Madurai!

We returned Saturday night from our first weekend trip to Madurai. We boarded the ‘Barbie Bus’ (white with purple trim) at 6:00am Friday morning to travel to the Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary (TTS) in Madurai. We toured their beautiful campus and got to explore their archives including seeing Scripture written on old banana leaves! In the evening we set out along the very busy and chaotic streets of Madurai to visit try Jigarthanda- famous Madurai drink that was fantastic! Next we went to the Thirumalai Nayak Palace to enjoy their sound and light show which explained the history of the palace. 

Enjoying jigarthanda drink!

 The next morning we set out early for Sri Meenakshi temple which is a HUGE Hindu temple that at least 15,000 people visit a day! We were happily surprised to see an elephant standing in the courtyard of the temple and many of the students got ‘blessed’ by the elephant where it put it's trunk on your head! What a cool experience!

Sri Meenakshi temple

A student being 'blessed' by the temple elephant!

We also visited the Gandhiji museum and read more about his life and how he influenced India.

On our drive back to Coimbatore, we stopped at an orphanage for children with HIV. At first they had a little program for us where they sang and danced and even taught us a dance! Then we all ran to play outside on their playground. These children were adorable- running around showing us their tricks and including us in their games. Shouts of ‘Akka’ (older sister), ‘Ana’ (older brother) rang out across the playground and I think we were all equally blessed by this interaction with these dear sweet children!

Our whole group enjoying the children at the orphanage.

Check out more pictures from our trip on our Facebook page- India Studies Program (ISP)!

In Pictures: Madurai

We are diving into the semester and time is flying by! A while ago, we had our first weekend trip and headed to the city of Madurai. As much as we love our home base of Coimbatore, we were excited to get out and explore another city.

ISP on the bus!

Leaving bright and early, we arrived into the bustling Madurai full of a delicious South Indian breakfast we had eaten on the way. We rolled right into the Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary (TTS), a quiet green campus hidden in the middle of a dusty city. Our first program of the afternoon was touring the college and learning about its mission before moving into a session on Dalit Theology, understanding the gospel through the lens of the oppressed. Jason Brownlee shared his thoughts on that afternoon: 

Learning about Dalit theology at TTS.

 "...we toured the seminary and got to talk with a few of the professors about the program. The seminary has an amazing complex. Separate from the busyness of the city, it is like an oasis in the desert. It has trees everywhere (including Teak, shout out to my Dad and the sailboat), chickens roaming around, cows for milking, and most of its own food is grown on the campus. Another part of the seminary is that its students spend one of their three years living in a slum. They do a lot of work for the Dalit (or Untouchable) caste, dialoguing mainly with the Christian Dalit community and how they can be representatives of Christ to the Indian community. It was a really cool seminary and I am glad our program is showing us the ways the Christian community is showing Christ in the Indian context. It was cool to see how Indians were meeting the needs of other Indians through the story of Christ."

A Hindu convert's interpretation of the birth of Christ at TTS.

 The evening was filled with activities out in the city! Students made it down a busy street to try jigarthanda, a special drink from Madurai. None of us could pronounce the name, let alone identify the interesting ingredients, but we all agreed that it was delicious and well worth the trip. From there we headed to the Thirumalai Nayak Palace where we settled in to watch a sound and light show that relayed the history of King Thirumalai and the city.  

Thirumalai Nayak palace lit up at night.
Credit: Kari Christensen

On the way back from the show students stumbled across a circus and managed to convince Kirk and the faculty to accompany them on their adventure. After catching part of the show, the students got up close and personal with the circus elephant! 

Kari face to face with the circus elephant.

We woke up on Saturday excited to be going to the Meenakshi Temple, one of the largest Hindu temple complexes in South India. As we wandered through, our guide explained the scenes around us - from depictions of Parvati and Meenakshi painted on the walls to intricate carvings on the many pillars scattered around the temple. Although we had been to one temple before in Coimbatore, it was the first time many students had been to one of this magnitude. With pujas and daily temple life swirling around us, there was a wealth of experiences to take in.  

View of the tank in the Meenakshi Temple.
Credit: Kari Christensen

Before heading home we had a few more stops to make. First was the Gandhi Museum. While a major part of it is devoted to understanding Gandhi's life and work the first section of it also details India's independence movement. Walking through, it was fascinating to trace the path that India has traveled to arrive where it is today. From there we said goodbye to Madurai but made one final stop at Arulagam, an HIV/AIDS hospice run by TTS. The hospice is set in a peaceful area away from the city where people who are affected by HIV/AIDS come for treatment and care. A group of children who are also affected live at the hospice. It was wonderful to spend time listening to how this seminary is making an impact by serving the community that is around them. 

QGP (quick group pic) at the Meenakshi Temple.

Jason shared a final reflection on the temple and the weekend: "I am trying to look past the cultural shock of seeing, smelling, and hearing the goings on of the temple and learn about the ways of the Hindu people. The term Hindu is such a complex word that my small view of it can’t begin to understand, so I will reserve my judgement and take the stance of a learner".

Thanks for reading! Watch for upcoming posts on our other weekend trips.

In Pictures: Madurai!

Our director has fondly dubbed the weekend trip to Madurai the "Coimbatore Appreciation Trip". Why? Because Madurai is humid and hot and when you step out of the shower it's hard to know where the water ends and the sweat begins!

But Madurai is also an ancient city, known for its temples, history and stunning architecture. The city streets are built in a lotus shape and the Sri Meenakshi temple is in its midst as both the spiritual and geographical center.

Gandhi Museum
Photo Credit: Hannah Burgess

We woke up bright and early to leave Coimbatore at 5am. Most of us slept for the scenic ride there (although, those who were awake saw some wild peacocks) and were greeted with a traditional South Indian breakfast - dosa, puri, and idli on a banana leaf! Add some sweet Indian coffee and we were ready to explore Madurai.

Learning about India's independence at the Gandhi Museum.
Photo Credit: Karmen Tam

Our first stop was the Gandhi Museum which is housed in the Tamukkam Palace (an old exhibition pavilion) that belonged to Rani Mangammal from the Nayak Dynasty and was built around 1670 A.D. We spent the morning wandering the museum and learning about India's long struggle for independence from the British. Strikes and protests, which spurred the independence movement, continue to be frequent in India. In fact, many stores, restaurants and the public transportation system in Coimbatore recently closed down for a day in solidarity with those who are currently pushing for lower gas prices here. India's independence story is built around this idea of a common struggle and helps us to understand why it continues to be so prevalent today.

The hallway inside the Meenakshi Temple!
Photo Credit: Hannah Burgess

We also spent time at the Meenakshi Temple! This temple is dedicated to the goddess Parvati (known here as her avatar Meenakshi) and her partner, the god Shiva (also known as Sundareswarar). The architecture encompasses stone carvings and intricate towers, and the entire structure is repainted once every 12 years.

There are 12 gopurams (towers) at the Meenakshi Temple. The one near the Western Gate has 1511 statues carved into it!
Photo Credit: Hannah Burgess

We were able to witness and ask questions about the various activities going on at the time as well. Many devotees come to the temple to ask for babies since the temple celebrates the union of Meenakshi and Sundereswarar. As a result, the temple plays host to baby naming ceremonies and to hopeful women who throw balls of butter as offerings to images of Meenakshi.

Enjoying the view of the temple.

 From dedicated pilgrims performing pooja (worship) rituals to elephants giving blessings, the temple is a hubbub of motion as people go about their daily lives.

Drinking Kashmiri tea and learning about rugs!
Photo Credit: Karmen Tam

During the weekend we were lucky enough to be housed by the Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary (TTS). The seminary follows a unique model of education where, in addition to taking courses, students participate in one of the seminary's various ministries (such as prison ministry and interfaith dialogue), do an internship at one of their organizations (like their HIV/AIDS hospice), and then spend a year living in the slums. The campus also grows much of their own food and provides vocational training for the poor in the area.

The Dalit Resource Centre at TTS.
Photo Credit: Karmen Tam

They also house their own Dalit Resource Centre on campus which contains a collection of books about the untouchables, has cultural events and advocates for Dalit rights. It was eye-opening to speak to the staff there to learn more about prejudices against untouchables and how all-pervasive it is in society. We capped off our weekend by going to Arulagam, the HIV/AIDS hospice run by TTS. They provide care to those affected in the area, which includes awareness and medication, and also house a number of children and adults. We were able to spend some time learning about their programs and then playing with the children there! Our visit to TTS and their various outreaches has made us consider what our own seminaries could look like if they chose to follow such an intentional model of serving the poor.

Thanks for reading! Keep an eye out for upcoming posts!

A Good Theologian is a Lover of God…

A great theologian is a lover of life.

-Unknown

ISP students on the porch of the TTS guesthouse

This statement is true of the theologians at Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary, otherwise known as TTS. As you might have read here, the ISPers spent their weekend in the city of Madurai. In addition to visiting the distinguished Meenakshi Temple, they visited several projects that TTS students are involved in, including a home for abandoned women and a home for children infected with HIV/AIDS. The structure of this seminary is incredibly unique in that the students spend their first and fourth years on campus, in the classrooms, and their second and third years off campus, living in the slums and living in a village. The seminary also employs “differently abled” people on their campus to help run their book printing facility.

ISP students visiting with the grampas!

It is evident that this community is filled with great theologians. Their actions reflect a deep understanding of what it means to love life, particularly as a gift from God. The people who benefit from the service projects are those who are neglected, ignored, and mistreated by the majority or society. They are often hopeless and destitute, having been abandoned by those who ought to be caring for them. They are the faceless and the nameless. They are the elderly with no one to support them, the women who have been abused, and the children who are infected.

Some of the women at the vocational rehabilitation center.

They are the people who the ISPers do not often see on a daily basis, both back home and here in India. Hannah Brown had this to say about the weekend:

“I really enjoyed the visits to the service projects, in fact, I wish we could have stayed longer. Everyone at the seminary was welcoming and friendly. It was great to see that they want their students to get hands on experience and practically apply what they’ve learned. Also, through this trip I feel as though we were able to expand our view of India. We were taken outside of Coimbatore and we were able to see more of what the common Indian experiences.”

A sweet face!

The group learned, enjoyed, and experienced. More importantly, though, the group was challenged. Their understanding of what it means to be a student and a servant was deepened. Their perceptions of the nameless and the faceless were altered. And they were challenged in what it means to be a Christian in a cross-cultural context. This is only the beginning. 

Playing on the swings on Sunday at the home for HIV and AIDS orphans

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Photos and words both by Celiz Aguilar, our ISP Social Media Intern for the Spring '12 semester! Look forward to more posts and insights by Celiz throughout the semester. We're glad to have her on board to help tell the story of this spring semester, especially from her student perspective.

Madurai: Meenakshi Temple and Tamilnadu Theological Seminary

This weekend, we traveled on our first regional trip to the temple city of Madurai. We left around 5am and drove for around 5 hours to Tamilnadu Theological Seminary (TTS)'s beautiful, green campus where we had the pleasure of staying for the weekend. As with our previous trip, which you can read about here, our purpose was twofold: visit and learn about TTS and their ministry to and concern for the poor, and visit the Meenakshi Temple.

Brahmin priests inside the temple courtyard

We spent our Sunday morning first putting on a small worship service in TTS's beautiful, open-air chapel. Then, we traveled to the temple and spent several hours walking around and learning about the temple's history and significance to the Hindu faith.

There are approximately 50 priests employed in the temple.

Birds darting in and out of the temple's carvings

One of the myths central to the city's founding holds that Indra, king of the gods, bathed in a holy tank and worshipped Shiva, god of destruction, in this place. Shiva then shook his wet dreadlocks over the city, covering it with amrita, the nectar of the gods and of immortality. The Pandiyan king Kulashekhara then built a temple in the same place to commemorate that auspicious event. 

A view of the towers from the courtyard.

Any day of the week, no less than 15,000 people pass through the main gates of the temple (25,000 on Fridays, the sacred day of the goddess Meenakshi). 

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To see more photos from our weekend trip to Madurai this semester, check our Facebook album here. 

For last semester's photos (or if you just want to see more of our photos), check our other album here.

Happy Friday from Coimbatore!

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Sorry for the long silence!

Our “next batch” of students has arrived safely and after a brief issue with a missing suitcase, everyone has all of their belongings. we apologize for the radio silence.

Our students have been here in India for just over a week now. We’ve kept everyone busy with orientation, shopping for Indian wardrobes and books, and starting the first week of classes, in between things like trying new foods, re-learning basic communication skills (more on the head bobble at a later date!), and trying our hand at crossing the street. If that wasn't enough, we’re already off on our first regional trip to Madurai this weekend, where we’ll be staying at the Tamilnadu Theological Seminary, seeing a sound and light show at the Tirumalai Nayak Palace and visiting the Meenakshi Temple!

Please stay tuned for next week, when we’ll be sharing about our trip to Madurai, the recent festival of Pongal, the "Amazing Race: Coimbatore," and maybe even a bit on the Indian “head bobble.”

Thanks as always for reading!

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.

We're off (again!)

We leave for the temple city of Madurai tomorrow morning, where we'll visit Shri Meenakshi Temple, the Mahatma Gandhi Museum and the Thirumalai Nayak Palace. 

It's great to live in a place where students can learn about Hinduism in class during the week and then take a weekend and travel to a temple built somewhere around the 7th century. All of India is our classroom!

 We're hoping to see some more elephants this weekend, too!