Celebrating the culture and rich heritage of India

Module Overview

India is a blend of many influences, kneaded and honed into a single masala culture. India has held her own among the major civilizations of Asia and its no small irony that Benaras has outlived Babylon. Plundered and pillaged by the Turks and the Mongols, and rebuilt each time to be better than the last, Delhi has been reborn in eight avatars, a phoenix rising out of the ashes, wiser for the experience.

From the Rajputs to the Pallavas, Cholas to the Mughals, empires rose and fell – even as religions were spawned, music was composed, and artistes lost their souls to the cosmic spirit. India is at once the land of the Gautama Buddha and the demon goddess Kali, where temples, mosques, churches, and synagogues rub shoulders with one another, and each face is a mix of DNA. With several hundred dialects and blood that have mingled with hers from so many different parts of the world, India is her own tower of ethnic babel. As you move across the country, you will hit upon urban oases where cultures collide from across the world.opportunity to roll up their sleeves and put their theory and experience to work as they brainstorm with local entrepreneurs on challenges and opportunities in the local environment.
Meetings, business visits and workshops are balanced with an immersion into the local culture and a series of meaningful experiences that stimulate thought and reflection, while being fun and interactive. (E.g. a local cooking lesson, a bicycle ride into the countryside, etc.)

Location

The program explores the cultural heritage of the country through both its modern metros (e.g. Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad) and heritage towns (e.g. Jaipur, Varanasi, Dharamshala). The geographic breadth will be customized to suit your specialized theme of study, duration and budget.

Key Elements of the program

An introduction to India’s culture and languages to set the tone and spirit of the program.
Meetings with organizations that preserve and promote Indian culture and heritage.
Interactive sessions by historians who paint a vivid picture of the events/forces that shaped India.
Guided tours of historic monuments that tell the stories of tragedy and triumph.
Cultural immersions to experience and understand the local landscape, context and culture.
Facilitated reflection sessions.

Educational Outcomes

Experience how it feels to be in a country with a billion plus people!
Appreciate the rich heritage and diverse cultures that coexist and thrive in the country.
Learn about the various historical influences that shaped modern India.
Understand the social, political, economic and spiritual drivers of contemporary India.
Have misconceptions about wealth and happiness shattered through visits to thriving slums.
Gain personal inspiration and motivation from the powerful stories of social entrepreneurs.

Module Length

The program can be customized as per needs, from a minimum of 1 week to a maximum of 5 weeks. Longer programs will involve a larger scope and/or additional locations.