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Courses
There are a wide range of courses available in India - the following is an overview. More details can be found in the regional
sections.
Language
The Landour Language School, near Mussoorie in northern Uttar Pradesh, offers three month beginners' courses in Hindi, as well as more advanced courses. At Mcleod Ganj it's possible to learn Tibetan either at the Library of Tibetan Works & Archives or from private teachers. In Darjeeling, beginners' courses in Tibetan are available at the Mahjushree Centre of Tibetan Culture.
Gurus & Ashrams
Travellers who come to India on a spiritual quest are many and varied and India offers an equally varied array of gurus and ashrams. The word guru means dispeller of darkness or heavy wisdom. An ashram is established when a guru stays in one place and disciples congregate round him. Any place of striving can be called an ashram, be it a commercial complex or someone's home. Some are more reputable than others; if possible attend one where the guru resides. Many ashrams have codes of conduct; most are vegetarian. On some you will be requested to wear white; others aren't so fussy.
Most ashrams don't require notice of your arrival, but if you are unsure, check in advance. Talk to locals and other travellers to see which ashram might best suit you. Be aware that gurus often move from place to place without much notice, so check first to avoid disappointment.
The atmosphere surrounding the ashram can have a profound and deeply moving effect on visitors. While this can be a rewarding experience, you should exercise common sense and discernment.
Movement and location
Buddhism - Bodhghaya, Bihar
Krishna Consciousness - Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh
Krishnamurti Foundation Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Ma Amritannandamayi - Amritapuri, Kerala
Osho - Pune, Maharashtra
Raja Yoga - Mt Abu, Rajasthan
Ramakrishna - Calcutta, West Bengal
Ramana Maharishi - Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu
Sai Aurobindo - Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh
Theosophical Society - Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Tibetan Buddhism - Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh
Meditation, Yoga & Philosophy
Courses in aspects of Tibetan Buddhism and culture are offered in McLeod Ganj, Darjeeling, Choglamsar (near Leh) and Leh. Indian Hinayana Buddhism can also be studied in Mc Loed Ganj and Gaya.
Rishikesh has the biggest concentration of ashrams and yoga centres, although of course there are hundreds more paces where you can learn meditation and philosophy including Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra. You can learn meditation or undertake a retreat at Bodhgaya in Bihar.
Cooking
There is a two-week food tour and cooking course in Calcutta. During the course you get to see the city, sample Bengali culinary delights in some of the city's finest restaurants and learn to cook under the tutelage of local Bengali women. Contact Kali Travel Home Contacts ((/fax 33-558 7980), 22/77 Raja Mandira Rd, Calcutta.
Dance, Art & Traditional Medicine
You can learn traditional Tibetan woodcarving at the Tibetan Refugee Self-help Centre in Darjeeling. Contact the head office (( 0354-52346) at 65 Gandhi Rd. Kerala and Tamil Nadu are the places to learn traditional dance, traditional martial art and ayurvedic medicine in Kerala. The Kuchipudi Art Acadamy ((044-493 7260), 105 Greenways Rd, Chennai, Tamil Nadu offers free teaching and accommodation to serious students of this traditional art form.
Voluntary work
Numerous charities and international aid agencies have branches in India and, although they're mostly staffed by locals, there are some opportunities for foreigners. Though it may be possible to find temporary volunteer work when you are in India, you'll probably be more use to the charity concerned if you write in advance and, if you're needed, if you stay for long enough to be of help. A week on a hospital ward may go a little way towards salving your own conscience, but you may actually do not much more than get in the way of the people who work there long term.
Some areas of voluntary work seem to be more attractive to volunteers than others. One traveller commented that there was no difficulty getting foreign volunteers to help with the babies in the orphanage where he was working but few came forward to work with the severely mentally disabled adults.
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