monkeys.

He knows where the troublemakers hide,

and he's one step ahead.

Macaques might be clever,

but it's hard to outsmart
the monkey catcher.

Dana Lao takes the problem
macaques on the return journey,

150 kilometers outside Jaipur,

to their ancestral home,

the Aravalli hills.

India's oldest mountain range

forms a natural barrier
to the Thar Desert,

running 800 kilometers
on its southeastern edge.

The ancient mountains are
a source of many rivers

and home to a rich diversity of life.

Rare creatures, like the sloth bear,

find refuge in these hills.

But to city-bred monkeys,

it's a shock to the system.

Having never experienced
life in the wild before,

they have a lot of adjusting to do.

They will have to relearn
the survival skills

of their forest ancestors.

Until then,

they'll have to make do
with a roadside snack.

The Aravalli hills are blessed with water,

but in the baking heat,

the forest is tinder-dry.

In the summer,

animals crowd the waterholes.

The sambar deer cakes himself in mud

as a way of keeping cool.

Female wild boar feel the heat, too,

especially with the
demands of thirsty piglets.

For many animals,

it's the breeding season.

Male sambar deer prepare for the rut.

Male peacocks are competing, too,

with beautiful displays.

Females prefer males with big tails.

But fabulous feathers can
attract deadly admirers.

This region is home to
India's most iconic predator.

All forest animals share a common enemy,

and they work together to try and survive.

Many eyes are alert to danger.

The neighbors operate
an early warning system.

(peacocks scream)

One of the langur troop
didn't make it to safety.

Down on the ground,

a monkey can provide an easy meal.

The Aravalli forest is home to around 30

of India's remaining 1500 Bengal tigers.

The Thar Desert provides a sanctuary

to many of India's native species.

And it also attracts visitors
from much further afield.

One migrates thousands of kilometers

from China and Russia to reach the desert.

On its epic journey,

it must scale the world's
highest mountains.

The Himalayas stretch for
2,400 kilometers across Asia.

The tallest peak rises
almost nine kilometers

above sea level,

Everest.

Everest is known in Tibet

as the mountain so high
no bird can fly over it.

But one remarkable species
has proved otherwise,

the demoiselle crane.

To escape Asia's bitter winters,

the cranes take on the planet's
ultimate mountain challenge.

These delicate-looking
birds find the strength

to battle freezing winds

and air so thin

they're literally starved of oxygen.

Flying alongside their
parents are juveniles

only recently fledged.

But their parents can't protect them

from masterful mountain predators.

(threatening music)

Golden eagles work in pairs
to hunt down the weak.

The flock is exhausted,

especially the youngsters.

Identifying a target,

the eagles close in at over
300 kilometers an hour.

They've little chance of escape.

This is the most perilous
leg of the crane's migration.

It's a miracle they
survived their journey.

The flocks fly 3,000 kilometers
nonstop in just seven days

to get here,

the tiny desert town of Khichan.

The town's people are honored
to welcome the survivors

and feed them throughout
their six-month stay.

Their generosity is a mark of
their respect for the cranes,

and it's justly rewarded.

9,000 cranes flock to Khichan,

one of the largest
congregations in the world.

It's a safe, warm place to winter

and there's enough food to
recover from their arduous trip.

In some countries,

cranes are shot and face extinction.

But here, they're protected.

The people of Khichan
consider it a privilege

to host these incredible migrants.

But it's not just animals
that are highly valued

in this desert region.

(gentle music)

There's something else so precious

people have died protecting it.

It's the ultimate desert survivor,

the Khejri tree.

Its nutritious leaves
are known as famine food,

lifesavers for animals and people.

During a 40-year famine,

people survived on its bark alone.

And it's central to the
lives of one unique tribe.

The Bishnoi live according
to 29 strict principles

to ensure they don't
harm any living thing,

most importantly, trees.

The Bishnoi depend on fires for cooking,

but it's forbidden to cut living wood.

They only ever collect dead branches.

A brutal event in history

united the Bishnoi and
the Khejri tree forever,

a tragedy that's never been forgotten.

Even today,

the village elders recount
the story of the 393.

300 years ago,

the Maharaja of Jodhpur
was building his vast fort.

He needed wood and sent loggers
to cut the Khejri trees.

When a brave villager,
Amrita Devi, protested,

she paid with her life.

Other villagers tried to
protect the trees, too.

But the loggers showed no mercy.

In total, 393 people were martyred.

It may sound like a myth,

but this massacre really happened.

The martyrs' legacy is a
tradition of conservation

among their descendants.

(bell rings)

The Bishnoi tribe are
considered the world's

first ecologists.

Wild animals flock to Bishnoi villages

because they're cared for
like one of the family.

Known as the guardians of the desert,

the Bishnoi protect large
areas of pristine habitat,

vital sanctuaries for native wildlife,

like the spiny-tailed lizard

often found living near Bishnoi villages.

It's known to eat the
beans of the Khejri tree.

Elsewhere, it's hunted
for meat and medicine.

Its only predator here is the tawny eagle.

(light music)

Blackbuck,

India's most elegant antelope

are rare outside Bishnoi land.

Herds of 10,000 once roamed the desert.

But numbers have crashed

due to poaching and competition
with livestock for grazing.

Its spiral antlers may look elegant,

but they're designed for combat.

(vigorous music)

Jousting follows well-established
rules to minimize injury.

But with weapons as
sharp as samurai swords,

fights can be deadly.

With the males preoccupied,

female blackbuck must be extra vigilant.

(veiled music)

Indian wolves patrol these grasslands.

Blackbuck are its natural prey.

But the antelope are one of
the world's fastest animals.

Reaching 80 kilometers an hour,

they're no easy catch.

A leaping herd proves
too much for a lone wolf.

The Thar is a stronghold
for the Indian wolf

which thrives in undisturbed areas.

The wolves live in
tightly-knit family groups

led by a dominant pair.

Once, they were widespread
across the country.

Now, fewer than 3,000 survive.

Sheep make easy prey.

And in some parts of India,

wolves have even hunted human children.

Understandably, this has made
them public enemy number one.

But Hindu tribes consider
killing wolves taboo.

Though still persecuted by some,

the Indian wolf is now
also protected by law.

(wolf howls)

The Thar is a home to a
surprising number of predators.

Indian foxes,

hyenas,

and the king of them all,

an animal that once rivaled the tiger.

At the far southern edge of the desert,

in Gujarat Gir Forest,

lives a predator normally
associated with Africa.

This parched forest is at its
most dangerous in the summer

when one of the world's
most formidable predators

has youngsters to feed.

Lifesaving water sources
become death traps.

This is lion country.

Females have cubs during the
hottest months of the year

when prey is forced to
visit drinking waterholes

and it's easy to make a kill.

(hostile music)

Indian lions can hunt successfully alone

using the cover of the trees

to get within striking distance.

Unlike their African cousins,

Indian lions have a thinner mane

and a long line of skin
running down their belly.

The Gir Forest is the last stronghold

of lions which once
roamed all over Europe,

Asia, and India.

After a century of big game hunting,

they were at the brink of extinction.

In 1900, there were just 20 lions left.

Now, there are around 500.

They owe their survival
to the Maldhari herdsmen

who gave up their ancestral homelands

to create a lion reserve.

With nothing but thorn
fences for protection,

the Maldhari's tolerance
with big cats is remarkable.

The Maldharis are Hindus

and consider the lion sacred.

They worship the man-lion,

Narasimha,

a supreme god.

Even though lions are
venturing outside the reserve,

the Maldhari continue to tolerate
their dangerous neighbor.

When the oppressive summer
heat is at its peak,

it's too hot to move.

Temperature soar to 50 degrees Centigrade.

Without a drop of rain, the
desert is gripped by drought.

The region's capital city, Jaipur,

feels the effects of
food and water shortages.

A temple troop is forced downtown

in search of something to eat.

Venerated monkeys reduced to rummaging

through rubbish with scraps.

They're thirsty, too,

but the city taps are padlocked.

Water supplies are drying out

even at the temple.

But the resident troop still
has one precious pool left.

At this time of year,
they're permanently on guard.

Given half a chance,

neighboring troops will
steal their prime territory.

In macaque society,

you have to defend your
home if you want to keep it.

The temple troop has lived
here in luxury for generations.

It's the main reason so many had survived.

But their rivals are closing in.

They'll do almost anything
to claim the temple

and its priceless water supplies.

The temple troop forms a defensive wall.

But desperation is a
powerful driving force.

The intruders take
their chance and attack.

They break the temple
troop's defensive lines.

Now anything's possible.

It's hard to know who's who.

Until the rival's dominant
male makes his move.

He attacks the alpha female.

It's a big mistake.

Her family leaps to her defense.

The big male turns tail and flees.

His troop follow suit.

Their attack crumbles.

The macaques cling on to the temple,

but one female suffered a terrible loss.

(grieving music)

Caught up in the fighting,

her baby has died.

A solemn mood settles
over the whole family,

they know something is wrong.

It's impossible to know
what the mother is thinking,

but she carries her baby around for hours

before finally letting go.

It's a confusing time for the youngsters.

And there'll be more deaths

if the rains don't arrive soon.

If they don't get enough food and water,

female macaques are sometimes forced

to abandon their babies.

For now, all they can
do is watch and wait.

After 10 months of drought,

the baking desert is rock-hard.

Suddenly, a change in the air.

The monsoon stirs.

Low pressure sucks moisture
laden air from the Indian Ocean

towards the Himalayas.

As it rises and cools,

heavy storm clouds
charged with electricity

finally release what's longed for.

(thunder roars)

The monsoon transforms the city.

A year's rain falls in a matter of hours.

(thunder roars)

It may be a lifesaver,

but the delude is a shock to
some of Jaipur's residents.

It's the same scene all over the Thar.

But the mood is changing.

(lively music)

The city streets flow like rivers.

Precious water is everywhere.

This is a time for celebration.

The monsoon is vital to all life here.

Within days, the desert is transformed.

Soils become fertile,

crops regrow.

Jaipur is quick to reap the benefits.

Fresh food and water
stocks are replenished.

Pilgrims return to the monkey temple.

And now, they have plenty to share.

The temple troop females will
not abandon their babies.

And there are new faces in the crowd.

At last, the family has time to groom

and renew old friendships.

For now the macaques can relax,

but survival in this harsh desert

will always be a struggle.

And with India's population booming,

and global temperatures rising,

life can only get harder.

The spiritual relationships that unite

the Thar's human and animal inhabitants

will increasingly shape their future

in the world's most crowded desert.

The Thar desert,

so harsh,

yet so full of life,

where animals and people have
always needed each other,

competition is fierce,

and the fight for
survival can be desperate.

But on these sacred sands,

the spirit of compassion saves lives.

The Thar is home to more creatures

than any other desert in the world

because its people

have a long tradition of respect

for nature.

(regal music)