2026 INDIA
ALLEGHENY COLLEGE
ALUMNI TOUR
Allegheny College Faculty Co-Leaders:
Dr. Ishita Sinha Roy (Media & Cultural Studies) and
Dr. Brian Miller (History & International Studies)
Tentative Tour Dates: 13 May-01 June, 2026
Click here to go to the Allegheny College 2026 India Tour website
come
alive
"ONCE A YEAR,
GO SOMEPLACE YOU'VE
NEVER BEEN BEFORE."
~~ Dalai Lama
SERVICE IS A FORM OF DEVOTION
A story from the Indian epic Ramayana, celebrates the pure-hearted devotion of a peasant woman Shabri, who, having nothing other than the berries that she had collected in the forest, to offer Prince Rama, tasted each of them to make sure he would only receive the sweetest of the lot. While Rama's brother Laxmana was appalled at the half-eaten berries offered to them, Rama recognized the selfless love behind Shabri's efforts, and blessed her for it. Whether it is the philosophy "Atithi Devo Bhava" (the Guest is God) that underlies hospitality in India, or service in a myriad other forms, selflessness, as we shall see, is the ultimate expression of love, and not the same as servility.
ABSORB THE VIBRANT CITY LIFE
Walk among the hustle and bustle of open air markets, at dusk. Watch locals shop for vegetables, spices, tea, and linger over bejeweled sarees and colorful glass and lac bangles. Follow your nose and see aromatic local snacks and sweets being prepared. Listen to the sounds of India and feel the thrum of life in full blast.
LEARNING THE BEAUTY OF PERSPECTIVE THROUGH JALIS
As the savant of the arts of India, Stuart Cary Welch said – "A great Mughal Jali (lattice work) has the complexity of a Bach figure, the mystery of frozen ether and a level of master craftsmanship the world has seldom seen."
From an unusual serpentine Karnataka temple jali to the symbology of jalis in Sultanate Gujarat, jalis reached intricate perfection within Mughal architecture. The latter is associated today with being the apogee of perfection in the use of pierced stone screens in architecture. Seen across the subcontinent in forms, shapes and materials that defy imagination, the jalis are testament to the intricate and layered ways in which artisans played with light and shadow to create multiple ways of looking at the interiors and exteriors of buildings, and never in the same way, twice.
Read: Jalis: The Gujarat Sultanate's greatest gift to Islamic architecture
TAKE A RIDE ON THE WILD SIDE
Ranthambore Tiger Sanctuary is a special site where apart from tigers, you can spot peacock, sambar deer, langur monkeys, sloth bears, mongoose, and diverse species of birds. As you take jeep safari rides through the forests, under a canopy of centuries' old banyan trees, admire the ruins of the tenth century Ranthambore fort that contains this wildlife paradise, and the equally old temples on the nearby hill.
En route to Udaipur, we stop at the Jawai Leopard hills, taking jeeps to spot Panthera pardus fusca among the giant boulders dotting the landscape, and ducking into the enveloping darkness of centuries-old cave temples. Both are equally breath-taking experiences. Awe and "Aww!" are justified responses, since nature and spirituality are so closely entwined in Indian life.
EXTRA POINTS FOR JUGAAD SIGHTINGS
Jugaad means innovating with what's at hand, and evidence of this is all around you in India. So, keep an eye out for examples such as the makeshift milk crate bicycle seats (above). When we take long coach rides, it's an opportunity to catch sights like this and the humor of daily life on the move.