We are in the air Saturday evening beginning the 15 hour flight from Delhi to Newark with memories of an extraordinary week. The students and faculty of Lady Shri Ram College provided abundant hospitality throughout the week. They offered a provocative study of the life and work of Gandhi and consideration of the place of Gandhi in our society today. Our study explored Gandhi from the perspectives of politics, economics, peace and conflict transformation, sociology, and the media.

Our work in the classroom was complimented by energetic interaction between the students of LSR and OWU. These interactions included the opening tour on Sunday; three sessions of community service; dance workshops offered by OWU Dance Professor Marin Leggett; numerous meals together; informal conversations about all sorts of issues relating to our cultures and the larger global context; and finally a tour of Gandhi-related sites in Delhi Saturday. The tour included places of worship from various faith traditions frequented by Gandhi, the house where Gandhi often stayed during his visits to Delhi, and the site of his assassination on January 30, 1948.

Interaction between students of the two institutions continued into the wee hours of each night with Facebook posts and extended conversations online continuing the engaging discussions of the day or preparing for joint presentations the following day. A treat on the final afternoon was a dance presentation by students of the two schools, under the direction of Marin Leggett. Principal Gopinath, the leader of LSR and herself an LSR alumna from the class of 1970, was so moved by the presentation that she asked for the opening music to be played again so that she could honor the work of the week and the visit by Ohio Wesleyan to LSR. She stepped on stage and presented a beautiful extemporaneous dance that brought students from both schools to their feet in a roaring ovation.

Lady Shri Ram College, widely noted as the top liberal arts college in India, is interested in an ongoing relationship with Ohio Wesleyan. During the week, we discussed the possibility of student exchanges, faculty exchanges, joint faculty development, occasional short courses offered on each campus for students from both campuses, and other ways in which we can share our talents and resources.

As I return from my first trip to India, I am struck by many things: the rich and diverse culture; the pride of the people of India; the complexity of a society that remains deeply divided economically and socially with both great prosperity and widespread poverty; the places where the boundaries of social class are bridged, such as in the bright colors of saris, tunics, and other apparel worn by women of every social class; the paradox of an ancient culture in a historic nation with a government and Constitution that were formed barely half a century ago; and the tensions between tradition and modernity that are leading to enormous social change.  

Oh yes, and then there is the frenetic bombardments of all of the senses, represented most dramatically in the streets of India. There one encounters people sitting in the street; pedestrians walking in every direction; very old two-wheeled bullock carts being pulled by donkeys, mules, horses, oxen, bulls, camels, and men; rickshaws, both motorized and the old pedaled types; mopeds, scooters, and motorcycles; automobiles; tour vans and busses; and more. The lines marking lanes and the lights directing traffic are, at best, suggestions. It is a fascinating country that leaves much for contemplation and offers much opportunity for collaboration in higher education, as well as for the corporate and non-profit sectors.

India and the United States are the two largest democracies in the world today. India is enjoying dramatic economic growth. The country has bold ambitions for increasing opportunity for higher education. Colleges and universities in India are eager to partner with institutions in the United States. My visits to the United States-India Educational Foundation offices in Mumbai and Delhi confirmed that many families in India want to send their sons and daughters to the United States for college. All in all, there is enormous opportunity for Ohio Wesleyan in India.

Finally, a word about our students. This is my first time as President to have the opportunity to immerse myself fully in the student experience for a week, – living, studying, and interacting with a group of OWU students in an intensive experience. Each student brought a unique perspective to our conversations and to our life together. I was moved by their passion for learning, their curiosity about people and cultures different from their own, their insightful reflections about all they saw, their care for one another and others around them, and their desire to serve. With students like these, and with the commitments they bring to all they do at OWU, one can see the coming fulfillment of our vision to prepare the next generation of moral leaders for a global society.

When we began planning details of our time in India, the students in our delegation requested that time be set aside for community service. This is consistent with the OWU culture and the commitments of OWU students. We quickly found it also is consistent with the culture of Lady Shri Ram College and the LSR students. 

LSR students participate in numerous programs of outreach and community service. Most notably, as reported by Brenda Gable, each afternoon between 30 and 50 children from a nearby slum spend an hour at LSR where they engage in activities and receive tutoring from LSR students. We were told that these children often come from very large families that, if they are lucky, have a single room in which to live. We were told that these students likely will all be out of school by the time they finish the tenth grade. At LSR, they receive an extra dose of care that could make all of the difference in their lives. For our work with these students, activities that do not require language were planned. On Monday we worked together to make origami’s, and on Thursday we watched the children create beautiful artwork on an outdoor patio through an Indian folk art known as rangoli (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangoli ). The LSR students are making an enormous difference in the lives of these children, and for two days our students were able to join in.

As reported by Craig Ullom, we also visited Muskaan, a center for intellectually disabled youth and adults that is the brainchild of a former LSR faculty member and now serves more than 100 persons every day. We saw the various work centers where these individuals help grind and package spices, make candles as well as decorative container for the candles, make gift bags with lovely art, and bake pastries that are packaged for sale. Our students interacted with the people working at Muskaan and engaged in a friendly game of basketball with a group of them.

Through the daily commitments of the students at LSR working with children from nearby slum and through the life work of Shanti Auluck in creating Muskaan, we were reminded of the potential that exists in each person to change the world. Gandhi challenged his colleagues to “be the change you want to see in the world.” This amazing journey has taught us much about Gandhi, much about the complexities of the culture of India and our own culture, and much about the opportunity to make a difference.

Be the change you want to see in the world.

I have loved every minute here in India. The Taj Mahal, the sessions, the people, and the culture all have won me over and I can’t wait until I can come back to India! With so many wonderful things it’s hard to pick one to focus on. However, even with all these experiences, one event will always stand out. On Monday and today we spent time with kids from the local slums. Even with the language differences, I can tell that they are some of the funniest and nicest kids that I have ever met! I’m so glad LSR works with them and allowed us to join in. I also loved getting to know the girls from LSR while they were helping to translate. Today I met three boys who are in eighth grade and best friends. They reminded me so much of the three musketeers! As we were doing the art project, one of the boys said that if we came back he would bring his book on the project we were doing! So cute

Dr. Shanti Auluck, a former LSR faculty member and now President and CEO, welcomed us to MUSKAAN. This NGO is the manifestation of a dream that started with a mother’s love coupled with knowledge and competencies learned from years of teaching.  Parker Palmer talks about the importance of a leader to create and protect space for others to flourish.  It is abundantly evident that Shanti’s passion and leadership has created a space in which over 100 intellectually disabled adults daily thrive and grow by experiencing a delicate balance of challenge and support in this community.  The beautiful facility, built entirely with private funds, coupled with the caring and capable staff indeed provides an oasis for learning and growth of these special young adults.  This working model of social entrepreneurship appears complex on one level and amazingly simple on another.  I look forward to sharing more upon our return.

S.P. Devasahayam attended OWU from 1901-1908. Originally from Travancore, India (far southwestern corner of India on the coast), Davie, as he was affectionately called, was the first “Hindoo” student at OWU.  He received two degrees from OWU, a BA and an MA.  According to a correspondence to the university from his nephew, Davie was the first Indian student to complete a post-graduate degree from an American university at that time.  Davie appears to have been quite the popular student who earned funds for his education in part by performing in cultural programs about Indian culture.  He was a member of the OWU Prep club, the Cadet Band, the Volunteer Band (a service club), the Fortnightly Club, and the YMCA.  He was also an Amphiltyonian.  I do not know what that is.  Upon returning to his native South India, he adopted the name of S.P. Devy and ministered to nineteen congregations throughout the land until his passing in 1942.  According to correspondence received after his death, he apparently led a Gandhi-like existence practicing the values of simplicity and self-sacrifice in service to others.

Last night in a conversation with the parent of a current OWU student from Delhi, the parent noted that the strength of India lies in its diversity. This comment grew out of a discussion of Indian cuisine and the variety in Indian food from various parts of the country. He noted the difference between the diet of South India and North India, and then said that each of the four states of South India in fact has its own unique cuisine. He went on to talk about the diversity of culture, ritual, and religion. His argument is that it is the rich diversity that holds the country together and makes India, well, India.

Our experience with Lady Shri Ram College began Sunday with a day in the city, led by students and faculty from LSR. Our first stop was the Lotus temple, a magnificent sacred space constructed by the Baha’I community. The principles of the Baha’I faith include the common foundation of all religions. The lotus temple is a pilgrimage destination for Indian people of many religious traditions, reflecting again the rich diversity of the land.

We began our course on Gandhi Monday morning with a prayer service on the lawn of LSR. The service was patterned after the morning prayer service Gandhi shared with his friends each day at the Ashram.  Gandhi was interested in many religious traditions, and his daily prayer service drew upon those traditions. The service included the favorite hymns of Gandhi, readings from various religious traditions including Hindu, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism, reflecting Gandhi’s understanding of the authenticity of the collection of the world’s religious traditions. We were all deeply moved, many to tears, by the beauty of the music, the serenity of the prayers, and the unity of the human spirit reflected in the service.

So often today religion is used as a source of division, and diversity is treated with suspicion, if not hostility. It is good to be reminded that our strength is found in our diversity.

We just completed our first yoga session on the beautiful grounds of the Lady Shri Ram College for Women.  It was my first time to do yoga and I cannot think of a more beautiful and peaceful place to experience it.  I am not usually a morning person but the whole jet lag thing has helped me wake up early and feel good in the morning.  This is extremely fortunate considering our session began at 6:30am!

One of the slightly less peaceful events that occurred during our session also happened to be one of my favorite parts of the whole thing .  During our first pose, the “deadman’s pose,” where we were laying down on our backs with our arms and legs extended and supposed to be completely relaxed with our eyes closed and focused on our breathing, we were interrupted by the presence of a friendly face who pranced onto our yoga mat and began sniffing our feet.  It was a dog that apparently visits the campus often.  Following the session I asked one of the LSR girls about the dog, and she said that the dog loves to attend their a cappella rehearsals that they hold on the grounds as well in the evenings, during which this dog likes to chime in with a few howls of her own lol.  After she had sniffed our feet and tried to get our attention she promptly went to the front of the mat next to our leader and sat peacefully at attention watching us for the rest of our session.  I am a dog lover so I found this especially cute and funny.  I followed the rules of course and did not pet her or touch her but I definitely enjoyed watching her .

Today was an India-tastic day filled with almost every unique-to-India cultural experience one can cram into 24 hours. We awoke bright and early to drive four hours to Agra to see the glorious Taj Mahal. It amazed me how taken back I was from every angle I looked at it…I kept having to pinch myself and I realized why it is a true wonder of the world.

After lunch, we went to the Agra Fort. This one was one of the highlights of the day for me because we stumbled upon Ohioans. Not only Ohioans, but Semester at Sea travelers. Being an alumna of this study abroad program, it was incredible to be able to talk to folks who are experiencing what I did three years ago. It’s a very special bond, what I imagine meeting an OWU alum in the middle of India would feel like…moments like this make me realize just how small the world is.

Our final destination was the Shri Krishna temple in Agra. This was especially moving for me, as the chants and music were more enthusiastic than any church service I’ve seen in the states. It took all my might to keep from dancing and clapping with the locals. It’s a very intimate experience, witnessing worship and prayer on such an up-close and personal level. I felt a little out of place, but I’m so glad we were able to see those beautiful shrines of the gods and goddesses,  and get a glimpse of the passionate ritual and praise.

THE highlight of the day was after the Agra Fort when a Holi parade on the street caught our attention from our bus. We’re not quite sure why this holiday was still being celebrated, as we were told it ended on Sunday. I’ve seen remains of the festivities throughout the city, but it became very clear to me what the source of those piles and stains in the streets was when a crowd of locals approached us with yellow and green and red powder. They threw some on our cheeks, and cheered and drummed and danced…it was a celebration that a few of us were very grateful to participate in, and the musky smell of the Indian dust is still in my hair.

There were several moments today in which we had to refrain from using cameras, such as inside the Taj and the temple. I learned to appreciate this today. Sometimes I worry that I’m not soaking up an experience when I’m so concerned about capturing the best image. Sharing those photos with others is one thing, but being fully present in the moment is another. I hope I can see India, not just through a camera lens, as I learn to put down the technology sometimes and truly be where I am.

I think today was emotionally draining for some of us…there is a lot to be conscious of here. Personally, it’s been difficult for me to deal with the stares, some of curiosity, some of untelling motives, from all of the locals as we walk through the streets in a pale parade. It’s hard to ignore it, when you know everyone, men and women, are surveying you up and down. Then there are the merchants, who I’ve learned to just smile at, and not even say anything to. They are pushy, way worse than those kiosks at Polaris mall. I feel rude, as I’m sure a lot of people do, disregarding their pleads and “special price for you” calls. The worst thing to “try to ignore” (which is what we’re told to do), is the beggars. When their wrinkled dark hands leave dusty prints on our bus windows after tapping when we’re at a red light and then bringing their fingers to their mouth to signify them needing food, it breaks my heart that I can’t give some to everyone. But sometimes I wonder, especially with the children who have mastered the art of guilt-tripping, just who those donations are going to. Regardless, it’s difficult to witness the poverty-stricken who target white tourists, and even more difficult to keep walking or close the window shade.

This is a learning experience for all of us, and it’s a very real part of India that is part of the whole package. The economic divide is so in-your-face here, there is no denying it, and it will never get easier to confront for me.

I apologize for ending on that note…overall, today was incredible…beyond incredible, beyond any adjective I can think of. It was…Indian Tomorrow we have community service planned, which I cannot wait for. Our team is getting along great and growing  closer with every day. I couldn’t be more grateful that I’m here with OWU people. #bishops go global

The two men were exempt from the mandatory bag and person search behind a screen at the entrance of Dilli Haat on Sunday.  Our delegation of OWU and LSR students quickly collected and mobilized themselves into what was to become a shopping machine.  Although not privy to the tactical planning in the groups, I suspect it was thorough and focused. Imagine for a moment the excitement of the merchants as they gazed upon the  fresh American shoppers with an abundance of crisp Rupees eager to be spent.   Then imagine their disappointment when they realized OWU students were accompanied by LSR students equipped with the shopping expertise and language proficiency to “participate” in the commerce that was about to take place.  So what was really happening here?  We were exposed to various dimensions of Indian culture as expressed through a wide variety of handcrafts and products from every corner of the country.  We engaged in conversations incidental to the bargaining with people trying to make a living for themselves and their families.  We developed a comaraderie with our hosts that nurtured the seeds of community that were beginning to sprout.  This is theory to practice in action.  Oh, and by the way, some purchases were made as well.

Day one=huge success. We visited the lotus temple, which was magnificent.

Not only was the architecture admirable, but the purpose behind the place of worship was inspiring. Lotuses are known for growing in murky water, symbolizing their ability to bring beauty and life in an otherwise yucky environment.

The temple is non-demoninational, and there are no services or sermons preached there, as to allow all faiths to pray among one another in a secure, serene place.

I also really enjoyed meeting the girls who will be hosting us for this week. They are all so friendly, and I’ve connected with them much more easily than I anticipated. They are really just like us, and I find familiarity in their young, collegiate outlooks and perspectives.

All the food was great…nothing like spicy nan to bond the group. And the cherry on top of the day was the rickshaw ride home from dinner.

It’s been a long, busy day of wide eyes, smiles and head bobbles. I’m off to bed!