India: Life, Death, and Religion in Varanasi, India's Holiest City (REL 456)
On the banks of the river Ganges, students will observe religion as it is practiced by each of India's major faiths. From Hindu temples and cremation grounds to the birthplace of the 23rd Jain Lord P?r?va in the mosques and the Muslim quarter to the Central Institute of Tibetan Studies, students will see how Buddhists, Hindus, Jains, Muslims, and Sikhs experience and enact their beliefs, traditions, and rituals. We will ask how on-the-ground religion in India compares to depictions in Western media and universities. This 21-day course includes a visit to the Sikhs' Golden Temple in Amritsar and two weeks in Varanasi, one of the oldest cities in the world and the destination for millions of Hindu pilgrims. Contact Prof. Chris Haskett.