In parts of Nepal, there is little paying work available to untouchables. Forced to borrow small sums just to survive, they quickly become debt slaves to higher-caste people-and although the practice is illegal, it all too often represents the only chance Dalits have to obtain food. This program contrasts the lives of Bharat, who seeks emancipation through the assistance of a debt slave-turned-activist, and Ganga, who can picture no other future for...

Pete heads home to Europe, where he discovers some surprising rituals and sects, including underground New Age temples in Italy and Shamans in Norway.

A look at the traditional Upanayanam “coming of age” ceremony, where Hindu boys between the ages of 8 and 16 receive a sacred thread that symbolizes the start of their formal spiritual education. Dr. Siva Subramanian, founder of the Sri Siva Vishnu Temple in suburban Washington D.C., describes the elaborate rituals and chants in the two-day ceremony.

Like other major religions, Islam has a mystical branch, Sufism, which teaches many ways to experience spiritual union with the divine.One of those paths, dating from the 13th century, is dance: specifically the dancing of whirling dervishes, who were followers of the poet Rumi.Manjula Kumar, a program manager at the Smithsonian Institution, describes the origins and meaning of whirling dervish dancing.

According to Indian tradition, yoga is an ancient tradition that goes back directly to Lord Shiva. However, modern yoga, as it is practiced by tens of millions of people around the world, actually has its origins elsewhere. This documentary traces the origins of modern yoga to the life and work of Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, who pioneered Hatha Yoga. Exploring whether this form of yoga really has ancient roots, it also examines the balance between...

Straddling two worlds of Christian belief, Slovak churches are places where Byzantine and Roman Catholic religious traditions meet and merge. This video analyzes eastern- and western-style Slovak church design in two ways: first, it points out their underlying similarities by tracing their architectural roots back to their common ancestor, the basilica of ancient Rome; then, to explain their very visible differences, it follows the history of Christianity...

As the number of immigrants from southeast Asia increases, more and more Americans will come into contact with believers in Theravada Buddhism. This program, filmed in Thailand, looks at the life of the Buddha and traces the development of Buddhism in various countries. The program also describes the day-to-day lives of Buddhist priests as they counsel, teach, beg for alms, and meditate. The Buddhist emphasis upon compassion based on meditation offers...

Dan Rather Reports brings a follow-up to our investigation into the so-called "untouchables" and the courageous story of one woman who made it out, to America. Also, see an update on honor killings in the United Kingdom. Is the phenomenon spreading to the U.S.?

Filmed in Allahabad, this captivating program captures the 2001 Maha Kumbh festival, a 43-day event that drew tens of millions of devotees to the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and mythic Saraswati Rivers to honor the creation story of Hinduism and to pray for release from the cycle of reincarnation. The program provides a kaleidoscopic view of the pageants, rituals, and ceremonies that make up the festival, as well as the sadhus and sadhvis, pandits,...

A three-part series exploring the major religions the Far East and Middle East, covering: Confucianism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Shinto, Judaism, and Islam.