Cruising through Kerela

This week has been a whirlwind of activity and amazing places. We continually moved through Kerala after a sad departure from our beloved beach in Goa. Thankfully the trip to Kerala consisted of our last overnight train. Fourteen after leaving Goa, we arrived at Noah’s Art homestay and were greeted with delitious mango juice!

Kerala is lovely and clean, surrounding our homestay were many vintage shops and art galleries as well as a cafe that served banana and chocolate cream pie. Our second day in Kerala was a busy one. We had two lectures in the morning. The professors were gracious enough to give up their Sunday to talk to us about Keralan social development and migration.

We then headed to Jew Town in downtown Cochin where we visited our first synagouge of the trip, with very strict rules. The tiles in the synagogue were over one thousand years old and improted from China. For lunch many of us enjoyed a Jew Town Club sandwhich from a local cafe.

After shopping and a breif rest, we headed to the local cultural centre for a dance and martial arts performance. This was our first theatre of the trip. We saw three different types of dancing:…. Indian theatre consists a lot of eye movement and hand gestures. Everyone in the group was trying to move their eyebrows and eyes like the performers after the dance, none of us were quite able to master the technique.

The next morning we drove to our houseboat! We arrived just in time to have a great afternoon of lounging in the sun, watching the water lillies and palm trees pass by as we sailed. Some of us were even allowed to steer the boat. We docked for the night and everyone came out onto the balcony and talked about dreams and favourite memories under the clear night sky.

We were sad to leave the next morning as we were headed to Amma, the Hugging Mother’s ashram in Amrittapuri. Amma’s ashram can house up to four thousand at time. Amma is beleived to be the divine incarnate of the Mother Goddess. When at her ashram, she can perform up too ten thousand acts of darshan, hugs a day. Amma is currently on her European tour and was not at the ashram, but we still got a great sense of who Amma is. Through videos, talking to resident Ammites, a swami, and seeing the sheer amount of social programs Amma has implimented through her NGO, Embracing the World.

During the stay at Amma’s we were also able to sit in for the puja and satsang (singing devontional hymns). The experience was pretty powerful. The the puja and satsang (singing devotional hymns). The experience was pretty powerful.

So after one sleep at Amma’s, we were off again to Kottayam. Dropping our stuff at the hotel, we headed over to an Orthdox Theological Seminary, housing Malankara Orthodox Church. There we spoke to Father George who gave us a brief introduction to Christianity in India.

Again we were on the move the next morning. Today went a bit slower getting to Tekkady because so many of us were sick. Only two people made it through the entire bus ride without feeling sick, but we all took care of each other, sharing gravol, gum, and plastic bags. We’re grateful to settle at El Paradiso for four days without travel. The spice plantations look amazing and we’re excited to buy some spice heading into the second last week of our trip.

Glorious Goa

We wake up in our two person rooms trying to remember what new place we are in. We have been around the world in 80 days it seems—or around India in 62. As we slowly gain consciousness and open our windows to see the Arabian Sea and white sand in front of us, we remember: we’re in Goa!

We remember arriving in Delhi thinking about this week and how close to home we would feel when we got there. It has become shockingly clear to us how little time we have left in India.

The beach was a focal point in everyone’s day-to-day while in Goa, because we lived on the beach! The saltwater healed us, the sand exfoliated us, and the sun burned us. The sea waves against the shore washed away all tensions and stresses we were holding onto—a much needed renewal week. This week was designed with relaxation in mind and seeing the view makes us think Goa was designed with that in mind as well.

Despite the view, the yoga we had while facing the beach was a challenge to our developing practice. There was sand everywhere! Not to mention extreme heat and fire ants. We were pushed to move beyond our immediate discomforts and put the practices we are learning to play—harder than it looks.

We didn’t have that many trips planned for this week but we couldn’t miss the Christian-Indian flare Goa has to offer. We went to Sunday mass at Bom Jesus, the final resting place of St. Francis Xavier. The mass we went to was delivered in Kokane. The mass was familiar for some of us because it follows the same sequence and flow all around the world. We haven’t seen very many Christian centers and this was a good experience to compare and contrast the places we have seen.

The people of C’ Roque resort, where we stayed, did everything they could to make our stay extremely enjoyable—and it sure was. We had a huge fish dinner. We saw the Red Snapper pre-cook time and it came out with eyes and tale intact-a first for some. The last night they had a tandoori chef come on site to make us a traditional tandoori meal—chicken, prawns, naan and vegetables. It was delicious. The rest of the week was non-stop muesli, curd and fruit, followed by spring rolls, hakka noodles, stuffed calamari and banana fritters or sugar pancakes for desert. As a special treat, they prepared a typical Indian bon fire, made with palm trees. It turned out to be yet another spectacular night.
Goa was the perfect place for us to become renewed in our passion for this experience. We became closer as a group and are glad it’s not over yet.

The Ancient Ruins of Hampi

We started off this week by making our way by bus from peaceful Sirigiri to the magical city of Hampi. Wow! What a place! The city that is now known as Hampi is said to be the location of the Indian epic The Ramayana (The Romance of Rama). Today the city is scattered with incredible ruins of ancient Hindu temples where locals once worshipped the gods, and marketplaces where they bought and sold everything from fruits and vegetables to horses.

During the first few days in Hampi, we had a great tour guide named Lokesh that took us around to all the best sites and told us about the history and significance of each place we visited. Lokesh explained to us that during the 16th century most of the temples in the area were badly damaged and all the statues of the gods inside were destroyed during the time of the Mughal invasions. There was only one temple that was not damaged and is still in use to this day. This is the Virupakasha Temple. As we took off our shoes and entered this temple, the smell of incense and the sounds of worship wafted out from further inside. It was truly magical to stand inside this beautiful temple and think about the thousands of people that must have passed through that entrance to come and worship the divine. You could almost feel the past alive in the present. What struck me the most was the minute detail that had been carved into every pillar, wall, ledge, nook and crany. Not a single ounce of space was without meaning and devotion.

Further up the hill of giant boulders and rock, only a few hundred metres from the main temple, there stood two large temples devoted to Ganesha, the Hindu god with an elephant head. Our tour guide explained to us that the reason there were two Ganesha temples was because originally one had been for the local people and the other, much larger one, had been for a private temple for the King. On the way to the main temple the local people would have stopped and prayed to Ganesha before entering the city.

From the top of the hill, and all around the ruins all you could see for miles were the green leaves of palm and banana trees. I couldn’t believe that this amazing place was still standing there hardly bothered by the traffic, noise and chaos that is found in so much of India. In some ways standing between the pillars of the temples felt more like we were standing in the ruins of ancient Greece or Rome rather than India.

Since Hampi is such a hotspot on the tourist trail there were quite a few international cuisine restaurants in the main bazaar area. Having been to Hampi a few times already Dr. J knew the perfect lunch spot to take us too. The Mango Tree was a great little outdoor restaurant with seats actually carved out of the side of a boulder. The view was stunning. I think everyone thought they had nearly died and gone to heaven when they saw hummus on the menu. Indian food is great and all but it was so nice to eat something a little more reminiscent of home.

Our week in Hampi ended with the departure of our dear friend Don. Although Don had only joined our group a few weeks back in Bangalore he had really become one of us and so it was a little sad to say goodbye so soon. However, we all know that he will have a great time on his future travels in India.

Our next stop is going to be Colva Beach in Goa. We are all pretty excited about having a week on the beach to soak up the sun and swim in the Arabian Sea. Try not to be too jealous! 

Mid-point check-in :)

610 steps to the foot of a Jain shrine brought us to a cluster of tourist, a sky clad aesthetic and a group of women and children taking blessings and communing with a smiling leader of their faith (Bahubali). Our week started with a trip to Sravanabelagola to see the Jain shrine of Bahubali, known as the “world’s tallest statue carved out of a single rock”(Nagaraj, 7). From there we stayed three days in Hassan visiting the ancient temples of Halebid and Belour and then moved to the town of Sirigere where we visited the Chitra Durga; all of these sites contained Hindu epics engraved on the temples ‘walls. In Sirigere we got the chance to visit a couple schools and hostels where we interacted with elementary and pre-college students and discussed the differences and similarities between Canadian and Indian education. We also had the privilege of visiting the homes of the people of Sirigere we got to see how content they were leading a simple life. The encounters with the people in our group and the environment around us have helped us discover the highly personal and deeply communal feelings that can arise in a single sacred space. We decided to commemorate our half-way point in India, by inviting reflections on the places and faces that have touched our lives. Much of our journeys have been revealed through our senses, which have allowed our hearts to touch and be touched by the world we see, this is also known as Darshan which is the subject of this week’s entry.
We asked the group two questions:

1. What thoughts and feelings come to mind when you hear the word “darshan”?
2. Is there a moment you can describe where you received “darshan” in India?

Sarah Applebee
1. For me, Darshan is mainly the experience of G-d in all Her forms.
2. I did not realize I received “darshan” from the Dalai Lama when I heard him speak though I did feel that he was so beyond me and meaningful in all the things he does as a spiritual leader.

Zabeen Khamisa

1. When I hear the word “darshan”, I think of the self; even though the experience is about seeking the other, I see the mirror of myself which I use to view others.
2. I have not received “darshan” on this trip.

Steve Prentice

1. “Darshan” is not something I think about. I see images as symbols, man-made, with a human being behind them. The experience of “darshan” is a cultural input, representative of a specific culture and not anything more.
2. I have probably received “darshan” on the trip but I do not think about the word in the same Hindu spiritual and religious context.

Navreet Deol

1. I think “darshan” is about seeing and being noticed and living in a special presence.
2. When I met the Dalai Lama, he glanced over – really near to me – and his smile made me emotional; sometimes, all is takes to see notice is sitting in someone’s presence.

Jenny MacDougall

1. I look at darshan as being in the presence of the divine.
2. When I met Tenzin Palmo – a female and Western-born monk—and visited the Yamuna river particularly, I experienced strong feelings of the sacred. The children who played in the river in addition to everyone in our group sitting nearby made me feel something special there.

Devon Spier

1. I look at “darshan” as a deep feeling of being received by others while experiencing the complete revelation of yourself through glances on the images in front of you.
2. Don, a fellow traveler in the groups for two weeks, told his life story this week and I remember remarking on how he described being received. This lead me to feel connected to Don’s words, which drew up similar sentiments I experienced when I told my story to the group. At one point in my conversation, I saw myself, my smile, my heart glowing as I talked to the teacher in front of me; so in this moment I came in touch with my essence and the essence of the person before me.

Asma Bala

1. I feel it’s being in the presence of the divine, to see and be seen.
2. Being in the gaze of the Buddha murthy at the Gyuto University for tantric studies, there was a power for recognition of Gods’ greatness and the many ways that He is worshipped in.

Don Dietrich

1. The connectivity between my way of living my life and your way.
2. Being hosted by the teacher (Keshav) and his home, I was brought to his home first before meeting another family living from Sirigere, he gave the privilege of showing something that was sacred to him and explaining the importance of it to him.

Ketussa Sotheeswaran

1. To be able to feel that level of connectedness where I began to understand without knowing. When I have the ability to understand without knowing everything.
2. My experience came when I saw a grandma worshipping at the foot of Bahubali, there was a great deal of devotion that came without saying. She was sincere in the way she prayed and when I took pictures of her she pointed to the statue of Bahuli intending that it was more important that her. It was enduring.

Ketussa + Devon

Bangalore

We left from Dharamsala on October 17 to catch an overnight train at Chekki Bank Train Station. We took taxis; Stephen and I happened to be in the same car. We were in for a ride, “Need for Speed” style. The whole trip went rather smoothly.. Thanks to our amazing driver we arrived at Chekki Bank ahead of the other cars. The overnight train was much better than our first attempt which was soiled by the presence of interlopers looking in the girls as they slept. Even our arrival in Delhi at 5 am went smoothly.
The second half of our trip was marked by Jill leaving the group. It was great to have her with us for the time we did, which was prolonged when she joined us in Dharamsala. We wish Jill the best of luck with her studies and her research back in Delhi. In terms of our group, this is certainly a period of transition for us, saying “later days” to Jill, and welcoming a new member to our posse, a gentleman named Don—Stephen’s new roommate.
Our accommodations find us staying in a castle of some sort. The space is actually a cultural centre for the Lingayat Hindu community, known as Taralabalu Kendra. From what I gather from our time here is that the Lingayats are a Shivite community. The Lingayats came about because of social and religious reform initially consisting of lower caste disciples. Today, we are told, that the Lingayats form their own caste which is relatively exclusive. With that said, we were fortunate enough to sit in audience with Swamji, Dr. Shiva Murti for an interesting interactive discussion. The topic at hand was regarding the ban recently implemented by Bangalore University, prohibiting the writing of perceived ostentatious religious symbols on examination papers. What was most interesting was the method of discussion that took place before us. In a room filled with a few of Swamiji’s disciples, Swamiji asked his followers what they thought of the ban. His disciples were quick to give their impressions, without hesitation, and at times, openly disagreeing with Swamiji. The conversation often went off in different directions touching on the meaning of secularism in the West and in Bangalore, the legitimacy of performing rituals, and the concern that youngsters were turning away from religion (indicating that such a ban might only encourage this behaviour); however, the debate was brought back full circle when Swamiji concluded that it was unfair to punish students for their religiosity and it was in fact the examiners who should be held responsible for their biases. Most of us left feeling that “Swamiji was not just another Swami.”

Initially, we had a few days off to catch up on work, and rest, but it wasn’t long until Dr. J filled up our time with interesting experiences to encounter. At the Catholic Centre we were greeted by Father Andrew Kallith, who gave us a brief talk on his understanding of the human as divine. The centre uses Indian mythology as a means to describe Christianity, with an emphasis on the self. Our visit to Fire Flies was very much in the same vain as our experience at Navdanya, Vandana Shiva’s farm. The organization’s work involves a multidisciplinary approach to development, focused on the personal, social, and environmental development of the local rural India. Their strategy involves working in dialogue with a variety of religious leaders, to initiate a reinterpretation of religion to deal with the ecological crisis, with an emphasis on the sacredness of the earth. Art certainly plays a central role in the Fire Flies efforts against the ecological crisis as it functions as a means to “re-enchant the world.” Paintings of religious leaders from different traditions who have emphasized sustainable development and the sacredness of the earth, bordered the walls, ranging from St. Kabir to the Dalai Lama. Intricate stone work decorated the ashram, showcasing the lengths to which they wish to reinterpret religions; for example, an ecstatic naked Jesus carved in place of the traditional dancing Shiva.

We were told we were going to see Ravi Shankar’s ashram, and a possibility of meeting him. Much like other members of our posse, Zabeen was super excited at the possibility of meeting the amazing Ravi Shankar. Little did we know that the group would experience a collective Magnificent Failure. It turned out that it was the WRONG Ravi Shankar, but what was initially a disappointment turned into an interesting experience for all of us. The ashram was a centre of The Art of Living Foundation, a international organization that strives for global harmony through stress-management. Ravi Shankar turned out to be Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a guru with an extremely expansive following.

On our final day in Bangalore we went to Gateway, a school for Christian youth. The centre was mainly to help educate poor youth so that they could enter the stream at the 5th standard (grade 5). We saw some presentations of dance and song and heard some of the students and teachers testimonies. The real joy came when the official part had ended and the photo op began. The children ran around us laughing and giggling, giving high fives, handshakes, and loving hugs. It was like a moshpit, as the kids would cram together to get their photos taken. At the end of the evening we said goodbye to the children who were straining to follow us down the street.

Tomorrow morning we leave Bangalore and so we had our last meal at Taralabalu Kendra. The whole crew that took care of us during our stay came out to wish us farewell and what would have been a fifteen minute meal was extended due to the gratuitous amount of photos being taken. In the end we said goodbye as Dr. J handed out gifts to the wonderful men who took such great care of us.

Dharamshala

Entering Dharamshala was enchanting. The Tibetan culture of McLeod Ganj was peaceful–one could clearly see the influence of the Buddhist teachings. Throughout our ten days there, we became acquainted with the culture through various experiences; and the geography, through our hike up the Himalayas.
Upon arrival, we were all exhausted, having traveled for about thirty hours. We had heard that the 14th Dalai Lama was finishing his talks that afternoon, so eight members of our group decided to rush down to the Tsuglagkhang Complex in the heart of McLeod Ganj, in the hopes that we would catch a glimpse of His Holiness. Because we arrived at the temple so late, we had to stand near the stairs, far away from the TV screen that was projecting the Dalai Lama’s teachings. As a result, we ended up with the best possible spot. The Dalai Lama left the complex fifteen minutes after we arrived, by the entrance where we were all standing. He was within 10 feet of us, and waved at us just before he got into his waiting vehicle. Collectively, the group burst into tears, and, by all accounts, it was a totally ineffable experience–words really can’t describe what it was like to be in the presence of His Holiness.
So, although the glimpse of the Dalai Lama would have sufficed for our time in Dharamshala, just a few days later, we all became acquainted with the unfathomable Himalayas. Our guide met us on Sunday morning, and we began our trek “to the clouds” at 8:45am, believing, at that point, that we would all be there by noon. Not so. It took five to six hours before all of us made it to our destination, which was 3000 meters above McLeod Ganj. The hike itself was, for the most part, very challenging, and we definitely had our doubts regarding whether or not everyone would make it. That kind of a climb is also conducive to a lot of thinking, so it was, for some of us, an act of sheer will and a case of mind over body. Many of us thought about the Tibetans who risked their lives to walk for months across the same mountain range, into India, so that they could escape Chinese occupation. The hike was both a collective and individual experience, and the destination was as sweet as the journey! In the end, we were not only thrilled for ourselves to be standing outside the “Guest House,” but we were also overjoyed for each other.
There is so much that happened during the remainder of our week in Dharamshala, that we cannot possibly describe it all, so we’ll focus on the last two highlights of our stay there, which was, by all accounts, incredible.
After a brief discussion with Dr. J. regarding Tenzin Palmo, we were told a few days later that we would be receiving a private audience with this inspiring woman, subject of the book, Cave in the Snow, which is an account of her twelve year retreat in the Himalayas. We entered Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery with great anticipation, as “Jetsumna” is at the forefront of the Buddhist movement toward equality between men and women. She greeted us warmly, blessed our kathas, and talked with us in her private quarters. One of the main themes of her discussion with us, was that, in India, within her tradition, the female potential is not reached because women are not taken seriously. She has made it her life’s work to better the place of women within Buddhism by asking that they be allowed access to the teachings that were formerly denied them. When we asked her what she thought was the most important lesson she had learned to date, she responded with, “anybody can do anything if they really want to. Many people don’t accomplish things, simply because they tell themselves they can’t.” She ended by giving us some insight regarding meditation, and was kind enough to allow us to take photos before our departure. It was an absolute blessing to be in her presence and to learn from her that afternoon.
The next morning, we went back to Norbulingka, an institute we had visited previously, which is a Tibetan center for the preservation of Tibetan language, art, and culture. Of the many amazing aspects of Norbulingka, Friday morning we had the opportunity to sit with some Tibetan ESL students, (all of whom are first generation refugees), and hear their inspiring and heart-breaking stories. I think we were all moved to tears, to hear these young people talk about how they fled Tibet and walked for months across the mountains to enter India, sometimes having to try twice, often being caught and imprisoned in the interim. What was so amazing to us, was that these students were living examples of the spiritual teachings espoused by such leaders as the Dalai Lama and Tenzin Palmo. Their courage and determination exhibited their great love for their teacher, and many of them made this trek with him in mind. For us it was another reminder that we can do anything we want to do, when we are inspired spiritually, to do it. We realized that their strength came from a higher plane, that their motivation was spiritual, (not material), and that we, as Westerners, had so much to learn from their stories.

Kate and Jenny

Rishikesh to Navdanya (Dehradun)

September 20-October 2, 2010

Hellos Everyone!

During this week we were still at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama ashram for about nine days and the the following week we moved to Dehradun to Vanadana Shiva’s ashram. At our stay at the Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama ashram the schedule was pretty busy for the week! We had to be up for 6:30a.m most of the days for yoga and meditation with the exception of two days where we had to be up for 5:00! It was hard to wake up but it was more difficult to stay awake during the class, many of us are not used to getting up at that time. One of the highlights for this week was the Satsang ( it is basically singing devotional music) that we participated and attended at the ashram. The music being sung during the Satsang was just beautiful and uplifting. We also were expected to perform something in return, we were a little hesitate because we really didn’t practice anything so we stuck to a song we all knew-Lean on Me. Everyone, including the people at the ashram had so much fun after that we sang a two other songs. I think it’s safe to say that we were grateful to have Devon leading us, her voice is just so beautiful. That was a fun night and brought the group all together. The day before we left we decided to get a game of cricket going with guys at the ashram. We were playing for about two hours under the hot sun. It was one interesting game especially because for some of us it was the first time playing. Also, one of the days we decided to go to Hardiwar to see an aarti performed for the Ganges River. There was so many people around just to witness this worship of the Ganges, we were really blessed to be part of such a thing. I remember the voice in my head telling me that this is were you belong, the playing the aarti mantar was also just so powerful and spiritual.

On Thrusday morning we left for the ashram to go Vandana Shiva’s ashram. It was really different from the Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama ashram, this was more of a environmental based ashram. For those who do not know much about Vandana Shiva she is a Eco-feminist who started her own seed bank organization called Navdanya – which helps preserve native seeds around India. The first day we were given a tour of the ashram and the the amounts of crop diversity there is just crazy. The food was probably some the best we have had in India so far. The second day we were out to work on the farm. The group got turns sorting out the rice seeds that were being packaged and making piles of sesame that were going be dried. We enjoyed the time by just chatting and singing songs! Also, that week we went on Forest walk-let me just say it was beautiful and calming. Jeetpal our guide for that day but also our guide for the rest of our stay at the ashram was awesome and made our experience there very enjoyable along with the others who were there. We also learned the different techniques for composing as well. Later that day we ended of with a walk to the village where we we visited a clay potters home and got to see him make the pots. Not only did we get see but we each got turns to make our own pots! This pretty much sums the highlights of this week, until the next entry I hope you enjoyed!

Navreet

Rishikesh

Namaste!

We are currently writing from Rishikesh, yoga capital of the world. We are staying at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama ashram, which is located below the foothills of the Himalayas. Rishikesh is a very holy place. Along the Ganges are shrines and temples with daily worship forming a good deal of activity. Rishikesh is a tourist town that attracts people from all over the world partly because this is the place where The Beatles came. Tourists come and enjoy the Ganges, practice yoga, or take in the hills and mountains. Part of our experience here is observing and participating in the traditions of Himalayan yoga. The ashram is known for its focus on the principles of Vedic science and merging them with modern philosophies and issues. On the campus they conduct research into meditative states and understanding the anatomical and mental processes that are affected by meditation and relaxation.

The pace of the ashram is somewhat different than most of us were expecting. We are having mixed reactions to the environment. Silence is an important part of the tradition as it allows for one to reflect and possibly it means mastery over ones mind and body. We are trying to learn to appreciate the difficulty in being silent. We have enjoyed doing the yoga and meditation thus far even if half way through shavasana we are passed out and snoring. Our days are busy but we have a lot of free time as well to get our work done and explore the areas around the ashram.

It was a hectic journey to get to this peaceful place. Devon put it the best way when she said, “we’ve been India-d.” We couldn’t write this week’s blog without writing about trying to leave Amritsar and come to Rishikesh. While we were traveling by train from Amritsar we experienced the complications of being in India first hand. The train was unable to go to Hardiwar because of the rains. We heard from the grapevine that we would have to get off and so we did. We eventually found our way to Rishkesh on a very bumpy, very over priced taxi ride. It was a valuable experience because we all learned more about our stress levels and how we can better deal with changing plans, which will definitely happen again while we are in India.

Before we came to Rishikesh we stayed at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar, twenty minutes away from the Harmandir Sahib, popularly referred to as the Golden Temple. It is a Sikh center and an amazing sight to see. As a group we dedicated half a day to the being at the Golden Temple and participated in langar, the free meal established by Guru Nanak. Upon arriving at the Golden Temple complex we took off our shoes and out of respect we washed our hands and feet. We were all in awe at the magnificence of the building that seems to be floating on water. It was chaotic because our group size had doubled; we were accompanied by a class of students from DAV College. It seemed like we were always waiting. Because of the length of the line going into the Golden Temple, we skipped it for the most hectic meal of our lives. We were given dishes and waited in line with a crowd of people. When the doors opened it was a mad dash to find a place on the ground to be feed. Everyone was split up but we all ate. Everyday thousands of people participate in this free meal. Most people took a second journey to the Golden Temple because the first time didn’t seem like enough. The second time around was a weekend and a Sikh religious day. As a result the line to get into the Golden Temple was even longer (approximately two and a half hours wait). We never got to go in but having a chance to be peaceful in its presence was worth the second trip. We went as two separate groups and the second group got a chance to see what the Golden Temple is like at night. It is something we would recommend any visitor to Amritsar check out.

Since we have been in India we have had the chance to experience what education is like here. We have seen Delhi University, Guru Nanak Dev University, DAV College in Amritsar and a private school called Cheema College of Education. We drove through Punjabi villages to get to the Cheema Secondary School. All of us understood that this was not your average school. Many children in India are not able to go to a school that has such a good program. The school was built as a “labour of love” for the people of the area by the Cheema family. The college was associated with Guru Nanak Dev University and was training young women and some young men to be teachers. The class and faculty had arranged an elaborate program that included folk dancing and singing that we were able to participate in. To show our appreciation, Dr. Jakobsh spoke on the importance of learning and also of teaching. Devon sang “Down by the Riverside” and the group sang “Stand By Me” and we didn’t do too badly. It was a reception that none of us were expecting. Looking back though we all recognize that while we do not often reflect on our privileged position, we are symbols for what this school represents. We are university students traveling India to learn about other cultures, traditions, and people. We represent something very important for the school, faculty, and students. We have heard from Dr. J that education is very different here because the students aren’t asked questions – it isn’t interactive. We are in a position to realize how important education is here and what we represent to students here. We know the value of reading books and learning from teachers but the value of discussion and experience cannot be underplayed. Through being here all of us have a new appreciation for the education we are receiving.

Stephen and Sarah

Off to Rishikesh

After spending the past few days in Amritsar, we’re finally off to Rishikesh in the morning. Our stay here was great, and very different from the noise, hustle and bustle of New Delhi. We visited the Golden Temple, shopped and spent a day in rural Punjab at a school and college.

More to come soon…

From Delhi to Amritsar and Beyond….

Hello everyone,

We’ve safely arrived in Amritsar after a looooong train ride from New Delhi. Our past week was packed with exciting adventures including Mughal Ruins (Hamayoun’s Tomb, Qutub Minar and Fatehpur Sikri) and a day trip into Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. We capped off our adventure at the Agra Fort where the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son, Aurangzaib. Driving back on the dark two-laned highway, we spotted a Pizza Hut and requested an impromptu stop. I can speak for the group when I say that the pizza could not have tasted any better that night!

We ended our stay in New Delhi with the most amazing Qawwalli concert that was planned especially for us. After a visit to the Gulam Mirza society, we experienced the sights and sounds of the famous Nizammuddin Shrine, where the great Sufi master is buried. We were then quietly ushered into the marble clad shrine of Inayat Khan where our Qawwal sent us off with music we will surely never forget.

Until next time,

Asma