Aloko Udapadi

"Aloko Udapadi" ("Light Arose") is an Epic Film of the unswerving human effort to record for all time, a unique spiritual heritage. In 89 BC, King Walagamba of Sinhala kingdom (present day Sri Lanka), was troubled by power-hungry forces from within and from outside, which compelled him to abandon throne and flee with a hope of returning back to power. A severe drought and a subsequent famine assailed the land for 12 unbroken years. Buddhist Monks who perpetuated Lord Buddha's word by oral tradition, could not survive the harsh conditions. The monks were troubled both by the enemy and the famine. In these dark days, the loyal subjects protected their King. Enemy leaders killed each other for power and wealth. Well armed, the King dealt a deadly blow and regained the rule and brought back the freedom the natives lost. In peace and prosperity, the monks facing the challenge wrote down the oral tradition. The Buddha's compassionate teaching became an irreducible component of the whole of human culture. It is a story of how a smaller nation arose together to face off the darkest days of the history of the land.