Thanks to the indefatigable Arvind Gupta, the TV serial Tamas broadcast by Doordarshan in the late 1980s is now available online. (including some commercial ads from those days!) Based on a novel by Bhisham Sahni on the partition of India, it hit the TV screens in the backdrop of Babri Masjid- Ramjanmabhoomi imbroglio and brings back memories of some very fine TV serials made at time- Shyam Benegal’s The Discovery of India, Gulzar’s Mirza Ghalib and Arvind N Das’s documentary India Invented based on DD Kosambi’s works. Happily all these are now available at youtube and/or google videos.
Even twenty years after it was broadcast, Tamas still touches a raw nerve and, sad to say, retains the relevance of its core message- the human cost of violence in general and of sectarian violence in particular. The last two decades seem to have been a re- enactment of the partition, this time in slow motion.
The more things change, the more they remain the same.
View part 1 of 5 of the serial at google videos (or click on the image above)
a reader's words 
this is great
i would cross post it on baithak
thanks
Thanks for cross posting!
Many thanks.
I will be cross-posting this on Jahane Rumi
Thanks for cross- posting, Raza!
thanks for the valuable links.
A big thanks to Arvind for uploading this classic!
Blogged!
Many thanks to AG and to you for this. I have searched many times in the past for Tamas. The music in the film was awesome (Vanraj Bhatia if I’m not mistaken). Two songs in particular, one a Sikh shabad and another, accompanying the mass suicide of Sikh women, are unforgettable. Long live…
me1084, Rama: This post has been consistently the most popular link on this blog since the day it was put up. It has been a happy surprise how many people on internet come here searching for Tamas.
Vinayak: Thanks for linking!
three novels in Hindi stand out in the post independence period – tamas by bhishm sahni, maila anchal by phanishwar nath renu and adha gaon by rahi masoom raza. all three bring out the tragedy of british rule in india and the heroism of simple people who fought against its iniquities which has gone unsung in traditional history writing. these three novels should be published together as a compendium to drive home to all and sundry the richness of hindi literature and the inhuman depths that british rule in india plumbed. tamas, however, takes the cake as far as story telling is concerned. the initial scene with the pig has remained etched in my memory ever since i read it.
Of course… and your comment makes me reach out for Raza’s Aadha Gaon lying half- read on my book shelf for a long time. Thanks for reminding !
It’s amazing how these videos are bringing memories closer. For many years, I couldn’t get an authentic recording of punjabi classic folk Challa (and trust me I looked everywhere) and now youtube has at least 3 authentic versions 🙂
That’s true!
God bless you all who have taken time to put all these classics on Internet. Life is worth living and watching all these great works. I would like to read it in New Zealand or online if someone can suggest any links please or availability.
I have today found Bharat Ek Khoj and Tamas. I shall be looking for some more but … OH…it has been a revealation.
Thanks again and God bless you.
Thanks for posting the Tamas serial. I have been looking for this great serial. The another serial is “Shrikant” starring Farukh Shekh. I hope that too i will get one day. Thanks for your time that you put in uploading the videos.
Great Job man! Can you try to put Discovery of India, too.
Discovery of India is already available at google videos.
i want to down load this movie can any one mail me da link
nikci_singh@yahoo.com
Is there a way I can download these videos?
yes, you can download simply by clicking the link and then on the top right screen, the download option will appear. You must, of course, have realplayer installed on your system.
sir,
i would like poses a copy of the mini TV series “TAMAS”,
since i am great fan of the writer Bhishma Sahani, please let me know where and how to get the DVD or CD’s of the series.
it will be a greate help,
Thank you.
Sir,
Thank you so much for this post…My father have been searching for this for years…I can’t thank you enough.
Jigish.
woosh! absolutely breathtaking. had been hunting for TAMAS since ages. God bless the venerated AG and many sincerest thanks from the deepest layers of the bottom of my heart.
ARE YAR OUR KOE SERIAL HAI TO PLEASE EMAIL TO
BAKI TAMAS KE LIYE THANKKKKSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS TU JIYO HARZARO SALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Thanks Brother for uploading this Gem Video. I have been searching this video from a long time……
Thank you very much! Been searching for very long time