Taj Mahal: The crown palace of the world.

Taj Mahal

"Should guilty seek asylum here
Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin.
Should a sinner make his way to this mansion,
All his past sins are to be washed away.
The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sights;
And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes
In this world this edifice has been made;
To display thereby the Creator's glory."

-Shah Jahan on Taj Mahal

A king's expression of sorrow at the death of his beloved wife, a tribute to exquisite beauty, a monument of love, the grandeur of the Mughal Empire, Islamic art and architecture at its finest: all these fall short in describing the Taj Mahal.

One of the wonders of the world and a UNESCO World Heritage site, the majestic Taj Mahal cannot be described in any way so as to do justice to it. It is an experience to be felt and a sight to marvel at.

In 1631, Shah Jahan the emperor during the Mughal's period of greatest prosperity was grief-stikren when his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal died during the birth of their 14th child. Before she passed away, Mumtaz Mahal had extracted  4 promises fron\m the king: he would build the taj, he would marry again, he would be kind to their children and that he would visit her tomb on her death anniversary.

However, due to ill health and being under house arrest by his son and successor to the throne Aurangzeb, Shah Jahan could not fulfill his last vow. 

Agra Fort: Symbol of power

Agra Fort

The Agra Fort is located on the right bank of the banks of the Yamuna river in Agra. It is one of the most important and robustly built stronghold of the Mughals, embellished with a number of richly decorated buildings encompassing the imposing Mughal art style and architecture. It was constructed by the third Mughal Emperor, Akbar on the remains of an ancient site known as Badalgarh. 

Akbar who arrived in Agra in 1558 ordered to renovate the fort with red sandstone. Some 4000 builders daily worked on it and it was completed in 8 years. It was in a tower with a beautiful marble balcony in this fort  that Aurangzeb imprisoned his father Shah Jahan, where one of the best views of the Taj Mahal can be seen.

Agra: Glimpses of the Mughals splendour blended with modern North India.

Agra

Situated on the banks of the Yamuna river in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, Agra is the former capital of India. One of the most populous cities of India, Agra has a rich history. Though the most ancient mention of Agra can be found in the legend Mahabharata, Agra's fame is mainly associated with the Mughal Empire. 

For over 100 years, Agra was the capital of the pompous Mughal Empire. it is generally accepted that Sultan Sikandar Lodi, the ruler of Delhi Sultanate founded the city of Agra. Agra had a succession or rulers and its golden period started under the reign of the Mughals. It was then known as Akbarabad and it remained the capital of the Mughal Empire under the rule of Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan who later shifted the capital to Delhi where he founded Shahjahanabad.

The legendary wealth and love for beauty for the three generations of Mughal rulers in Agra found expression in outstanding art and architecture. Apart from the exquisite Taj Mahal, the impressive Agra Fort and the nearby Fatehpur Sikri, all of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Agra city contains many other monuments which combine Persian, Hindu and Islamic influences.

Agra is more than beautiful buildings.It can rightly be said that it is a microcosm of north India where multiple religions and faiths co-exist. Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims in Agra still follow the ancient ways of life, celebrating festivals and fairs as their forefathers did. Agra is surounded by villages and farmlands, from where people flock to the city for the daily needs. Agra's bazaars teem with spices, fruits, vegetables, colourful fabrics, jewelry and household wares, giving a picture of typical north India.

Jallianwala Bagh: Colonial scars and unhealed wounds.

Jallianwala Bagh Memorial

Years of colonial rule in India, especially the British Raj has left the country with wounds and scars so deep that even today, 65 years after India gained independence, the echoes of the cries of pain  are still resonant to the ears and throughout the country, images of martyrs, freedom fighters and thousands of innocents killed can become alive due to the countless memorials and monuments in different corners of the country.

During your visit to Amritsar, you will have the chance to visit the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial, the name of which is sufficient to send shivers down one's spine. Indeed, the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial located only a few meters from the Golden Temple is symbolic of the cruelty that man has ever perpetuated on his fellow man.

The Jallianwala bagh Memorial

Since 1857 and continuing till the post first world war period, protest and mass gatherings were common in different places in India. With Bengal and Punjab remaining sources of anti-colonial activities, believed and prepared for the worst. 

On Sunday, April 13 1919, Baisakhi, which happens to be one of Punjab's greatest festivals, was being celebrated. Baisakhi is essentially a Sikh festival as it is not only the festival of the annual harvest but it is also the day commemorating the day when the Khalsa Panth (a kind of baptism for the Sikhs) was founded by the 10th Guru. On that day, thousands of not only Sikhs, but Hindus and Muslims as well had gathered in the Jallianwala Garden for the celebrations.

On that fateful day, comanded by Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer, fifty British Indian soldiers marched to a raised bank at the garden and began shooting at the unarmed gathering of men, women and children. Dyer had also brought two armoured cars, armed with machine guns. However, the cars were stationed outside the main gate as they were too big to enter the garden through the narrow entrances.

Reginald Dyer

The Jallianwala Bagh was bounded on all sides by houses and narrow entrances and the only wide entrance was guarded by the troops. The shooting continued until almost all ammunitions were exhausted. Apart from deaths from the direct shootings, many other lives were lost in stampedes at the narrow gates and people jumped into the solitary well on the compound to escape the shootings. 

Bullets marks on the walls in Jallianwala Bagh

The well in Jallianwala Bagh

The afternath

The number of deaths caused by the shooting is disputed. While British official figures amount to 379 persons and 1000 wounded, given the size of the crowd which had gathered on that day and based on eye-witnesses and an inquiry by the Indian National Congress, it is estimated that approximately 1000 persons were killed and 1500, wounded.

Following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Tagore, one of India's prominent thinkers renounced his knighthood in protest of the massacre. Find, on the following link, his letter of renouncing the knighthood:

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-04-13/india/29413338_1_knighthood-protest-honour

As for Reginald Dyer, appearing before the unter Comission, he said that he had gone to the garden with the deliberate intention of opening fire if he found a crowd gathered there. "I think it quite possible that I could have dispersed the crowd without firing but they would have come back again and laughed, and I would have made, what i consider, a fool of myself." Dyer said. He further said he did not stop shooting when the crowd began to disperse but he considered it his duty to keep on shooting till the crowd completely dispersed. 

Cameroon's visit to the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial

In what can be seen as a political tactic, British PM David Cameroon visited the Golden Temple and the Jallianwala Bagh in February 2013. The fact that no apology was issued has got mixed reactions from the people of Punjab.Cameroon is the first serving British Prime Minister to have visited the memorial and described the shootings as a "deeply shameful event."

Cameroon's entry in the visitor's book

The Golden Temple, a place of serenity and peace.

The Golden Temple

Located in Amritsar, the Sri Harimandir Sahib, most popularly known as the Golden Temple is not only the most sacred place of the followers of Sikhism but in the middle of the blue waters of the lake which is believed to have special healing powers, the Golden Temple stands majestically as a symbol of human brotherhood and equality.Regardless of cast, creed or race, everyone is welcomed in the Golden Temple to seek spiritual solace and religious fulfillment. Indeed, the four different entrances from the four directions of the temple symbolises that people from different walks of life are welcome to this holy shrine.

Ever since its completion in 1604 and having been subject to numerous attacks, the Golden temple is seen as one of the most, it not the most important temple of Sikhism. It has become a place of pilgrimage ans all Sikhs try to visit the place at least once in their life-time. One of the main reasons for this is that the holy script of the Sikhs, the Adi Sri Guru Grant Sahib is kept inside the Golden Temple.

The Golden Temple

The Golden Temple at night

The Adi Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the holy sripture of the Sikhs

Note that the etiquettes for the visitors are that the shoes should be removed and the feet and hands mush be washed. Also, the head should be covered.

The concept of seva

"Do seva , selfless service, for the Holy Saints and the noose of death shall be cut away."

-Guru Granth Sahib: Paanaa 214, line 7) 

Seva or voluntary service is a prominent component of the Sikh religion. According to Sikhism, God pervades His creation, among whom also comes humanity. Hence, service to humanity is a form of worship. In fact in Sikhism, no worship is conceivable without seva. The Sikh must serve none than God. "Serve you the Lord alone; none else must you serve." (Guru Granth Sahib, P.490).

Simple forms of seva can include sweeping the floor of the gurudwara, serving water or fanning the congregation, offering provisions to and rendering any kind of service in the kitchen-cum-eating house or safe-guarding the foot-wears of those who have gone to worship the gurudwara.

Acts of seva

Langar

Founded by Guru Nanak (the founder of Sikhism), the langar means a free kitchen and is one of the most important institutions of this religion. The philosophy which lied behind the idea of langar was a radical departure of the norms of the then India.Ridden by caste hierarchies and restrictive religiosity of the ruling class on that period of time, the  langar was a place, where every human being, peasant or king, man or woman saint or sinner could sit as equals and share a common meal and is a practical expression of equality among humans. The food is prepared by the community for the community. Each gurudwara, however modest or lavish has a free kitchen.This ethos remains to this day and is perhaps the most visible form of seva that can be encountered in the modern day.

Preparing food for langar

Food serving in langar

The holy city of Amritsar: The cultural hub of Punjab

Amritsar

Another destination in your itinerary is Amritsar, literally meaning a pool of nectar. Situated in north-west India, Amritsar is the holy city of the followers of Sikhism, famous mainly due to the Golden Temple and its proximity to Wagah, the Indo-Pak border. 

The history of Amritsar can be traced back to the Indus valley civilisation. Home to numerous gurudwaras, each of which have born witness to great events in the history of Sikhism, the city of Amritsar reflects the rich Sikh and Punjabi culture.

The land of Amritsar is enriched with many ancient customs that have evolved over a considerable period of time. Connoting different mythical and religious significance, several festivals are celebrated and fairs are organised in Amritsar. In fact, the entire place is full with  jovial inhabitants who celebrate each festival with much zeal and vigour.

Glimpses of Amritsar, Punjab

CORD: Paving the way for rural development

CORD (Chinmaya Organisation for Rural Development)

CORD or Chinmaya Organisation for Rural Development started its journey in 1985, as Chinmaya Rural Primary Health Care and Training Centre in Sidhbari, Himachal Pradesh. The programme began with an Out Patient Clinic at the Sidhbari Ashra, training 120 multi-purpose female health workers, village health guides, traditional birth attendants and the setting up of 6 health sub-centres in remote areas where the government health services had not yet reached.

With interactions with other people, it was realised that isolated health programmes were not sufficient to break the vicious cycle of poverty and ill health. Also, unfortunately, health schemes were not really implemented with a gap between policy makers, implementers and society at large. It was in this background that CORD formed the Mahila Mandals or villahe women's clubs in 1987 and began discussing the issues village women faced. Thus began the journey of the multi-sector and the multi-pronged, yet convergent programme that CORD is today.

The following link takes you on a visit to CORD (Sidhbari, Kangra district). It is video made by members of CORD (USA) on their visit of Kangra Valley:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLvpStXnkZE\

As history can bear witness, CORD has expanded into several domains over the years. Each programme of CORD is based on four core principles: active Participation, Integration, Networking and Sustainability (PISN). These pillars have taken CORD to its present name and form in 2003 and to three other states namely, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Andra Pradesh, covering over 700 villages and transforming the lives of more than half a million of people.

Activities at CORD (Sidhbari)

In 2012, Dr Kshama Metre, the national director of CORD (Sidhbari) received the Guardian International Development Achievement Award 2012, in recognition of the outstanding work done by CORD under her stewardship. Every award is bound to strengthen CORD's commitment to its cause. As Dr Metre said in her acceptance speech, CORD is grateful to many "unheard and unseen practitioners of development at the grassroots." Listen to her acceptance speech at the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg2d5QhqDDc

Each year, Holton students visit CORD and get to witness the effort being made for rural development by CORD. 

"I was fascinated by the beautiful artwork produced by the deaf men and women."

-Jazmyn M (holtonindia2012,blogspot.in)

Holton students at CORD

Norbulingka Institute: Preserving a culture.

Norbulingka Institute

A plethora of challenges confront the Tibetan refugees in India today and their central administration, headed by the Dalai Lama. The endeavour of the Tibetans to preserve their cultural and religious identity has so far faced minimal opposition from their Indian hosts. However as the number of refugees swells, the administration faces the growing challenges of not only looking after the settlement of these refugees but also preserving their cultural and religious identity from the forces of modernity in India.

In the Tibetab exodus, cultural forms and institutions that were once taken for granted were suddenly brought to high relief by the experience of exile. This sentiment is combined with a strong commitment to survival, further solidified by with the vow for the continuation of a primary cultural identity as articulated by the Dalai Lama. 

Among all efforts to preserve the Tibetan culture and religion is the Norbulingka Institute. Holton girls have been staying at the Norbuling Guest House since a couple of years and have visited the Norbulingka Institute during their global educational programme to India. Founded in 1988 as part of the Department of Religion and Culture of the Central Tibetan Administration, the Norbulingka Institute promotes the traditional arts and literary studies of Tibet. 

The Norbulingka Institute, surrounded by the green fields of the Kangra valley.

The Norbulingka Institute provides training, education and employment to Tibetans. It provides an environment in which the Tibetan community and values can flourish. The Norbulingka Institute provides people who have newly arrived from Tibet with on-the-job training in areas such as administration, production, marketing and computer skills as well as apprenticeship in artistic domains. Their emerging skills are incorporated with the infrastructure that is needed for the running of the institute. Based on Buddhist values, principles such as self-reliance and positive work ethics are encouraged.

Activities at the Norbulingka Institute

Tibetan refugees: Untold stories.

Tibetan refugees.

Though ignored by the press for quite a number of years, the plight of the Tibetans since the invasion of China into their land is no secret to the world. There have been several waves of Tibetan migration, the first one having been in 1959, after the Dalai Lama came to India,having received assistance from the Indian government. Around 120 000 Tibetan refugees have found shelter in India till now. The Tibetan diaspora maintains a government in exile in Himachal Pradesh in India.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Tibetan refugees in India

The main organisation of the Tibetan diaspora is the Central Tibetan Administration of the 14th Dalai Lama based in the McLeod Ganj suburb in Dharamshala. Other Tibetan diaspora NGOs deal with the cultural and social life of the diaspora, the preservation of cultural heritage and the promotion of Tibetan political independence.

Despite the huge influence of the West on the religious ways all over Asia, Tibetans maintain that their religion is that aspect of their culture which has remained the most intact. This translates into thousand of monks and nuns being trained to carry on the monastic tradition that was a central feature of Tibetan life.

During your stay in Dharamshala, you will learn more about Tibetans, their conflicts with China, their feeling of being a displaced community, their identity crisis and their religion, which is Buddhism. Interestingly, Buddhism came into existence in India, in a place called Gaya, in Bihar. Here is a short clip on Buddhism:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNRiFQdPl_I

Green and thought-provoking Dharamshala

Dharamshala

Untouched by the phenomenon of urbanisation, at the base of the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas lies the hill resort Dharamshala. This is the principal township of the Kangra district and overlooks wide spread of the plains. With dense pine and deodar forests, numerous streams, healthy cool air, attractive surroundings and the nearby snowline, Dharamshala offers all for a perfect holiday. 

Full of life but yet peaceful, Dharamshala covers a wide area in the form of a twin settlement: Lower Dharamshala and Upper Dharamshala. Lower Dharamshala is a busy commercial centre while Upper Dharamshala retains a certain British flavour and colonial style is is home to his Holiness, the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan refugees.

Click on the following link for a brief virtual visit to Dharamshala:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF_C2p-Jy5c

As you must be aware, moonsoon in India has already started and the cooling moonsoon rains continue into August and September. During that time in Dharamshala, the mountains are enveloped in mist and clouds and the lush Kangra valley is awash in a sea of green. During this moonsoon season, while mist and clouds cover the mountains, views of the peaks are rare but once the clouds lift, the views are spectacular.

Though visiting Dharamshala is not a good time for trekking, however you can take in all the greenry and flowing streams and enjoy a quiet retreat. You will have plenty activities which have been planned for you in Dharamshala and we are sure that the breath-taking views of Dharamshala will be a real feast toyour eyes and the whole setting and atmosphere of Dharamshala will make you travel beyond modern India to colonial India as well as to the land of the Tibetans.

Arpana Trust: Making it through struggles

Arpana Trust

As the capital of India and one of the most prosperous cities of the country, Delhi is the centre for commerce, trade and industry in the northern region. With Delhi's industries rapidly growing, migrants from all parts of India are attracted to the city and it is interesting to note that during the second half of the past century, Delhi's population significantly burgeoned.

Along with Delhi's urban growth, slums and squatters have also proliferated. Most slum-dwellers have access to irregular and low-paying jobs and are victims of poverty. Given the lack of basic facilities like drinking water, sanitation, electricity and health services in slum areas, Delhi has adopted a policy of slum resettlement in cooperation with non-governmental organisation and private agencies. NGOs play a vital role in developing these slums and colonies, one of which is Arpana Trust. Based on a partnership with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the Arpana Trust provides its services to Molarbund, an urban slum community in South Delhi.

The people in Molarbund belong to the lower socio-economic strata who live in shacks and poorly-built houses that lack proper sanitation and water. Few houses have electricity. Due to resettlement, most slum-dwellers relocated to this area have lost their jobs and sources of income. Some people have started their small businesses or work as labourers in Delhi on daily wages.

Arpana Trust works to create basic infrastructure, improve educational and health facilities, increase income and employment and develop civic and leadership qualities among its residents. In the past few years, Holton students learn about this community by engaging in activities in the Molarbund school.

"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."

-John Dewey

Arpana Trust believes that one of the greatest benefits that can be given to the under-priviledged population is to provide educational support and care to children while their parents are at work. Arpana Trust provides tuition support, pre-school education and vocational training to its learners. In the past few years, the services provided by Arpana Trust have really proved to be effective as the overall performance of the learners have improved. Emphasis is also put on cultural activities for the personality development of the children.

Activities at Molarbund

Want to give your views about Arpana Trust? Feel free to post to comments below and we will update you about the activities you can expect in Molarbund during your service work in Molarbund.