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CAU > Seminars and Study Tours > India: Landscapes of the Punjab and Rajasthan

India: Landscapes of the Punjab and Rajasthan

January 1-16, 2010

There is still space available in this program.
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Overview

The world's most populous and arguably one of its most vibrant democracies, India is a land of complexity and contradiction. One of the fastest growing economies in the world for the past ten years, boasting an affluent middle class of four hundred million consumers, it is also home to one-quarter of the world's poor. Despite having a 90 percent religious majority of Hindus, India is a genuinely and steadfastly secular country. And although it is also an agrarian country, it has an urban population larger than the total populations of all other countries except China.

Faculty

Helping us to make sense of this richly intriguing country will be Porus Olpadwala, professor of urban and regional planning and past dean of Cornell's College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, and his wife Deenaz, both of whom were educated and worked in India before coming to Ithaca. Porus's professional areas of teaching and research are development studies and urban planning. In his formal lectures and in informal discussion, he will provide alternative perspectives for understanding the Indian reality. And Porus and Deenaz's presence will lend a personal flavor to the tour as they reflect on the changes to their homeland.

Itinerary

As we explore the remarkable cities, villages, palaces, museums, and temples that dot India's fascinating landscape, we will encounter the amazing variations and contradictions of Indian life. Our itinerary will take us first to the foothills of the Himalayas near the Tibetan border in the Punjab, where we will travel by train to Shimla, Chandigarh, and Amritsar. Next, we will head to Rajasthan, the haunting landscapes of the Great Indian Desert, and the great Moghul cities of Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Ranakpur, and Udaipur. There, among many treasures, we will see the finest Jain architecture in India. We'll stay at several of India's finest hotels, including the Oberoi in Delhi and Mumbai, and the Hotel Rawal-Kot in Jaisalmer.

Program Cost

The inclusive program fee (per person, double occupancy) is $9,980. The supplement for single occupancy (limited availability) is $2,990. If you would like to secure a place on this tour, please call 607.255.6260.

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