India Fall 2017

Program leader(s): J.M. Fritzman (Philosophy)
Program dates: 08/28/2017 – 12/02/2017
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India’s 5000-year history and current importance in the international socio/political scene provides an environment that is rich for intellectual inquiry. Program sites are in the north and south of India with extended stays in New Delhi, Chennai, and Varanasi. Integrated into all phases of the program are issues related to women, the environment, economics, politics, history, arts and human geography. Within the program are two, week long, independent travel opportunities designed to allow students to explore areas of India not included in the formal itinerary and to assume responsibility for moving about and exploring India on their own in small groups. Students will be expected to contribute to the learning of the group by sharing their observations and analysis of issues discussed within journals and written papers throughout the program.

Recent posts [display all posts]

Better than Bollywood: Chennai & Varanasi Videos -

- All is fair in love and war. But in India that expression should also include an extra clause: All is fair in love and war and driving. Seriously though, it is unbelievable how drivers maneuver through traffic here. It would appear that the one rule of driving is that there are no rules. In fact, […]

Poems of the holy city - During my time in Banaras I was inspired poetically more than any other city in the program and I’d like to share a few poems that encapsulate my sentiments in the holy city. ____________________________ To live in and die by the mother Ganga. We occupy a city of mosquitoes. Your blood is my blood. Sweet […]

Adventure On A Bus - Before I begin let me give a little caveat emptor: This Post Involves Some Violent Content, Viewer’s Discretion Advised. India has been incredible, but there is too much to talk about. Here’s a story: So I was on a weeklong stint of independent travel with Lauren during late October. Catching a sleeper train […]

Conflicts of identity - I often think back to our last day in Delhi, walking through Chandni Chauk, slowly making our way through the crowded bazaars. We were on our way to Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India. The small alleyways and streets of the old city were flooded with goats, decorated […]

My Cursed Feet - In India, especially in Hinduism, feet are viewed very auspiciously. Feet are seen as a dirty and humbling appendage, and therefore,greeting people at their feet is a way of showing respect. It is my understanding that in yoga karmic energy flows from your head and releases through your feet. I must have terrible karma because […]

This Sense of Comfort - As we prepare to go our separate ways here within the next week, many of us are growing painfully nostalgic and reflecting on the adventures that we’ve shared. I, for one, have done more personal reflection than anything else. It seems that my peers on this journey have fostered some very beautiful, deep, long lasting […]

Varanasi - In Banaras, different neighborhoods of the city encompass different kinds of trades, businesses, and art forms. Since my arrival in Banaras, I was told that the musician’s quarters were in a neighborhood called Kabir Chaura, in the north of the city. Since I am a musician and am studying Hindustani gharana sitar, I was more […]

Sweet Moments - Coming up with only one moment, feeling or experience to write about for the Varanasi portion of the program has been a really challenging task. This has easily been my favorite stop that the program itself has made. Despite the warnings that we received about how dirty, busy, crazy Varanasi, (Banaras as we learned to […]

Bodhgaya - Last week, our group took our final long bus ride of the program to the city of Bodhgaya. Bodhgaya is about 6 hours via bus from Varanasi, and it seemed to take forever to get out of the city traffic that morning. We finally arrived in late afternoon, and were bussed through the touristy streets […]