Geography of Heaven Series Starts with Vrindavan

[Guest guest]

Geography of Heaven Series Starts with Vrindavan

NPR/National Geographic's "Radio Expeditions" Visits Heaven On

Earth - The Ancient Indian City Where Krishna Followers Believed He

Lived - In Three-Part Series Airing On "Morning Edition" October 31-

November 2

"Vrindavan" kicks off a long-term "Geography of Heaven" series,

airing over the coming year, that will explore the fundamental

beliefs shared by billions of people in India, China, Africa,

Pakistan and the United States."

NPR

10/25/2005 2:37:38 PM

 

Alex Chadwick Explores Vrindavan, India, and Its Role on Hindus'

Beliefs in the Afterlife

 

 

Washington, D.C. -- Is there really heaven on earth? For the latest

NPR/National Geographic "Radio Expeditions" series, "Geography of

Heaven," Alex Chadwick explores Vrindavan, India, an ancient town

south of Delhi that is regarded by devotees of the Hindu god Krishna

as the most sacred place on earth.

 

 

"Radio Expeditions: Geography of Heaven - Vrindavan" will air on

Morning Edition October 31, November 1 and November 2.

 

 

Using state-of-the-art digital stereo audio equipment, "Radio

Expeditions'" travels beyond the motorbikes and diesel engines of

21st century Vrindavan and ventures through the city's countless

shrines celebrating Krishna and inside the temples built by

maharajas to experience Krishna traditions and rituals during the

Hindu New Year.

 

 

Enriching the three-part series will be an extensive Radio

Expeditions section on NPR.org providing additional information,

photos, soundscapes and transcripts. Chadwick also shares his

Vrindavan experience in a feature in the November 2005 issue of

National Geographic magazine.

 

 

"Vrindavan" kicks off a long-term "Geography of Heaven" series,

airing over the coming year, that will explore the fundamental

beliefs shared by billions of people in India, China, Africa,

Pakistan and the United States. The series will explore what

different cultures and faiths believe about the afterlife and how

these beliefs drive their followers' daily existences. Among the

features in production is an examination of sacred mountains,

regarded as dwelling places of the divine, that will follow along on

a ritual pilgrimage to Kawa Karpo mountain in eastern Tibet.

 

 

NPR/National Geographic Radio Expeditions partnership, honored with

an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award, brings the farthest

corners of the world home to NPR listeners. The alliance combines

the best resources of the two organizations to focus on programming

that explores environmental, cultural, discovery and adventure

themes and brings to life innovative field research underway

worldwide. The Radio Expeditions team works closely with National

Geographic's Committee for Research and Exploration and the

Expeditions Council, and it has developed unique contacts with field

scientists and explorers around the world. In April, Radio

Expeditions broke one of the most significant environmental stories

of the year when it reported on the rediscovery of the ivory-billed

woodpecker, thought to be extinct for 60 years.

 

 

Radio Expeditions began in June 1992 and has literally traveled

around the world since then, providing monthly features for NPR's

Morning Edition. It has visited such locations as the North Pole,

the Sahara Desert, a Nez Perce Indian trail once followed by Lewis &

Clark and a forest in northern Congo, where a team of researchers

studied a mysterious ape.

 

 

In addition to his role as longtime correspondent for Radio

Expeditions, Chadwick hosts the NPR midday news magazine Day to Day.

Executive Producer for Radio Expeditions is Carolyn Jensen. "Radio

Expeditions: Geography of Heaven - Vrindavan" was recorded by Flawn

Williams and produced by Jensen.

 

 

NPR is renowned for journalistic excellence and standard-setting

news and entertainment programming. A privately supported, non-

profit, membership organization, NPR serves a growing audience of 26

million Americans each week in partnership with more than 780 public

radio stations. International partners in cable, satellite and short-

wave services make NPR programming accessible anywhere in the world.

With original online content and audio streaming, npr.org offers

hourly newscasts, special features and eight years of archived audio

and information.

 

 

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NPR

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