Learning Project Presentations + Last Day of the Journey

June 24, 2018

On our last full day of the journey, students presented their final learning projects on topics of their choosing. These projects were a way of reflecting on particularly captivating aspects of culture, art, and religion we encountered in Sri Lanka and India.

The first presentation was from Katya Giffenig ’19, who explored the legal and cultural status of women in India. Katya focused on the subtle tensions between constitutional rights and cultural norms such as the practice of dowries.

Joseph Richards ’19 then followed with a presentation on Buddhism in Sri Lanka, in which he explored its foundations through Emperor Asoka, its important symbols, and role in everyday life. Joseph also discussed why practitioners pray to the Buddha and how influences of Hindu deity worship can be seen in the ways Buddhism is popularly practiced.

Then, Isabel Tracey ’20 provided an overview of Hinduism in Sri Lanka and India, focusing on its ancient origins, philosophies of atman (eternal soul) and reality of brahman (ultimate reality), and popular practices such as the puja (ritual offering) we have encountered during our time here. She also shared a beautiful drawing she made of Shiva, god of change and destruction.

Asher DuFord ’20 then followed with a comparative look at religious art in South Asian Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic traditions. He highlighted areas of connection such as the makara (mythological crocodile) symbolizing the cycle of samsara common to Buddhism and Hinduism, as well as contrasts such as Islam’s rather abstract arabesque aesthetic in distinction to Hinduism’s elaborate portrayal of deities often with human-like qualities. Asher also showcased some of his impressive artwork produced throughout the trip.

Claire Kim ’20 next presented on women and religion in Sri Lanka and India. She explored how religious practice could be both a vehicle for solidarity and hope as well as an agent of oppression, and reflected on aspects of our experience such as the all-male mosque we visited in Kandy as well as the somewhat taboo nature of women bathing in the sacred Narmada River.

Matthew Kim ’19 presented next on the Buddhist and Gandhi-inspired Sarvodaya movement in Sri Lanka, which he connected to the “One Village” movement in South Korea. Matthew discussed how religious philosophies have been leveraged to alleviate poverty and advocate for ahimsa (non-violence), particularly during the long Sri Lankan civil war.

Finally, Gabbie Coffe ’18 explored the functions of meditation and yoga in Buddhist and Hindu philosophy. She reflected on conversations with the Buddhist nun Ven. Subhagaya in Sri Lanka and a local guru and yoga instructor in India. Gabbie then concluded her presentation by recommending a particular meditation and yoga practice for each member of the group!

Maheshwar Continued

June 23, 2018

The group started off the day with another yoga practice led by an instructor who lives in an ashram within the fort complex. We ended the practice with a traditional agnihotra, or healing fire, while reciting ancient Sanskrit mantras.

In the evening, we were fortunate enough to go on a sunset boat trip to the Hindu temple in the center of the Narmada River, believed by some to be the center of the cosmic universe.

Following the boat tour, we returned to the fort and visited more temple shrines. The group then went to the nearby ashram where our yoga teacher lives; she performed another sunset agnihotra in reverence of the river goddess (Narmada) at this auspicious time of day. She then showed us around the ashram where we saw a fascinating interfaith shrine, at which she explained the philosophy of advaita vedanta, a traditional school of Indian thought that emphasizes the nondualistic nature of reality in brahman.

Maheshwar

June 22, 2018

We traveled from Indore to Maheshwar, home of the historic Maheshwar Fort overlooking the sacred Narmada River. The original fort was built by the 16th century King Akbar of the Mughal Empire, and was later revitalized in the 18th century by Queen Ahilya Bai Holkar, ancestor of Hotchkiss alum Prince Richard Holkar, who owns the beautiful Ahilya Fort heritage hotel constructed on the grounds of the old palace. The Narmada River is considered one of the most sacred rivers in India and is a major pilgrimage site; the temple in the center of the river is believed by some Hindus to be the center of the cosmic universe.

After we arrived, students enjoyed walking around the fort, visiting numerous Hindu shrines, and experiencing a historic place with living mythological importance.

Last day at Daly College

June 21, 2018

The group spent our last day at Daly College by first visiting the Hindu temple on campus and receiving the blessings of the presiding priest. We where then fortunate enough to have a Hindi tutorial and lecture on Hinduism and Jainism by Dr. Rajopadhyay. The group then moved across campus to meet with a group of Daly College students and learn about each other‘s lives and compare their respective experiences at Hotchkiss and Daly. After the meeting, we enjoyed a delicious, family-style lunch in the dining hall after which a student stood up in front of the whole school to thank God for providing the meal. Finally, we attended an art class, learned about traditional Indian folk art, and had the opportunity to produce some drawings that reflected upon some aspect of our observations in India. We are grateful to Daly College for their incredible generosity during our visit, and hope to return again in the future.

Moving to India

After a long day of travel that included a 5 hour delay and rebooked connecting flight, we finally made it to our destination in Indore. We settled into the hotel and got to sleep before a busy day at Round Square partner school Daly College to follow.

In the morning, we connected with Sanskrit instructor Dr. Rajopadhyay, who visited Hotchkiss last year, and Ojas Sethi, who went on a Round Square exchange at Hotchkiss last spring.

We had an introduction to Hinduism, including the discussion of a “guru” in the context of the mission of an educational institution, and were fortunate to have a relaxing yoga class with an experienced instructor to close out the day.

Final Day in Sri Lanka

June 18, 2018

We spent our final day in Sri Lanka visiting an elephant orphanage around Kandy, where we watched elephants bathing in the river and rolling around in mud on the riverbank.  Students also bid farewell to their host families with mixed emotions as they departed a people and place with which they formed a special bond.

Final Batik Class + Nuwara Eliya – The City of Light

On Saturday, the group had their final batik art class where they put the finishing touches on the elegant images they depicted on cloth.

On Sunday, we set off for the high altitude region of Nuwara Eliya, which means “the city of light.” Nuwara Eliya is known for its imposing mountainous landscape permeated by mist and rain, which provides ideal growing conditions for the tea plantations that produce the famous “Ceylon Tea.” On the way, we saw several waterfalls and paused to appreciate the natural beauty of the place.

We then took a tour around the Damro Tea Factory to learn about how tea is grown, harvested, and processed. We then gathered for a cup of tea and tea cake before continuing on the ascent to Nuwara Eliya.

We enjoyed a lunch that included foods with locally grown strawberries, which can only be grown in this cool, high altitude climate. We then toured around the Hakgala Botanical Gardens and observed a number of elaborate gardens and a fern forest that showcased some of the oldest flora on planet earth. Students were creative in repurposing a fallen tree limb as a giant jump rope!

On the way home, we stopped at a Hindu temple where the hero of the epic Ramayana, Hanuman, is believed to have visited and left a footprint. The area of Nuwara Eliya is predominantly populated by Tamil Hindus with origins in southern India; they were forcefully brought to Sri Lanka in the 19th century by the British to work on the tea plantations. This was our first experience inside a Hindu temple, though we had encountered many Hindu influences in the Buddhist architecture and rituals we had previously encountered. We participated in a puja (ritual offering) and were fortunate to receive blessings from the attendant priest.

We then descended from Nuwara Eliya back to Kandy, where students returned for their second-to-last night with their host families.

Reflections on Buddhist Village Visit by Claire Kim ’20

June 17, 2018

It is very rare to be able to experience a foreign country as an insider, but our group was lucky enough to see an ancient Buddhist village yesterday. With the help of Mr. King, who had lived in this village for a while, we met so many families and saw amazing landscapes. It will be impossible to recount everything we did in that one day because it was full of amazing encounters and positive energy that cannot be described.

After a two hour drive filled with naps, we were greeted by a woman everyone called “ammaa,” or “mom.” She graciously took us to her home to have a sweet traditional treat and learn a bit about the Buddhist life. Everyone we met was extremely generous. This generosity exceeded anything I’ve seen before. Even though they had worked so hard for their food, they were so willing to share with our large group, believing the action to have “good merits.” These good merits are part of the Buddhist belief, similar to that of good karma. After this home, we visited several others, where we had tea and snacks. Everyone knew Mr. King and it was apparent that they all adored him. In one memorable home, an old woman called “achchi,” or “grandmother,” started crying, saying she could not believe we were really here. It was really a touching moment.

Another of the many homes we visited was a place of a Buddhist monk. When we arrived, he blessed us with a purity bracelet. He did this ritual by tying a string around our right wrists while chanting. He did not need to do this to a group of curious foreigners, but he did out of his generosity.

Before the end of the visit, we went to the rice paddies. The journey seemed treacherous to some of us. We walked atop cement beams with mud or water on both sides. Ammaa led the trek with her bare feet, seemingly without struggle. The rest of the group? Not so much. I stumbled along, and miraculously made it without falling. Along the way, we passed a water buffalo and some cattle. The view was incredible. We were also able to see a rice tilling circle, which is regarded as almost religious. This is yet another experience that an outsider would probably not have been able to see.

I cannot explain the gratitude I have for this small village. Their generosity and love was more than any of us had expected. This whole trip has been filled with awe, and although our time in Sri Lanka is slowly waning, we are ready to make the most of what is left to come, just as we did in the village.

Sigiriya – the Lion Rock

June 15, 2018

The group set off for Sigiriya, an ancient palace carved into a giant rock in the North Central Province dry zone. The surrounding caves were also home to indigenous Veddha people, as indicated by excavations of Iron Age tools dating back tens of thousands of years before the common era. The formidable rock was the fortress of the Sinhalese Buddhist King Kassapa (5th CE) who lived in an elaborate abode on top of the rock. The palace was marked by impressively carved lion paws still visible at the base of the rock, signifying the ancestry of the Sinhalese people, who believe they were descended from a lion. In fact, the name “si” means “lion” in Sanskrit, while “giri” means rock – Sigiriya is affectionately known as the “lion rock,” and some consider it to be the eighth wonder of the world.

As we made our way up the rock, we encountered the “mirror wall,” which scholars suggest was originally built to protect the steep route to the top of the rock, but has become popularly known for capturing thousands of years of commentary etched on its smooth surface. Mr. Konara remarked that the mirror wall was akin to an early form of Facebook with its various poetic expressions and replies, many of which addressed to the figurative women depicted in the adjacent cave frescoes (5th CE). One of these cave frescoes actually served as inspiration for Gabbie’s batik artwork!

At the top of the rock, we had a panoramic view that illuminated a broad stretch of land from the lush central highlands to the flat and dry plains of the north. We were in awe of the elaborate brick foundations that persisted from the 5th century CE – how workers moved material up the steep rock and constructed such an intricate palace with ornate buildings, a sophisticated irrigation system, and a royal bath remains a mystery to this day.

On the way home, we visited a spice garden where we saw cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, ginger, turmeric, vanilla, cocoa, and aloe vera plants and were able to try samples. We also learned about traditional, plant-based Ayurvedic medicine.

The students then returned to Kandy after a long day and spent the night with their host families, readying themselves to visit the rural Buddhist village of Ekiriya the next day.

Visits to a Buddhist Drumming Village and Kandyan Mosque

June 15, 2018

The group started off the day by visiting a traditional Sinhalese Buddhist drum making village in the Gampola region outside of Kandy. We were accompanied by experienced drummer and fine arts instructor Mr. Anura from the University of Peradeniya, who has extensive experience drumming in the elaborate ritual procession of the Tooth Relic of the Buddha. Students watched as village people dried cow hides on the ground to make drum heads, and were interested to note that as Buddhists, they did not slaughter or eat beef from these cows. We learned that the Sinhala name for cow (kiri amma) means “milk mother,” and that cows are sacred to both Buddhists and Hindus and thus taboo to butcher and consume.

Village people then carved cylindrical blocks out of local trees, and used a lathe to mold the body of the drums, replacing older methods of carving by hand. They then hollowed out the inside of the drum bodies before fastening on the cowhide and adding other decorations.

 

We were able to try our hand at drumming with the guidance of Mr. Anura and the lead drum master from the village. After a little practice and some good laughter, the students got the hang of it and enjoyed collaborating with different rhythms in the drum circle.

We then visited the village primary school and learned more about public education in Sri Lanka. This school was specially built for local children because they are from a low drum making caste, and thus traditionally barred from attending a neighboring school with higher caste children. We also observed some English language learning and discussed the role of English in a multilingual country where Sinhala and Tamil are most widely spoken.

 

The group then returned to Kandy for their fourth batik art class. Their cloths had been dyed red after the initial white and orange colors – students continued to wax the areas they intended to retain as red before the remaining areas would be dyed maroon next.

After batik, we were joined by Professor Nafeel from the University of Peradeniya for a lecture on Islam in Sri Lanka. Prof. Nafeel provided a helpful overview of Muslim history, culture, and identity before taking us to a local mosque to observe practitioners breaking their fast on the eve of Ramadan Eid-al-fitr, a festival concluding the month of fasting and pious devotion.

 

The leaders of the mosque were very generous to allow us to join in a meal at exactly 6:30 pm – breaking their fast since sunrise – before Muslim leaders across Sri Lanka would observe the shape of the moon to determine the exact date of the upcoming festival.

We then sat down with the group of Muslim leaders to reflect on our experience in the mosque. Students asked questions about the significance of gender in Islamic practice, as well as issues of prejudice and recent violence against Kandyan Muslims by Buddhist extremists. We were joined by two Sinhalese Buddhists who were invited as guests to partake in the meal and subsequent discussion, which was a powerful symbol of reconciliation across ethnic and religious communities during a time of mistrust and relative uncertainty.