Kal Penn Reacts to Family History in Finding Your Roots | Ancestry

In this clip from PBS' Finding Your Roots, Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. sits down with Kal Penn in an effort to strengthen Kal's connection to his Indian heritage, as well as to the story of his grandfather who marched alongside Mahatma Gandhi.
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00:00 Introduction
0:14 Kal Penn’s inspiring grandfather
0:52 Kal Penn’s connection to Gandhi
1:54 Kal Penn’s maternal roots traced back 9 generations

[@AncestryUS]

Want more celebrity content? Check out the new season of Who Do You Think You Are? Sundays at 7/6c on NBC or stream on Peacock. visitancestry.com/3Pfkvq5

[@Svengali764]

Ancestry in India is oral. Ask grandmother's. They know everyone and everything and everything about everyone in the family tree.

[@pratikking2272]

And they make shitloads of mistakes.

[@Geo_Che]

Native Americans are like this too, my mom knows everyone and who is related to us.

[@veronicanevarez22]

Lol

[@utkarshdubey3435]

@@pratikking2272 When theirs a Yagya or Havan, you'll hear them saying ancestry to few generations back, those are always right because they're important to be remembered for prayers. Idk about grandma 's though that could depend on grandma 🤷‍♂️ mine was usually right I checked with official records (Govt, British, and Vahi's) while I was compiling my family tree.

[@pratikking2272]

@@utkarshdubey3435 Human memory is very unreliable.

[@livijean1]

Wow, watching this after finding out he got engaged! Congrats on this amazing journey of family 💕

[@AncestryUS]

We're so glad you enjoyed this clip from the most recent episode with Kalm Penn! 😊

[@kevinoleary9361]

@@AncestryUS kalm penn? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@ankita209]

As a gujarati American like Kal Penn, this was wonderful to see. I thought it would be impossible trace back that far. Glad you were able to help Kal Penn.

[@panjabipandit]

Unfortunately, most people don't seem to know how well Hindus keep ancestral records. The names of ancestors are invoked during prayers and such. At each pilgrimage spot that also conducts cremations, a Hindu would find their family's genealogical records in bound books that are kept by the priests there. Every time someone in the family has a birth, death, or goes to pilgrimage there, they are tasked with finding the priest who upkeeps their records and updating the book. These books go back centuries and more often than not 10+ generations. You'd find the name of the ancestor, when they were born, when they died, where they were born, who they married, how many kids they have, etc. Hindus also track these lineages to prevent intermarrying. A 'Gotra' is tracked via the y-line (Paternal) and individuals belonging to the same gotra regardless of whether they have any known ancestors in common or not, live anywhere near each other or not, etc are not allowed to get married to each other. This is because whether they know it or not, they indeed have a common ancestor, and marrying each other would be consanguinity which is not allowed. It's a shame that many people assume genealogy and record keeping is a norm for Western societies, but not for others when in fact there are many Eastern societies that have been record-keeping long before Western civilization. Let's not forget that the oldest scripture in the world is in fact The Rigveda, the first book of the foundational text of Hinduism, The Vedas. We have a long history of record-keeping and writing. The issue is that foreigners like to believe we're savages and don't care to learn or look for said records.

[@vividfleurdelis]

Didn't know why the gotra was so relevant! Thanks for the explanation.

[@supremacy2040]

I feel sad that you still think that the majority of the world still thinks Hindus are savages. That may have been the go in the past, but enlightenment and nirvana and the whole Hindi/ Buddhist realms speak of higher beings not savages.

[@viditjain2653]

@@supremacy2040 they may not think of Hindus as savages anymore but they sure are ignorant to this day to most things and willingly skip over the core traditions or even un derstanding our culture as the guy mentions in the comment that they didn't care enough to figure out if there was an actual record book of Kal's lineage just in case.

[@Mulmulmist]

Yes true , my mother's side we have record since 17th century, kept by her side religious gurus

[@rishabhkumarT]

I was going to comment this too but you did it waayyyy to well.

[@sahilprashar567]

I like Kal Penn he is a nice guy. I hope to meet him one day in Whitecastle

[@jamilasalaam]

Aww hahaha come here to New Jersey, we have lots of white castles ☺️

[@god5535]

Come to think of it it is harold's ancestry as well...

[@AncestryUS]

That´s an interesting way to look at it! What secrets do you think Harold´s ancestry contains?

[@avishkumar8231]

CIA: Arabs & N Korea

[@Tyrin448]

@@avishkumar8231 😂😂😂😂😂

[@bonniemoerdyk9809]

Kal was my favorite on House MD. So cool they (Ancestry) found so much on his mother's side! Way to go Ancestry! Keep up the good work!

[@QUARTERMASTEREMI6]

I first got introduced to Kal Penn on House MD! It was so heartbreaking to see him leave the show, but now he's engaged! ❤️

[@shawnagrubb9958]

He was one of my favorite actors on House as well. I just wish they would have got him off the show a different way though.

[@AncestryUS]

We're so glad you enjoyed this weeks episode, Bonnie! 😊

[@amit4Bihar]

@@AncestryUS there are plenty of genealogy records in India, much more than USA or West. Only you need to consult the correct people, the pundits

[@aq5426]

And it means even more now that he's engaged to his true love. My best and fondest wishes to Kal and his fiance.

[@AncestryUS]

What a lovely sentiment, Camile! We're glad you enjoyed the clip. 😊

[@thenobleone-3384]

@@AncestryUS can I get tested again I was adopted and I don't know my family. Please

[@AncestryUS]

Thank you for reaching out to us. We are happy to help you with regards your query. The first thing that we would like to make clear is that you do not need to have any information about your family in order to take the AncestryDNA test. In fact many adoptees who know absolutely nothing about their biological family have been very successful finding biological family through our test. Note that we measure how closely two people are related using units of measurement called centimorgans. The number of centimorgans we report is our estimate of the amount of shared DNA we can attribute to a recent shared ancestor. Therefore no prior knowledge of family is necessary in order to find biological family through our DNA test. The article linked below should help you better understand how the AncestryDNA test, but your matches in particular, could help you locate biological family. We hope this helps! How We Measure Relationships between AncestryDNA Matches: support.ancestry.com/s/article/Measuring-Relatedness?language=en_US Finding Biological Family: support.ancestry.com/s/article/Finding-Biological-Family?language=en_US Making the Most of AncestryDNA Matches: support.ancestry.com/s/article/Making-the-Most-of-AncestryDNA-Matches?language=en_US

[@thenobleone-3384]

@@AncestryUS I have tested before I will test when y'all give deals or have promos I am interested in my ancestry percentages and finding my family

[@shaunhawkins44]

@@tobehonest7541 exactly the bloodline will die with him

[@nunyabiz6925]

Dr. Gates is awesome . I just admire him and he has such empathy and is the perfect host for this series.

[@NotTheGoddess]

In India, history is oral and precedes contemporary governing systems. The only reliable written family history for North Indian Hindus is those with pandits on the ghats of Varanasi have family details that go back centuries. The best way to get that info is to find out your paternal and maternal village and tell them of the same. It’s the Ghat where Hindus are cremated and where it’s said that souls find peace. The pandits there have been doing this for generations so they have the list of everyone who has ever gone there for cremating their dead.

[@DeepVerma728]

Speak for yourself.

[@sincerelytoulouse7432]

As an Indo-Caribbean I don’t even know if this would be possible for me to trace back but this was so beautiful.

[@ksbfun]

Man that is cool to see 9 generations of the family. A lot of history is there in that itself. I remember when I would go to my Dads village somewhere in southern India and over their we had graves of all our ancestors and it was interesting to learn their names and how the farmland we still have are taken care of by them

[@AncestryUS]

Its wonderful to hear that you were able to learn so much about your family history Karan. Thanks so much for stopping by, we hope you enjoyed the video!

[@cg8397]

Don't Hindus in South India usually cremate their deceased family members?

[@yj9032]

There are quite detailed genealogy archives in Haridwar and Varanasi

[@gauravsolanki4794]

Yep.

[@yayadolmo]

Fascinating!!!!

[@Merio_TheMerrier]

What a coincidence! I was watching his works nowadays. Good for him that he was able to so his old roots 😌

[@AncestryUS]

Thanks for taking a closer look, Irem OZ! It's another fantastic episode that examines Kal's Indian Heritage and historical links to Gandhi . Have you a favorite film of Kal's ? We hope that you have enjoyed learning a little more and that you have had similar success in your own research! Stop by and see us again anytime you need us. 🌳

[@imari2305]

Wow to be able to trace your family all the way back to 1700! Kal was emotional and I felt that for him.

[@SamStone1964]

Set up a tree on Ancestry etc and you'll likely trace back to the 1500s.

[@AncestryUS]

We're happy to share these stories with everyone, Bonnie. We're glad you enjoyed it and hope that you'll learn more about your own family lines.

[@CoyoteDuran1]

*This was such a wonderful find and revelation. SO happy for Kalpen and many thanks to Dr. Gates!*

[@calikellyr]

I loved it when the young man said it makes him feel more global; and as an American, we are all from somewhere. So very true.

[@ertavampy4622]

Its kind of gross how everyone is saying this when Native Americans are still here they arent extinct.

[@AncestryUS]

We're glad you enjoyed the video! Thank you for sharing with us.

[@antonettedollete2458]

I am deeply touched with their stories. How wonderful to be connected with one's root.

[@AncestryUS]

We appreciate your comment, Antonette, we're delighted that you've found this touching. Thanks for sharing we hope you have a good week ahead! 😊

[@web_devs]

"That's a whole lot of Butts" - Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr.

[@AncestryUS]

We wish you the best, Alex. Keep researching and learning what you can. Find out what other family members know and what you can add that way. We know your hard work will pay off. Please let us know as you find out new facts about your family's history.

[@Stevebaby123]

He seems so nice. Happy to hear of his engagement.

[@TheeSugaShane]

Such a blessings to be able to go that far back!!

[@AncestryUS]

Hi, Shane. Thanks for getting in touch. We agree. It's amazing to be able to go back so many generations and learn about your family history.

[@kaydrelia48]

Do you guys have any episodes with people tracing their ancestry through the early native Americans and pueblo people when Spain came through Mexico? I never see anyone who has that type of ancestry on these shows, would love to see it!

[@AncestryUS]

Thanks for your feedback, kaydrelia! We can certainly forward this on for you, we're committed to highlighting the untold stories of people throughout history from diverse backgrounds. If you'd like to check out other Finding Your Roots clips, please don't hesitate to check out our playlist here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqi2dGOcm8xon7s Thanks!

[@Brandy_j5]

These episodes always gets me emotional

[@RussellMills1877]

It's great that this man was able to get help to find his ancestors names and where his family is from. And on a side note I have a you tube channel type in Russell Mills May 22, 2017.

[@truthseeker3404]

My family has oral and written history going back 40 generations !! Not just that. Every of those 40 generations can be described by their physical, color features, temperament, careers and disabilities. Like my 7 great grand father cut a British officers throat before losing his 3 fingers while protecting a minor girl that the Britisher tried to rape ! Another grand mother came from wealthy family that owned 300 horses at the time for the king of rajasthan. And so many such amazing history. It's now all thoroughly written and copies handed down to government archives, the priests, the extended families ranging throughout the world from US to Germany and even to one living in Greenland (possibly the only indian there)

[@Austenite762]

Of course one of your ancestor was wealthy,the fact that you have a written history and also descriptios, I mean my family also has oral history of about 15 generatios, but it was my father generation that finally wrote it down . I guess because my Grandfather was the first one in the family who got a formal education. I mean it's quite wonderful that even if a family was not educated and rich, they still passed down the lineage records orally

[@EclectickMusic]

Very few people have made me laugh as much as this man. Seems such a warm and genuine person too. Long may his success and happiness continue

[@andreas.4764]

I knew Kal in high school & he was one of the funniest, kindest people. It’s not an act - it’s 100% true. I’m so happy for his successes.

[@AncestryUS]

We're glad you enjoyed the video!

[@francadifalco949]

Oh I love the name Bhatt because I was healed in India with Ayuveric medicine for fistula by a Doctor who is so amazing and takes care of his patients his name is Dr. Ramesh Bhat in Bangalore. I’ll never forget him or how the Indians treated me never.

[@MaitriNancyLivingCoCreatively]

Amazing. Bless the Grandmothers.

[@swanqueen]

THAT'S A WHOLE LOT OF BHATTS! 😁 So exciting for him so be able to find so many of his ancestors! 💜

[@lightboi9752]

In south india we have another way.... every family has a family diety and also a family village and a family gotra. So every person who has these things same as you is related to you in some way..... Also we have another genealogical record called "grand mother" who knows everything about the family...

[@pattywilliams788]

Awesomeness! These stories never fail to touch me.

[@AncestryUS]

We agree 💯, Patty! The great news is that this long running show has so many different stories to explore and we look forward to each and every new season. Have you tried out family history research yourself or is it on your to do list for the future? 🌳

[@pattywilliams788]

@@AncestryUS I haven’t made any definite plans but it is something I’d like to explore.

[@AncestryUS]

Great to hear!

[@jona.scholt4362]

I was lucky enough to trace my ancestry, in my paternal line, back to my 9x great grandfather in The Netherlands to the early 1600s and the creation of our family name. It was pretty awesome to see back to the one who started it all for our family.

[@AncestryUS]

That's quite impressive, Jon! It can sometimes be difficult to uncover information going further back in time but we're delighted that you've managed to learn these details about your family history. We wish you continued success with your research going forward too!

[@big.brained.creature]

It’s nice to know people so far down your ancestry, isn’t it?

[@mytravls]

I know 2 gems before my dad. Last year my dad shared a chart of 4 more generations before his grandad. All registered in india.

[@tikramsingh3851]

Chota(small) lal was like a go-to name for the youngest son those days😂

[@iTammy]

We want the Designated Surviver back!! I love that serie so much!! Does anybody know if they gonna air the show again somewhere in the future? 😬

[@lillyyarney67]

same they did us dirty I want more

[@TheSatyamsingham]

Same for me , i have learnt names of my last 10 generation of family, during chat puja there names are called and prayed (I think) in sort of a poem way

[@raivolution]

I tried to do that for my wedding and only went up to 4. Amazing job.

[@sashac7002]

Wow, I'm surprised they were able to do this for someone Desi.

[@mariomouse8265]

I’d be impressed if they did this for someone Chinese.

[@god5535]

I was going to say Yanomamo to one up... but then I realized many remote ethnic groups have excellent oral tradition that preserves the generation brand. For instance, when I was kid I memorized names up to 7 generation...

[@shantanupandey5565]

He is not Desi. A Desi is someone who considers themselves as an Indian first irrespective of where they reside. Kal Penn is a thorough American. He infact confirms the same towards the end. I suppose, he isn't quite proud of his Indian heritage.

[@genxx2724]

Did you mean you’re happy and excited to see your ethnicity?

[@kotaniyumiko]

@@shantanupandey5565 He is Desi AND American and there's NOTHING you can do about it.

[@alexf9901]

I would love to have this done for my family. We have done a lot of research but are stuck on one family member and more assistance would really help to crack our family code.

[@SamStone1964]

Have your DNA tested and set up a tree on Ancestry.

[@AncestryUS]

Thank you for sharing with us!

[@dicedragon1200]

i need this cost to much

[@AncestryUS]

Hi there! We appreciate your feedback. We're grateful for the opportunity to advise that we have sales and discounts throughout the year, that you'll be able to look out for on our website, as well as our social media channels, and by signing up to our promotional newsletter here: support.ancestry.com/s/article/Signing-up-for-Promotional-Emails-from-Ancestry We're also casting for an Ancestry TV show at the moment, in case you'd like to apply! If that's of interest, we'll pop a link below where you can upload a video application. We hope this helps a little, and we wish you the very best in your research! Link: ancestrysubmissions.com/stories

[@jamielynngearheart9969]

I gotten back as 3rd ggg grandparents. Thanks to Ancestry

[@SARGENTO007A]

What a beautiful reflection.

[@mytravls]

1:47 Geneology in india is simple. Just speak to the family members on either parents side or go to places like haridwar where people register themselves after a person dies in the family.

[@kristoffarrell6899]

Hy heritage is from Punjab India and I have some orally passed down names but much about them is unknown. I do know being of the tanner caste, they were considered untouchable and often abused and denied opportunities to make much progress by higher castes individuals. Such abuse stems from Hinduism which is loaded with traditions thay support inequity within society and family structures. So what I dont know I can estimate and where we are now is travelling at a fast pace beyond those acts of indecent behaviours on others by others who claimed superiority. Gandhi was nothing more than a fighter for independence in a passive way and wanted to maintain social inequality. His greatness has been over exaggerated by those who benefited by doing so to maintain their access to best resources and opportunities in India. That world is falling away, but not fast enough. Ambedkar an untouchable was a true hero of India, his achievements and ideals are the bedrock of the only way India can ever be a true great.

[@lemonlime623]

That has to be the best response of patriotism I've ever heard, and can fiercely relate to - I'm so proud to be from my birth country, but my home country is the US, through and through. It makes me feel like a citizen of the world, not just from two awesome countries.

[@AncestryUS]

Hi Eline. Thanks for stopping by to check out this short excerpt from another eye opening episode of Finding Your Roots with the one and only Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr! ❤️ We're so pleased that you value the sentiments expressed by Kal and can relate. Should you like to check out availability of full episodes in your area then click here to head over to the PBS website to learn more : www.pbs.org/weta/finding-your-roots . Thanks again and please let us know if you ever need our team's support in your own research project.🌳

[@NikkiNishaNia111]

Wow that's so cool to be able to find this many ancestors in India. I would like to see Ancestry find a person's ancestors in Sri Lanka. A lot of documents are non-existent due to the war, but it'll be nice to see.

[@infiltratebird9869]

That's so true!

[@line_inthe_sand2569]

This is the generation to do it. There are still people alive from the 1910s, how cool is that !!!

[@ThatGuy-wz3or]

As a proud and patriotic 1st generation Indian American your answer to 3:06 made me tear up!!!!

[@AncestryUS]

Hi there, we are glad that you enjoyed the video. Have you had the chance to dive into your own family history?

[@raineynight]

Boy I wish I could have this done! Amazin!

[@SamStone1964]

Have your DNA tested and set up a tree on Ancestry.

[@allisonwalker4205]

Wow. So many negative comments. Don't think he cares, but it's interesting to know you spent time hating someone who doesn't even know YOU exist. 😏🤣 Much success to this gentleman.

[@nomindnomatter874]

Alya aato aapda walo che ....♥️♥️ Maza ayi gai

[@lm406]

This made my hair stand up.

[@acsaalice7581]

What is the name of the song that plays in the begining?

[@kavithajoseph88]

REALLY appreciate this as I never thought an Indian would get to know ancestry past our grandparents lol. Thank you!

[@meetankush]

What a sorry thing to say. Fortunately, your experience are certainly handful of such episodes. Rest of the people have elaborate familial history all accounted for in paper and in blood.

[@kavithajoseph88]

@@meetankush well I’m glad other ppl have better experience than myself

[@meetankush]

@@kavithajoseph88 Which is nice, right? I am sure people other than me have better experiences in life and I am happy for them. Not too curious, but I do wonder if it was on purpose that your family doesn't talk about people older than grandparents. Pretty sure your family's ways were quite different 7 generations ago.

[@PARTHASARATHISAMANTARAY]

Find the last hindu/jain person in your family hirarchy and goto haridwar , you will be able to find to your earlier generation names. or find a family chain only if they are hindu/jain ask elders ( one has to say min. 7 generation during many pujas)

[@AncestryUS]

Hi Kavitha, we are glad that you enjoyed this clip. Have you had the chance to dive into your family history?

[@audibletapehiss3764]

I love what he said about feeling more American with new knowledge of his family history. That's what people miss. Connecting with your own roots, and embracing the cultural roots of others is what America is actually f***ing about.

[@mokshvashisht8428]

well, if you really wanted to dig deep you could have gone to Haridwar. They are keeping a record of Ancestry for way over a couple of century

[@RamaLama1313]

9 generations!!! That’s amazing! I’m jelly

[@AncestryUS]

Thanks for stopping by, Amar! We are thrilled you have enjoyed this episode!

[@hestergreen2031]

So very amazing this discovery. I would love to discover who my paternal parents were. The only thing I was ever told was they came to the USA from Lithuanian. Never spoke any English. So. They conversed with their children in their native tongue. The kids learned to speak Lithuanian and English. They grew up in Portchester, NY. This is where I it ends.

[@jacobpaint]

Do they find more information than just the list of name? In India that’s probably more than most people could do but for a program like this it seems like they would have had more if they made a whole episode based on his heritage.

[@TopGHippie]

If they look into his caste and listen to the stories told in the village, they can get lots of material. Source: I'm Indian

[@AncestryUS]

Hi, Jacob. Thanks for reaching out. We hope you enjoyed this small part of 'Finding Your Roots.' We just want it to be clear that this is just a small clip of the full episode. To get an idea of all of the research, we encourage you to watch the full episode.

[@panjabipandit]

Unfortunately, most people don't seem to know how well Hindus keep ancestral records. The names of ancestors are invoked during prayers and such. At each pilgrimage spot that also conducts cremations, a Hindu would find their families genealogical records in bound books that are upkept by the priests there. Everytime someone in the family has a birth, death or goes to pilgrimage there, they are tasked with finding the priest who upkeeps their records and updating the book. These books go back cenutries and more often than not 10+ generations. Hindus also track these lineages to prevent intermarrying. A 'Gotra' is tracked via the y-line (Paternal) and individuals belonging to the same gotra regardless of whether they have any known ancestors in common or not, live anywhere near each other or not, etc are not allowed to get married to each other. This is because whether they know it or not, they indeed have a common ancestors and marrying each other would be cosanguinity which is not allowed. So yes, they could have easily found more than a name, but the issue is that they don't know much about Indians let alone Hindus and how meticulous they are when it comes to these things especially record keeping, in order to find it for this show. Those of us who are Hindus however, do know how to find them and I'd expect Kal does as well. After all, this is just a show for entertainment I suppose.

[@TopGHippie]

@@panjabipandit We need an Indian show like this

[@usaintltrade]

AMAZING

[@AncestryUS]

We hope you enjoyed the clip, Danny!

[@JustAThought155]

Wow! He’s from my area!!!

[@jaiminsharma]

Kumar has come a long way😉.... So good to see you thrive bud.... Oh and Harold is the lead in Cowboy Bebop

[@deemcc7784]

Amod is huge!

[@applesoranges559]

That was just so beautiful 🌍🎩👏 ..

[@AncestryUS]

We are glad to see that you enjoyed the video.

[@jyotirmysharma8505]

Dude, just find an indian's family bahikhaata and u can trace ur ancestors literally hundreds of years

[@anononnl]

Love Kal Penn!

[@trippynoor7550]

It sucks because I’m interested in my family history in Pakistan but alot of my family members have passed away at relatively young ages like 45-50 years old so there’s no one to ask anymore and a lot of their records are written in old Qurans I don’t have access to.

[@AncestryUS]

Hi, Trippy. Thanks for getting in touch. We understand how difficult some research can be. We know it can be hard to find information when you don't have people to ask. We have an article that may have some tips to help you. support.ancestry.com/s/article/Overcoming-Roadblocks-in-Your-Research?language=en_US

[@ireneray7593]

Can I order a kit from ancestry without having to visit anyone in person? I have no way to travel. I have a subscription to Ancestry. How can I pay a kit? Are the kits on special now? I would like to know ASAP.

[@AncestryUS]

Thanks for getting in touch, Irene! We're grateful for your interest in our DNA test and we're always happy to help. We appreciate the opportunity to advise that a DNA test can be ordered and shipped directly to you from our website. Once you register your kit online and provide your sample, all you'll need to do is mail the sample back to us. We don't have any special offers on right now, but we'll link some further information on ordering a test from us, and what to anticipate from the service, below for your convenience. We hope this helps a little, and we wish you a wonderful day too! Link: support.ancestry.com/s/article/Purchasing-an-AncestryDNA-Kit Link: support.ancestry.com/s/article/What-to-Expect-from-AncestryDNA

[@taevans4]

Love this!! Americans aren’t from America. We are all from the world.

[@Kim-mz8co]

Cool Guy. And, congratulations on the engagement with Josh!

[@AncestryUS]

Thanks so much for tuning in, Kim - we hope you enjoyed the clip! 🌱😊

[@waleedelephantboy1796]

I have a great grandmother named Bibi Jahora Gulam Maydin who is born to an Indian Muslim Father and Malay mother. She appears exactly like a mixed Indian-Malay descent lady. One of the uncles at the mosque in Dunlop Street her dad came from Nagore Nagapattinam. and My grandmother can’t remember and don’t know much about her maternal grandfathers heritage

[@darlenefarmer5921]

Nice!

[@shubhanshujain752]

India has a rich historical oral tradition. Ramayana, Mahabharata, Vedas, and Puranas are some of the greatest examples of this tradition.

[@AncestryUS]

Thank you for sharing with us.

[@yj9032]

It is time we document in one and paper as today’s generation is not interested in carrying forward such traditions.

[@joefromravenna]

One of the more amusing discoveries in our genealogy was to discover that my sister married a possible cousin, albeit 10th cousin at that. Our 8th great grandmother maiden name is same as my sisters married name: Anna H.

[@AncestryUS]

Thanks for sharing, Joe! That must have been quite unusual to come across, but we hope you've enjoyed sharing this story with your family.

[@joefromravenna]

At first my sister was like why are you saying i married a cousin. A couple months later i brought it up again and she laughed about it. I think she spent time thinking about things they shared.

[@11Khalid11]

You know you're cool when you can say "I hung a photo of Gandhi with my grandfather in my office in the White House"

[@Jude107c]

And thanks to his movie ’Harold and Kumar’, he’s the Bhatt of all jokes.

[@Happy_HIbiscus]

dude, this is cool

[@dragonplayz6606]

best ep

[@AncestryUS]

We are happy that you enjoyed the video! Have you done any family history research?

[@dragonplayz6606]

@@AncestryUS Goan I think

[@hollyshaw2699]

[@AncestryUS]

We're so glad you enjoyed it, Holly! 😊

[@Ty-vj4wg]

Amazing!

[@recipesandsongs8050]

@ancestry cant you do something about indian records?

[@AncestryUS]

Hi there! Thanks very much for watching, and for your question as well. We do have some records from India that you can check out here: www.ancestry.com/search/collections/catalog/?location=5112_1652396 We are constantly searching for new records that will help our subscribers find their ancestors. There are many factors that go into selecting records to be added to the site. We prioritize our search based on what subscribers tell us they need the most. Please note that, once found, not all records are available to us from the archive or repository that holds them. If you have any suggestions for records you'd like to see on our site, we'd be delighted to hear from you, and you'll be able to submit your feedback here: ancestry.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eaMJAIOG9lwk709 Thanks again for your query!

[@Morew_92]

I’m born in India but adopted. Unfortunately limited access to my ancestral history. I’ve taken multiple dna-tests including Ancestry, but nothing 😢

[@iceybrice]

Love Kal Penn

[@chrisxavier3147]

Amazing guy

[@Winkmyster]

I remember watching him in Harold and Kumar when I was a kid, just laughing at the ridiculousness of their adventures. Now I'm older and I'm just like: "Who is Kal Penn really?"

[@forreal2398]

The problem with shows like this is most often they do this for people, celebrities that can easily afford to have this done for them. They should do it for the average person.

[@AjayKumar-hh6hx]

actually, genealogy and dna mapping are affordable.

[@SamStone1964]

DNA testing is less than $100.

[@jonschaffer4410]

It’s pretty cool I’ve gotten to the 1500!

[@AncestryUS]

Great to hear!

[@eastportland]

As always, great work. Too brief, obviously. Can I just remind you that we don't *all* come from somewhere else, unless you're considering dozens of millennia.

[@Riccardocampagnieri]

Ancestry here in India is also written. Check out the Barots, keepers of genealogical records that possess these records for centuries.

[@AncestryUS]

Thank you so much for sharing, Virendrasinh! Have you done much research into your own family history?

[@outerspacedev]

I believe they misspoke when suggesting that "We are all from somewhere else". This negates so many people's histories...and it does seem trite.

[@demonicangel6486]

Just watching Harold and Kumar vid and I'm watching this

[@AncestryUS]

What a coincidence, Demonic Angel! Dr Gates once again provides amazing insights into the past in this episode that centers on Kal's heritage. When you're finished watching the film, you might like to see if full episodes of this show are scheduled to watch in your area. Click here to check it out on the PBS site www.pbs.org/weta/finding-your-roots . Thanks for visiting us and please call on our team anytime you need us.🌳

[@mayena]

0:17-0:19 Montclair, New Jersey.

[@shanemathews4177]

This is my favourite one I have Indian background

[@AncestryUS]

Hi, Shane. Thanks for commenting. We thought this was a great segment of 'Finding Your Roots.' We're so happy you enjoyed it.

[@shanemathews4177]

@@AncestryUS I'm part Indian and European...my European background is relatively well documented ancestry, compared to my East Indian background. This small clip really spoke to me.

[@matthew-hn7yz]

that bit of research he just got, how much did that cost?

[@meetankush]

That research was quite unnecessary since Kalpen Patel's family history is well documented in Indian cities like Haridwar and Varanasi. Ancestry is trying to sell you mustard for the price of gold.

[@vaishnavnegi9640]

Not surprising as Bhatts are generally brahmins and they do keep records, not only theirs but also their 'jajmans' or clients.

[@sukimala]

can you guys help with the chinese that went to cuba !? i don’t know a thing about my great-grandfather 💔 🥺 .

[@AncestryUS]

Hi, Suki. We have a great article that has some great tips on ways to get past that brick wall in your research. You can access that here: support.ancestry.com/s/article/Brick-Wall-Solutions

[@HairyGay]

how good and deep are your native american records?

[@AncestryUS]

Hi there, thanks so much for stopping by. We do indeed have a number of databases on Ancestry which can help in tracing Native American ancestral lines. We have linked an article from our support site below which has some great information on this specific research should you wish to take a look: support.ancestry.com/s/article/Researching-Native-American-Ancestors?language=en_US We hope this helps!

[@MrAllmightyCornholioz]

SHIVA BLESS KAL PENN