The Land Of Ahimsa: A New Vegan Documentary You Should Get Behind

November 3rd, 2022

The dairy industry is one of the cruelest in the world. Cows are forcefully impregnated, bulls have their semen extracted via electroejaculation, calves are forcefully torn away from their mothers – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

And, despite knowing that cows don’t magically just “give” us milk, we still continue to use dairy products.

India, unfortunately, is one of the largest producers and consumers of dairy globally. From festivals and weddings to religious rituals and home-cooked meals, milk finds its way on to Indian plates on a daily basis. Dairy is ingrained in our culture, and the constant demand for it creates a lifetime of pain and cruelty for cows and bulls – all while worshipping the cow as a mother.

This is the paradox we have to address. Ahimsa, or the spirit of non-violence, has its roots in Indian culture, but we don’t practice it when it comes to what we eat or wear – and a new documentary is about to change that.

A Film That Asks Viewers To Choose Kindness

The Land Of Ahimsa is an upcoming documentary produced by Texas-based ethical vegan and ahimsa activist Dolly Vyas and directed by Bollywood veteran Aryeman Ramsay. The film encourages viewers – both Indian and global – to embrace ahimsa, or non-violence, by avoiding the use of dairy, eggs, honey, meat, silk and leather.

“Inspiring viewers to adopt a vegan lifestyle will benefit their health and wellness, the state of the environment, and will reduce the unnecessary suffering of animals. Watching the film will make viewers feel motivated and empowered to change the world starting with the food they eat to the way they treat others.  Everyone has an inner activist who seeks truth and justice and this film will hopefully bring out this inner voice.”

Dolly Vyas, narrator and producer, The Land Of Ahimsa

The film traces Dolly Vyas on her journey (she also narrates the film), as she returns to her homeland after her vegan transformation.

Dolly's Vegan Journey

She turned vegan five years ago after listening to a speech by activist Gary Yourofsky, about the cruelty that animals are subjected to in the process of becoming our food. She went vegan overnight and hasn’t looked back since, saying she is no longer willing to ingest anxiety, grief and torture in her body.

For the past five years, she has become a voice for the voiceless, speaking at temples, on radio talk shows and at global conferences (including the Vegan India Conference). Her talks and presentations highlight how cruel and problematic animal agriculture and dairy are and the severe impact it has on our personal health and environment. Part of her mission is to get Indian temples around the world to take a no-dairy pledge – temples around the world are known to use ghee and milk in their rituals and kitchens, and Vyas wants temples to realise that the only way they can function as pure-ahimsa places of worship is by foregoing dairy altogether.

In-Depth Interviews With Eminent Activists

The filmmakers have interviewed plant-based doctors, athletes, animal rights activists, entrepreneurs, all in an effort to highlight the importance of choosing a vegan lifestyle and how easy it is to make the switch. Vyas has interviewed many eminent personalities, including R Madhavan (Bollywood actor), documentary filmmaker Keegan Kuhn (Cowspiracy, What The Health), Renee King-Sonnen (Founder, Rowdy Girl Sanctuary), Dr Will Tuttle (Activist and author of World Peace Diet) and many others, all of whom bring their unique perspectives and knowledge to the table.

To learn more about the film, and to contribute to the production, check out the Go Fund Me page here.

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