.
.
.
From textbooks to TV: Story of Hieun Tsang on DD soon
Tracing the journey of the earliest Chinese travelers—Fa Xian and Hieun Tsang—to India could be taken up as a joint production by state broadcasters Doordarshan and China Central Television (CCTV) in a growing sign of India-China bonhomie. The two countries are expected to sign an agreement with exchange of content through TV programmes, archival content and training in the forthcoming visit of PM Narendra Modi to China.
Sources said that the agreement will seek to leverage archives and exchange TV programmes on culture, education, science, agriculture, entertainment, sports, news and current affairs. Doordarshan has similar agreements with Australia and Germany for exchange of programming.
Officials said that content exchange will be on a gratis basis and allow for deeper understanding of the two cultures. "Buddhism is a significant thread that binds the two cultures and programmes to promote the religion, tourism in the two countries and better understanding of the diaspora could be looked at,'' a senior official said.
Apart from content exchange between the two broadcasters the two will also have joint productions on areas of mutual interest of which documentaries on travels of Fa Xian and Hieun Tsang are among the top priorities. This ties in with the deep symbolism of the Modi visit. Chinese president Xi Jinping will take the Indian leader on a tour of the iconic Wild Goose Pagoda built in sixth century in recognition of monk Hieun Tsang's contribution in popularising Buddhism.
The visit to the spiritual structure assumes significance as Tsang undertook a journey to India in 645 AD through the ancient Silk Road and returned home after a 17-year-long sojourn with precious Buddhist scriptures.
Training of programme and technical staff of the two broadcasters through exchange and bilateral visits will also be worked out.
