A Check off the 'ol Bucket List

This past weekend we finally checked off something that is on nearly everyone's bucket list when they go to India: Riding an Elephant!

We drove up to Parambikulam Tiger Reserve for the day and went on a safari. We really enjoyed the beautiful scenery and much cooler temperatures.

In the afternoon we all got the chance to ride the elephants through the forest. Quite a memorable experience!

For more photos check out our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/IndiaStudiesProgram

Perur Temple

Perur Temple

Going into a Hindu temple for the first time can be a bit overwhelming. You can feel sensory overload as you try to process all that is going on around you! Images of different deities cover every inch of the walls, the ceilings, and the marble pillars. The clanging sound of bells being rung to awake the gods mixes with the chants of believers. The feel of the hot cement under bare feet and the smudge of holy ash on the forehead can be uncomfortable. The sight of hundreds of devoted followers- toddlers and old alike laying prostrate at the feet of a god, lighting gee candles, or offering gifts of coconuts, bananas and flowers to the images. Meanwhile, the scent of incense pervades through it all.

In one of the courtyards of the temple

On Tuesday afternoon our students went to visit Perur temple- a 2000 year old Hindu temple on the edge of town. We were able to not only observe Hindus worshipping, but also learn from a Hindu professor from BACAS how and why she worships at the temple. It was definitely an interesting experience that students will continue to process. For some, it puts them out of their comfort zone and pushes them to think deeper about their faith. They have been taking a religion class and studying Hinduism these past 2 weeks so it was good to connect their head knowledge with experiential knowledge.

Batch 6 outside of the temple

 We ended our tour by going to a nearby coconut stall and drinking coconut water fresh out of the coconut while the sun set over the temple!

Shaina and Amber enjoy the coconut water

What We've Been Up To Recently

Last week we had Wednesday off for Gandhi Jayanti day so we decided to go to a nearby waterfall to hike and relax in the water.We had to cross a rickety free swinging wooden bridge with lots of broken boards and the sides missing in many places! Another adventure in India! The water was so refreshing and since we went early we had the area to ourselves for awhile. We had fun slipping and sliding in the water and trying to maneuver in current!

Enjoying the waterfall

For a field visit this past week we went to KCT- a nearby school- to interact with the students. It turned out that our students were seated in the front as a panel and were asked questions about culture and college in America!

Our group at KCT 

We have also had a gathering with our peer mentors where we ate good food and introduced them to the game of Mafia, gone shopping at a nearby  market, and seen beautiful sunsets from our apartment roof! On Sunday some of us attended a festival at church where we got to try many new foods including momo's, whole fish, byriyani, custard, and jello cups!

Jello cups at church???

Sunday afternoon we went to a Sikh Gurdwara to observe their service and learn about their customs and beliefs. We enjoyed a delicious meal with them afterward and experienced their generous hospitality.

The group at a Sikh gurdwara

This weekend we are headed up to Ooty- a beautiful hill station surrounded by tea plantations. We will be visiting various NGOs, touring a tea plantation, and GOING ON A TIGER SAFARI! Catch our update next week when we return!

Field Trip: Perur Temple

It is temple week here at ISP! One of the many wonderful things about living in India is that our learning extends far beyond the classroom and stretches into the streets. This week that means our students are heading out on their first field trips to temples to learn more about what they are studying in their classes. 

Students are excited to be on their way to Perur Temple!

Our first visit was to Perur Temple, which is dedicated to Shiva the destroyer. This temple is on the outskirts of our lovely city of Coimbatore and is situated on the banks of the Noyyal River. It has been standing for the past 1500 years and devotees from the surrounding area regularly come to worship there.

Outside Perur Temple which is dedicated to Shiva, depicted on the ceiling.

 Many students were excited to see their first elephant in India at Perur! Elephants are often kept in Hindu temples to bless people as they come through by placing its trunk on their head.

Aleena, Johanna and Morgan enjoying some refreshing coconuts!

Keep an eye out for our upcoming posts as we take our first weekend trip to Madurai where we will explore the ancient Meenakshi Temple!

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Photos taken by Karmen Tam

Field Trip: Visit to a Weaving Village

Last week, we visited a village called Nehemem, where 300 families are involved in weaving handloom saris. We met with the coordinator who takes the orders and then sells the saris to the government handloom emporiums and he answered our questions about production, design and volume of sales.

We were able to observe several villagers weaving and spinning warp and weft threads from looms and spinning wheels in their homes.

Our visit to the handloom weaving village was a great perspective trip for each of us, especially as we think about where we buy our clothes and who makes them. The 'readymade' clothing market here in India has dramatically affected weavers, and being able to meet with people who have experienced globalization in a very personal way was both interesting and humbling.

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To see more pictures from our trip to Nehemem, please visit our Facebook album here.

Our Visit to Madurai

We're back from our busy weekend visit to Madurai!

We arrived to the temple city on Saturday noon, in time for lunch. We then spent our afternoon visiting two service projects with Tamilnadu Theological Seminary, and then finished our evening with the sound and light show at the Tirumalai Nayakar Mahal.

On Sunday, after a worship service on TTS's campus, we went out to visit the Shree Menakshi Temple (photo above), stopped by the Gandhi Museum and then visited one more project with TTS on our way back to Coimbatore.

One of the highlights of our trip was visiting the service projects run by TTS. In their second year of classes, seminary students are required to go into the slums in neighboring villages and live and serve there while attending classes on campus. Students spend their entire third year living in slums within an hour's distance from the city, where they minister full-time to the poor and marginalized. Then, in their final year, they come back to campus and finish their studies with, as one might imagine, a particular heart for the poor and with an increased understanding of the relevancy of the gospel to those living in the margins of society.

Over the weekend, we were able to visit a paper recycling and book printing facility run by the 'differently abled' on TTS's campus, which publishes and makes books written by the TTS faculty. Off campus, we visited a nursing home for "grannies and grampas" where students live during their second year to help to care for approximately 30 grannies and 20 grampas and run an "Adopt a Granny" program. These men and women have no family members to care for them in their old age, and are admitted on the basis of need. We also visited a tailoring, sewing and weaving rehabilitation center for women who were sexually abused, where the seminary purchases linens for their guest house and also stations students during their second year. On Sunday, we stopped by an orphanage for 17 HIV+ children, a third year project for seminarians where we were able to take some time and play, laugh and sing with the children.

After our time at the seminary, we've been talking a bit about how different a seminary education in the US would look if seminarians were required to take part in an intentional ministry among the poor.  We've also been talking a lot about God's heart for the poor and how we, as Christians, Americans and people of privilege, can and should love and serve the poor in our home contexts.

Thank you for reading!
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see more of our photos from our trip on Facebook here.

A Visit to the Sikh Temple

On Sunday, our group headed to the Sikh temple to observe a sunday service and share langar, or lunch, with our new Sikh friends. Here are some photos from our trip.

The Sikh population here in Coimbatore is fairly small. We were welcomed on Sunday by the president of the gurudwara, who also provided us with some general information on the Sikh faith. There are around 25 million Sikhs worldwide, and 75% of Sikhs live in and around Punjab, a state in North India.

 Headcoverings are required for men and women alike. Sikh men wear large turbans  (pictured below) to cover their hair, which they don't cut and wear in a topknot. Here is Program Assistant Jonathan Pinckney and Director Kirk McClelland sporting their borrowed headscarves, available to those who come to the gurudwara without a turban. 

 This is our friend Simran. She's the gurudwara president's daughter. She was kind to show us around the temple and explain to us a little but more about the holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, and answer our questions.

Students wearing their dupattas (the scarves which come with their Indian dress) on their heads to enter the temple.

 Observing the service. the man in the middle-right of the picture is reading scriptures from the holy book. the covered heads in the foreground belong to Amanda, Erin and Renee.

 Reading from the Guru Granth.

 Sharing the langar, or communal meal, after the service with our newfound Sikh friends.

Becky, Melissa, Erin, Renee, Kali, Natasha, Brooklyn, Calla, Sarah

Mariah and Amanda

posing outside the gurudwara.

 the president of the gurudwara

Some of the biggest things we learned: the Sikh faith is monotheistic, peaceful and simple- free from idols and superstitions. Sikhs don't discriminate on the basis of caste, creed or even faith. Anyone is free to join them for temple and lunch.

Thank you, Coimbatore Sikh community, for allowing us to share your space with you this Sunday!