We visited the Sri Ram Vidya Mandir School which is our sister school in India. The school was founded by Baba Hari Das, the same person who inspired the founding of Mount Madonna School (MMS). The culture at SRVS felt similar but also different from MMS. 

All of the kids that I talked to acted exactly the same as kids I’ve met from the U.S. and other countries. One girl told me about how she was sad that her best friend had recently changed schools. I understood how she must have felt because no matter your culture or religion a best friend is still just as important. I related with another girl that I talked with about our love for art. We agreed that it was one of our favorite subjects in school. We talked about how fascinating it was to draw from life and how crazy it felt to watch a blank page turn into a three dimensional object. We continued to talk about school and how it impacts our lives. She told me that her biggest motivator was her god. That believing in her god brought her passion and curiosity in school work. She asked me if I believed in a god. I told her that my mother was raised Catholic and that my father was raised Jewish but had chosen not to identify with a specific religion. I said that I had religious connection with my family history but couldn’t say that I affiliated with a specific god. When she asked the question I found it interesting that she asked if I believed in “a god” versus just beloved in god. This made me think about how different our culture is in the U.S. where most people believe in one god. Whereas in India, people may choose a specific god that they worship. The way she phrased the question also made me believe that it was more open-ended. She was just asking if I believed in a higher power and not expecting me to participate in her religion. 

My schooling experience was also different from theirs in two other major ways. In India, after 10th grade, students are expected to pick a “stream” to follow; Science, Humanities, or Commerce. Once they have chosen, they take classes exclusively to apply to what they have chosen. This shocked me because of how much general education we have to take for our school system. It is crazy to me how different education systems are in different countries. Another thing that was different  was the rigidity of their school. In the morning they stood in a straight line, separated by boys and girls of each grade, and followed orders given over the speaker. The school was much more strict than schools in the United States. However,  once we went into the classrooms and saw the projects and kids all hanging out, it felt similar to Mount Madonna school.- Amelie Zands

Today we visited a small village near the ashram called which is home to the Gujjar people. Shannon had told us it was just a quick tractor ride away and she was not wrong. We all loaded into the back of a large tractor  and set off across the street and down a dirt road. 

On the way over we were stopped by a woman who was asking if she could grab a ride to the same place we were headed. She told us that she has been coming to the village to teach the kids. The Gujjar people used to be nomadic but the people in this village  had been settled on a portion of land that was given to them by the Indian government for about two or three generations. There were around two hundred people living in the village and education for them was a fairly new thing. Few families send their kids to the small school room but I believe that having a teacher come in from outside is an easy and motivating way to give the kids some education. 

As we walked around, we stopped briefly at the school house. The children were practicing their ABC’s and I helped lead them through the exercise. Next the teacher asked if there were any short mantras we knew to teach the kids. We decided to go with, “Head, shoulders, knees, and toes” and I, along with my classmates, helped lead a quick round of the game. The kids seemed excited to learn new things. It was amazing to see how the village people were able to mix the skills they needed for their traditional lifestyle with a bit of modern education and technology. For example, a straw roofed house with a solar panel on top. We were even told that one man had attended the school nearby when he was younger and was now sending his three daughters there to get an education. To me, this seemed like an amazing advancement  because I had heard before visiting that traditionally young women were not allowed to leave the village, unless it was medically necessary. When a woman gets married she is expected to live in her husband’s village. It was inspiring for me to hear about these young women who were supported by their father to pursue education outside of their village. -Amelie Zands

This morning we took a tractor to ride into the jungle near Sri Ram Ashram to visit a Gujjar village. This Gujjar village is home to around 200 people and they have been settled on their land for about two or three generations, but were previously a nomadic tribe. Now they live on government land that they are able to use due to their tribal recognition. 

Before arriving, I was a little nervous because our teachers told us that it was extremely traditional and modest. I did not want to do anything that would offend them so I was a bit intimidated. Once we arrived I felt comfortable because while it was both very traditional and modest, the people were all welcoming and the children were nothing but smiles. And, I could not get over how adorable all of the baby cows were. 

All of the building walls were constructed using mud and the roofs were made with hay. The roof was supported by and tied to long branches that created a criss-cross design when looking up from inside the building. I loved looking at the construction and the details of how the buildings were made because it reminded me of how the Fales in Samoa are built. 

Education is still relatively new for the Gujjar people. Very few people from both the Guijar and other villages in the area are able to leave for their studies, let alone start a career. Fortunately, recently the village has had a teacher come to the village to teach the children how to read and write, as well as some maths. Hopefully soon more of the children will be able to attend school at Sri Ram Ashram.

Culturally, it is the men who stay in the village for generations and the women are married into one of the surrounding villages. Generally, it is the men who work outside with the animals and the women stay in the homes to cook and keep the village clean. Women there are rarely given the opportunity to leave the village and mainly only leave for medical reasons. 

Someday, I hope to come back to India and visit the Gujjar people again and possibly speak with them and get to know them more. I want to hear their stories and dreams, and I hope more than anything that those dreams will come true.-Lagi Hunnicutt

Every year we hear so much about Sri Ram Ashram and the connections that the students make with the children here. It is crazy to finally be here and get to experience something that we have waited years for. 

The day after arriving at Sri Ram, we made our way to Rishikesh. On the bus ride we listened to the White Album which was written here in India. Every single person on our bus knew the songs, the teachers and the students. The Beatles have had such an impact on so many generations. Their music is truly inspiring. 

When we arrived, I immediately felt at home. Everyone is so nice and welcoming. Everyone wants to play.I  can’t even remember the last time I jumped rope, played on a playground,or ran around playing ultimate frisbee for almost an hour.  In America, I feel like a lot of the time it’s easy for teenagers to forget that we are still kids. But here, you lose track of time. Being in this moment, it feels like nothing else matters. 

Being at the Beatles ashram was surreal for me.  I started the day in kind of a bad mood but the energy at the ashram made the way I was feeling completely shift. It was incredible to walk through the remnants of what were once buildings, thinking about how people you look up to so much once walked in the same place. In a way, it felt very spiritual. 

I have grown up listening to the Beatles and hearing stories from both of my parents about how their sisters were obsessed with Paul, Ringo, John, and George. How they would scream when they saw them on the television. I started playing guitar about 2 years ago and the first song I ever learned was “Blackbird.” It is definitely an experience I will never forget. -Chloe Smith

Rishikesh, a city nestled along the Ganges river, is not only one of the greatest yoga and meditation capitals of the world, but is also considered incredibly holy and has been featured in Hindu mythology for centuries. Many people who visit are ones hoping to embark, or continue, on a spiritual journey- the Beatles famously being one of them. The Beatles lived in Rishikesh in the 1960s at an Ashram, and sought spiritual teachings from the well respected Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It also was during their time at the ashram that they wrote and recorded the famous White album. 

Yesterday we had the great pleasure of visiting the city of Rishikish, where we got to visit the famous Beatles ashram, and dip our feet (both literally and figuratively) in the powerful spirituality that the city is known for. 

The Beatles ashram was something I had been greatly looking forward to for a long time. When I was younger, my dad would tell me stories of the Beatles Ashram, and its significance to the band’s music and spiritual journey. Upon entering, the ashram was not at all what I was expecting. Many of the huts and houses at the ashram were in slight disarray and many were slowly collapsing into the forest floor. Despite this slight surprise, there was an aspect to this decay that I greatly enjoyed. To the Beatles, and the many spiritual teachers and beings that lived there, it was not about material possession, or lavishness, as many of the huts were quite simple and small. I wondered if the former inhabitants would have enjoyed the way the holy buildings are embodying the universal nature of impermanence. 

There was a special energy at the ashram, one much of the city seemed to share. It was not just the energy of the famous or significant people who have lived or visited there, but the energy of every person who has come and left a part of their heart. The city is incredibly significant to many people, both spiritual and historically, and their love and reverence for the city is evident, as you can feel and see it clearly. 

At sunset we got to experience the city’s Aarti- a nightly Hindu ritual that typically involves music, mantras, hymns, and prayers as a way to express devotion to the gods. I learned a bit about Aarti and evening prayer through my conversation with Dr Metre about her nightly practice, and by experiencing the ceremony at Sri Ram Ashram. It is a time of pure devotion and presence- an incredible thing to witness. 

Once the sun had set over the city, my classmates and I, released a bowl of flowers, and incense onto the Ganges river. The candles on each of these boats lit up the river- a beautiful way to conclude both the evening’s ceremony, and our day in the city.-Emi Lord

On our second day in India we woke up and boarded a plane to Dharmashala at 6:10 AM. This was my first time in a propeller plane and I was conveniently located on the window seat. For the entire plane ride the plane was flying low enough to see the buildings below, which allowed me to look out the window for the entire flight. At first I couldn’t see anything; just the usual Delhi smog, until sunrise when I was able to see clusters of houses in an almost infinite expanse of flat grass. The longer the plane ride went on the less smog there was and the more rural and mountainous the environment was.  Soon I was seeing huge rolling hills and large river beds. At the end of the flight, before we landed, the Himalayas were visibly towering over the plane. 

Upon landing in Dharamshala we were all awe struck by the large jagged peaks of the Himalayas. While everyone else grabbed their checked baggage I started to wonder where my bag was. That’s when I was told that last time someone had tripods in their suitcase their bag was also delayed. 

I should probably mention that I spent a lot of time preparing for the Dharmashala part of the trip because the in-country flight had to be less than 33 Ibs while the weight for the international flight can be 50 lbs. Since it was very important that I bring home at least 5-8 yak wool blankets, I ended up packing 24 Ibs. Which meant that I “voluntarily” decided to carry the tripods, not knowing of the fate that would soon endure…

However, it was hard to stay upset in an environment like Dharmashala. Everywhere you look you  see rolling hills covered in brightly colored buildings, as well as an assortment of animals including stray dogs, monkeys, cows, goats, and even some yaks. I must confess animals do bring me joy and make me smile a little bit. The  best part, however, is probably the blue sky and crisp thin mountain air. I really enjoyed the rich Tibetan culture and the history behind it.

Today, I am writing this blog on the plane back to Delhi. I am returning with multiple items I bargained for including 7 yak wool blankets. I really enjoyed this segment of the trip and I hope the rest of the trip is as great as Dharamshala. 

Serkong House: Dharamshala 

Serkong house is a hotel once owned by the Norbulingka Institute, a group committed to preserving Tibetan culture and art. The rooms are comfortable and a good size for western standards. The main piece for these rooms is the furniture, they are made mostly with cedar, and have designs on them. Three of which I believe I’ve correctly identified after speaking with our guide and having gotten to see where the furniture was made. One, a circular design with a flycatcher bird and its feathers spiraling out from the center, two, the “infinity knot” and three, leaves and a few flowers of the rhododendron. The rhododendron is a woody tree with large flowers ranging from red to pink to purple based on altitude, native to the Himalayan region including Tibet. These designs paired with detailed woodwork I think really display what the feel of this room is like. Every choice clearly had some meaning to it. 

           I’d also like to say what I know of the hotel’s management and location. The current owner was a manager at the time of earlier trips. He purchased it  just last year. The hotel also has a restaurant staff that make very, very good food. All of it is available for room service by phone or you can just walk down some stairs and order. Its location is about a ten minute walk from the Dalai Lama temple and has many good street vendors along the way. 

Enjoy a gallery from our time in Dharmashala.

Today we walked through the Tibet Museum in Dharamshala.  I went into the museum not knowing much about Tibet or its history.  All of the items in the museum are donated. There was even a typewriter with Tibetan characters! We walked through the museum with our guide, Choegyan, a protocol officer for the Tibetan Department of information and international relations.

She explained to us that more times than not the story of Tibet is told incorrectly. Some people claim that Tibet had always been a part of China, but the Tibetan people know that this isn’t true. She showed us a National Geographic magazine from 1934 that showed the flag of Tibet as separate from China. She explained to us that this is something they use to prove that Tibet was once independent from China. 

Choegyan also told me about how the Dalia Lama is found. One step of the process is that items are placed in front of a young child, some of which belong to the previous Dalia Lama.  If the child chooses the correct items they determine if he will be the next Dalia Lama. Something that shocked me was that the 14th Dalia Lama was only 16 when he gained political power in Tibet.

I am so grateful to be learning and experiencing new things here in India. -Chloe Smith

Today we had the pleasure of visiting the Central Tibetan Association (CTA) in Dharamshala which is where the Tibetan Parliament in Exile is located. While there we interviewed Mr. Karma Choeying, Secretary of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) and the appointed spokesperson of the CTA. 

Before we began asking questions we watched a short film on the CTA and why it was created, as well as the experiences of the Tibetan refugees here in Dharamshala. The main goal of the CTA is to provide a stable living environment for refugees and secure the future for Tibet and its people. I was sad to find out how little I knew about what happened to Tibet and what is continuing to happen today. For decades, the People’s Republic of China has been working to destroy Tibetan culture and identity by putting Tibetan children in colonial boarding schools and banning any curriculum that teaches in the Tibetan language. In Tibet, there are at least a million Tibetan children ages 8 to 18 that are taken to these schools and taught only in Chinese in an attempt to kill the Tibetan language. On top of this, the Chinese government is having Chinese people move into Tibet, essentially making Tibetans the minority in their own country. If not demolished, their monasteries are strictly controlled and their towns and villages are kept under constant surveillance. 

While speaking with Mr. Choeying, he shared with us about the Middle-Way approach, which is a freedom strategy that was created by the 14th Dalai Lama to try and come to an agreement with the PRC. The Middle-Way approach emphasises peace, mutual agreement, and equality. In simple terms it describes how the Tibetan government is not pushing for independence, but they don’t accept the current treatment of their people and home. Unfortunately, when I asked Mr. Choeying if the Chinese government has accepted this approach, he said that they have not gotten positive responses from them. Within the last two decades the security at the borders and surveillance within China has gotten significantly stronger. Before 2008, there were roughly around 2,000 to 3,000 Tibetan refugees coming into India every year. But now that number has dwindled down to 10 to 30 people each year. 

Our time at the CTA showed me just how big this problem is and how many people it is affecting. The Tibetan people deserve to have their religious and cultural freedoms without intensive surveillance or fear of violence as a result. It showed me how strong the Tibetan people are, especially given how many were able to escape and find community here in Dharamshala, as well as keep up hope for the future of their culture. 

Free Tibet- Lagi Hunnicutt