IBAVI India and Sri Lanka: A Guided Tour for Global Citizens

Summer 2008: May 25- July 4

Program Location

Home to more than a billion people, India is culturally, linguistically, religiously, ethnically, and culinarily diverse. It is now the world’s largest democracy and boasts of a civilization that dates back to 2600 BC. India’s constitution recognizes 22 official languages, but its people speak over 850 different languages and dialects. The metropolis, Mumbai is also the home to the world’s largest film industry.  

Academic Program

IBAVI India & Sri Lanka: A Guided Tour for Global Citizens is aimed at providing an experience for an in-depth and up-close opportunity to experience two of the oldest and most fascinating civilizations on earth.  Through a coordinated series of visits to key cultural and religious sites—and exposure to leading scholars, leaders, and advocates “on the ground”—students will learn much about these diverse countries and even more about self, others, and the world at large.   

While abroad will visit the following sites:

• Sarvodaya, Sri Lanka: students will be participant observers in one of the largest and most important of the Engaged Buddhist movements, Sarvodaya Shramadana, which means “the awakening of all through the sharing of labor”.  This is a self-help, development, and peacemaking organization that is dedicated to the sustainable empowerment of people through self-help, non-violence, and peace.

• Aurobindo Ashram: based on the philosophy of Sri Aurobindo, the ashram in Pondicherry offers no obligatory practices, rituals, compulsory meditations, or systematic instructions in Yoga. Aurobindo believed that humans were free to determine their own course of transformation, if they acknowledged the Divine Force.

• Auroville: a universal township devoted to an experiment in human unity in diversity. Auroville was conceived as a utopian city to bring together people from different religions, castes, communities, and nationalities.

• Banaras (Varanasi): one of the oldest cities in the world, Banaras is sacred to many Hindus attracting pilgrims, holy men, and tourists. On the banks of the river, Ganges, the city reveals a range of Hindu belief systems and traditions. It is also known as the city of “culture” and “learning” as it is/ was home to prominent philosophers, poets, writers, and musicians.

• Gaya and Sarnath: following Buddha’s footsteps, students will tour sites associated with his life and teachings. From Bodh Gaya, where he attained nirvana, to Sarnath, where he first preached the Dharmachakra or the Wheel of Law. As an international center of Buddhism, Gaya offers students the opportunity to witness practices of some of the other major Buddhist countries such as Thailand, Japan, Bhutan, and Tibet— to name only a few.

• Dharamsala: witness the training of young Tibetan monks and observe how the exiled Tibetan community continues to struggle for the freedom of Tibet. Students will visit various institutions devoted to the community’ welfare, as well as observe a session of the Tibetan parliament in exile.

• Agra: home of the Taj Mahal, the white marble mausoleum that symbolizes love. We will also visit the lesser known, but equally enchanting red sandstone city, Fatehpur Sikri, the 16th century capital of Emperor Akbar. 

• Mumbai, Delhi & Chennai: a visit to the capital of India and two other major cities, will allow students to sample contemporary India. Students will spend time in the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, the University of Delhi and meet with students and faculty to compare similarities and differences between theses institutions. Students will also experience the work of activist and advocacy groups who work on issues of education, human rights, gender, communal harmony, environment etc.  

Tentative course offerings:

Instructional methods include lectures, guided tours, field work, journal assignment and/or papers.

REL 300 Applied Engaged Buddhism, 3 credits
PSYC 501A/TBA Myths and Symbols: East and West, 3 credits
PSYC 501B/TBA Tales from the Labyrinth: An Experiential Exploration of Personal
Transformation, 3 credits
GEIC 202/TBA Making Sense of Beliefs and Values: A Guided Tour for Global Citizens - India, 3 credits

Deliberately integrative and “hands-on,” this six-week experience is designed to accommodate students from a wide range of academic disciplines; faculty will ensure that credits are applied toward each student’s program of study. Students may also develop directed and/or independent study courses of interest and for credit.

Accommodations

Students will reside in ashrams, hotels, hostels and residence halls/dormitories in Mumbai, India. Group meals will be provided.

Program Costs

For the current projected costs for this program, please click on the following link to the Fees for JMU Study Abroad Programs page.

Application

For more detailed instructions and to download the application, please click on the following link to the Applications and Forms section for JMU Short-Term Programs.

In addition to the Short-term Application, interested students should submit an essay.The essay should include why you want to go to India and Sri Lanka and what you hope to learn there. A personal interview will also be required. Applicants must have a 2.5 minimum GPA.

For More Information

For additional information about the IBAVI India and Sri Lanka program, please contact the program director:

Devi Bhuyan
Coordinator
International Beliefs & Values Institute
Tel: 540-568-5201
E-mail: bhuyandx@jmu.edu