Religious Content on Indian TV

I have always been quite fascinated with the religious content in Indian TV programming. Here are some examples:

Ahimsa and Himsa (Non-violence and violence) contained in 1 screen-shot: Within minutes of flicking on the TV I find religious content in children's cartoons. Here, in a Hindi Nickelodeon show, a fellow holds up a Shaiva yogi at gunpoint to get some boon-nectar that makes him into a giant and he then begins to terrorize locals.

More religious content in children's cartoons. Here, in a cartoon Network show, a Vaishnava devotee prays as his wife struggles in childbirth. Subsequently, the child is born...with a tail!!

Lord Buddha TV! Here the screen is split between images of the congregation chanting Pali, and images of Lord Buddha and Babasaheb Ambedkar, the latter of whom came out of Untouchable status by converting to Buddhism and inspired other Dalits to do the same. I spent some time with one such community in Gujurat in 2001 upon moving to India. Ambedkar also was the main author of the Indian constitution.

Babasaheb Ambedkar

A shrine with images of Lord Buddha, Babasaheb Ambedkar and another unknown to me...anyone recognize the fellow on the far left?

In addition to Hindu discourses that many channels feature, dramatizations of both of the Indian Epics are very popular and I also really enjoy watching them. I leapt up to catch a picture of Rama going after the golden deer (but missed it by mere moments!) as this was a key episode discussed at the recent annual U of T Shri Roop Lal Jain Studies lecture on oppositional Jain versions of, and responses to, the Ramayana presented by Prof. Eva De Clercq of Ghent University. Several Jain poet-commentators critique both the fantastic & apparently discordant elements in the narrative, such as multi-headed/armed demons, monkeys building a causeway to Lanka (both demons and monkeys altered by some to be types of humans), and harmful deeds by Rama (such as killing) despite his forest ascetic ahimsa/non-violence vows. Here the Rakshasa demon Ravana displays his multifarious form as he is about to abduct Rama's wife Sita while Rama is off chasing the deer.

Not to be left out, here is a Jain program with a singer praising the Jinas as various images are shown.   I love the radiance coming out of the 1st statue in all directions. 

Another fascinating TV phenomenon that I've noticed is that every time an actor is portrayed smoking, text appears for the duration of the scene saying "SMOKING/TOBACCO KILLS," and similarly when drug-use is shown a warning message is displayed. There are quite a lot of anti-smoking ads, and ads advising against subjecting others to passive smoking as well. Impressive.