Finding Your Roots

(upbeat theme music) (running water) -

Host

I wanted to take Deepak's family line back further in time to reclaim his even more distant ancestors. The search led to a holy site in India. Haridwar, meaning "Gateway to God", sits on the banks of the sacred Ganges River. Hindus and Sikhs have made pilgrimages here for centuries. Deepak himself came here to honor his parents. -

Deepak

I took the ashes of my father and mother to immerse them in the Ganges. When I went, I wrote to my grandchildren, not yet born, "One day you'll come here and you'll remember that I was thinking of you and the fragrance of your ancestors lingers here right now." -

Host

That's beautiful, man. But Deepak wasn't the first member of his family to make this pilgrimage. In Haridwar, pandit priests keep careful records of everyone who has visited the River Ganges and luckily for us, these records sometimes name their ancestors as well. -

Deepak

Moti Ram and Bhagwan Das are the sons of Karam Chand and grandsons of Dilbagh Rai's, great grandsons of Chavve Ram, 1864. You recognize any of those names? No. That document takes us further up your family tree, back to your sixth great grandfather. Did you ever think we could go back that far? No. (chuckles) I couldn't. Would you please turn the page? (page turning) And that's your direct paternal family, your father's line. Based on the information that we found in the scrolls at Haridwar. Totally fascinating. Looking at this gives me a feeling of awe, of reverence, of humility, but also magnificence. Magnificence? How? I'm the magnificent universe disguised as Deepak Chopra. (laughter) But this opens the door. That's right. Chopra's all the way.