The Perspectives & Insights from India program is designed as a three-week intensive exploration of India at the grass roots; it begins with the orientation in New Delhi and then spread across two different regions and themes within Rajasthan. In the greater Jaipur environs, it focuses on the first component of art, crafts, and architecture. In the second half of the program, the participants will travel to Udaipur, where they will explore and experience village life through a rural home-stay. The focus in the second half will be on rural development, subsistence farming, sustainable agriculture, and environmental issues. The program ends with an overnight trip to Agra to see one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal and another world heritage monument Agra Fort.
Here is a sample program itinerary:
Day 1: New Delhi
Group arrival and welcome at the Airport. Checking-in to the guest house.
Day 2: New Delhi
Introductions, orientation activities, half day site seeing tour of Delhi.
Day 3: New Delhi – Jaipur
Travel to Jaipur by cars (about 6 hour’s journey). Check-in to the guest house in Jaipur.
Day 4-9: Jaipur
Home stay, morning yoga, basic Hindi lessons, lectures on the history and archeology of Rajasthan, temple architecture, Theatre, women’s issues, lecture / demonstration on tie & dye textile, blue pottery, Dhrupad music and Jaipuri classical Kathak dance, excursions to main archaeological sites, museums, temples, Sufi shrines.
Day 10: Jaipur
Free day, evening train to Udaipur.
Day 11-13: Udaipur
Visits to local NGOs followed by lectures on voluntary sector and development issues.
Day 14-18: Jhadol Village on the outskirts of Udaipur
Village home stay with indigenous families, volunteer work, learning about subsistence farming, Adivasi (indigenous) village Life, development issues, organic farming initiatives.
Day 19: Udaipur – Agra
Free day, overnight train to Agra.
Day 20: Agra
See Taj Mahal and Red fort.
Day 21: Agra – Delhi
Delhi Airport drop-off. Program ends.
Tazurba International 