Better Late Than Never

We hope to post a more detailed account of our stay in Varanasi in the next day or two.  We've had a rash of illness sweep though the group and it's taken an inordinate amount of our time and energy to see to their well being.  In the meantime, we've been to Lucknow, met the Marharaja of Banaras, had a wonderful moonlight ride on the Ganga, had 18 of our students in homestays (the rest start theirs this week), welcomed Nita Kumar into the fold and learned so much from her, visited the 2000 year old fort at Chunar, spent two nights until 2 a.m. celebrating the Ramlila and last night celebrated Diwali--the festival of lights--at the Nirman School that serves as our headquarters and lecture center (and so much more).  

In the meantime, I thought I'd post our schedule so you could see how we spend the academic part of our days.  I know several parents are reading the blog and others drop in from time to time, so this may be of interest.  FYI: Betawar is the village campus where 1/2 the students stay on a rotating basis and Nagwa is the neighborhood where the Southpoint campus is located. 

Date	Time	Plan
2.10 F	4 pm	Arrive Varanasi Canttt. station
	6 pm	Early dinner for all in Nagwa, combined with orientation discussion
	7.30/8	Group 1 departs for Betawar
3.10 Sa	6 am	Group 1 starts from Betawar
	7am	Boat trip to Rajghat and back; walk in Rajghat to see ruins of old Banaras, Adi Keshav temple; Chandan Shahid shrine; KFI campus.
	1 pm	Lunch in Nagwa
	3 pm	Tea in Nagwa
	4-6 pm	Orientation and discussion
	6 pm	Early dinner in Nagwa
	7 pm	Group 1 departs for Betawar
4.10 Su	8 am	Breakfast in Betawar, gr 1, Nagwa for group 2
	9	Group 1 leaves Betawar; Free day: explore Banaras
	4-5, 5-6	Meetings with students about projects (6+6)
	6 pm	Early dinner in Nagwa
	7 pm	Group 1 to Betawar
5.10 M	7-8 am	Yoga in Nagwa for group 2, group 1 breakfast in Betawar
	8 am	Breakfast in Nagwa for group 2; Group 1 leaves Betawar
	9	Trip to Ramnagar fort, meet Maharaja
	1	Lunch in Nagwa, then free
	7	Dinner in Nagwa
	8	Boat ride on Ganga
	10 pm	Group 1 departs for Betawar (or one car, of those who want to go). Others stay in Centre, watch movie, read, etc.
	11 pm	Khojwa-Sonarpura Bharat Milap
	2 am	Group 1 departs for Betawar
6.10 T	7-8 am	Yoga in Nagwa for group 2, group 1 breakfast in Betawar
	8 am	Breakfast in Nagwa for group 2; Group 1 leaves Betawar
	9-1	BHU: visit Faculty of Performing Arts; interactive session with students through Prof. Chandrakala Padia, head of Political Science
	1	Lunch in Nagwa
	3	Tea in Nagwa
	5-6, 6-7	Meetings with 6+6 students about projects
	7 pm	Dinner in Nagwa
	8 pm	Group 1 departs for Betawar
7.10 W	7-8 am	Yoga in Nagwa for group 2, group 1 breakfast in Betawar
	8 am	Breakfast in Nagwa for group 2; Group 1 leaves Betawar
	9	“Ayurveda”—Dr Shailendra Tripathi. Lecture & discussion, in Nagwa
	10.30 on	Free day: explore Banaras, rest (long evening and night ahead
	7 pm	Dinner for those who want – sign up after morning lecture!
	8 pm	Group 1 departs for Betawar (or one car, of those who want to go).
	11 pm	Leave for Karva Chauth; The Nakkatayya of Chaitganj, a carnival parade
	2 am	Group 1 departs for Betawar
8.10 Th	7-8 am	Breakfast in Nagwa for group 2 (no yoga)
	8 am	Breakfast in Betawar for group 1; Group 2 departs for Betawar
	9.30	Walk in village, visit with pradhan
	1	Lunch in Betawar
	2	Group 2 to Nagwa, free evening; Group 1 to Gangpur
	5	Group 1 helps cook (optional)
	7 pm	Dinner in Betawar for Group 1
9.10 F	7-8 am	Yoga in Nagwa for group 2, group 1 breakfast in Betawar
	8 am	Breakfast in Nagwa for group 2;  Group 1 leaves Betawar
	9-1	Bharat Kala Bhavan, lecture by Naval Krishna on Indian miniature painting and sculpture
	1	Lunch in Nagwa
	4	Visit families for homestays. Leave luggage in Nagwa. Group 1c in Nagwa
		Free evening
	10 pm	Depart for station
10.10 Sa	7 am	Reach Lucknow, go to hotel
		Breakfast in hotel
	9.30	Imambaras
	1	Lunch and free
	4.30	Sanjhi Duniiya lecture/discussion with Roorekha Verma
	7	Dinner at Mrs. Suniti Kumar’s
	10	Back to hotel
11.10 S	8	Breakfast in hotel
	9.30	Residency Lecture: Colonial Lucknow
	1	Free (optional trip at 2.30 to nature reserve)
	7	Lecture: Nawabi Lucknow, dinner at Suniti Kumar’s
	11	Train back to VNS

12.10 M	7	Reach VNS, go to Nagwa
	8.30	Wash up, breakfast in Nagwa
	9.30	Lecture & discussion on Hinduism with NK
	11	Visit to Sankatmochan, Tulsi Manas, Tridev mandir
	1.30	Lunch in Nagwa, meeting with six students
	3	Tea in Nagwa
	5	Leave for home stays; Group 1c in Nagwa
	7.30	Ashini Bhinde concert optional; dinner in Nagwa for those who want
13.10 T	7-8 am	Yoga in Nagwa for group 1c
	8 am	Breakfast in homestays; in Nagwa for group 1c
	10	Lecture and discussion on Islam with NK
	11.30	Visit to Nagwa shrine; Shivala shrine; Jamia Salfia, or Cantt. Mosque
	1.30	Lunch in Nagwa, meeting with six students about projects
	3	Tea in Nagwa
	6-8.30	Baithak at NIRMAN, with music workshop. Dinner for group 1c and those who want in Nagwa. Others in homestays or out.
14.10 W	7-8 am	Yoga in Nagwa for group 1c
	8 am	Breakfast in homestays; in Nagwa for group 1c
	10	Lecture and discussion on artisans with NK
	11.30	Visit to weavers; mehto
	1.30	Lunch in Nagwa; Talk to six students
	3	Tea in Nagwa
	7	Dinner in Nagwa
15.10Th	7-8 am	Yoga in Nagwa for group 1c
	8 am	Breakfast in homestays; in Nagwa for group 1c
	10	Lecture on education by NK
	12	Theatre/Hindi workshop
	1.30	Lunch in Nagwa; Talk to six students
	3	Tea in Nagwa
	4-5	Office hours
		Evening free (shopping for Diwali!), dinner in Nagwa for those who want
16.10 F	7-8 am	Yoga in Nagwa for group 1c
	8 am	Breakfast in homestays; in Nagwa for group 1c
	10	Lecture and discussion on modernity in India with NK
	12	Theatre/Hindi workshop
	1.30	Lunch in Nagwa
	3	Tea in Nagwa
	4	Henna, sari wearing workshop; male & female fashion parade; Chhoti Diwali preparations
		Dinner and prep in homestays. Those without homestays will visit a family.
17.10 Sa		Holiday: Diwali (festival of lights) Spend with family and friends. Evening: Diwali festivities and feast (in homestays/families)
18.10Su		Breakfast in homestays; in Nagwa for group 1c
	9	Leave for Chunar
		Lunch, theatre/Hindi workshop
	5	Back to Banaras. Evening free
19.10 M	7-8 am	Yoga in Nagwa for group 1c
	8 am	Breakfast in homestays; in Nagwa for group 1c
	10	Lecture and discussion on gender, especially in the arts and politics; the goddess, the courtesan, Hindu and Muslim women, urban and rural, clothing and education, city life (with NK)
	11.30	Discussion with students about research
	1	Lunch in Nagwa
	3-5	Tea in Nagwa, Office hours
	7	Concert in Assi  (dinner out or in packets for those who want)
20.10 T	7-8 am	Yoga in Nagwa for group 1c
	8 am	Breakfast in homestays; in Nagwa for group 1c
	10	Lecture on “Indian politics”—Dr Rakesh Pandey, in Nagwa
	11.30	Theatre and Hindi workshop
	1	Lunch in Nagwa
		Research
		Dinner in homestays – last night; for group 1c in Nagwa
21.10 W	7-8 am	Yoga in Nagwa for group 1c
	8 am	Breakfast in homestays; in Nagwa for group 1c
		Bring luggage back to NIRMAN
	10	Lecture: Income tax laws in India, RK Dubey
	11.30	Theatre and Hindi performances
	1.30	Lunch in Nagwa
		Research
	~ 5	Group 1c leaves for homestays
	7 pm	Dinner in Nagwa, in homestays for group 1c
	8 pm	Group 2 departs for Betawar
22.10Th	7-8 am	Yoga in Nagwa for group 1, group 2 breakfast
	8 am	Breakfast in Nagwa for group 2, Group 2 leaves Betawar, Group 1c breakfast in homestays
	9	Trip to Sarnath, visit museum
	11.15	Discussion on Buddhism with prof. Samten, Tibetan Institute, Sarnath
	2	Lunch in Nagwa
		Research
	7 pm	Dinner in Nagwa
	8 pm	Group 2 departs for Betawar
23.10 F	7-8 am	Yoga in Nagwa for group 1, group 2 breakfast
	8.30	Breakfast in Nagwa for group 1, Group 2 leaves Betawar, Breakfast in homestays for 1c
	10	Lecture on “Health in India” by Sanjay Mehta
	2	Lunch in Nagwa
		Research
	7 pm	Dinner in Nagwa
	8 pm	Group 2 departs for Betawar
24.10 Sa	9 am	Breakfast in Nagwa for group 1, in Betawar for group 2, homestays for 1c
		Free day for group 1; Group 2 stays in Betawar, goes to Gangpur, cooks
	7	Dinner for group 2 in Betawar
25.10Su	8 am	Breakfast in Nagwa for group 1, in Betawar for group 2, homestays for 1c
	9 am	Group 2 leaves Betawar
	1	Lunch in Nagwa
	3	Tea in Nagwa
		Research and development work; complete project
	7 pm	Dinner in Nagwa
	8 pm	Group 2 departs for Betawar
26.10 M	8 am	Breakfast in Nagwa for group 1, in Betawar for group 2, homestays for 1c
	9 am	Group 2 leaves Betawar
	1	Lunch in Nagwa
		Research and development work; complete project
	5	Party with companions and teachers
	8 pm-	Group 2 departs for Betawar
27.10 T	8 am	Breakfast in Nagwa for group 1, in Betawar for group 2, homestays for 1c
	9 am	Group 2 leaves Betawar
	1	Lunch in Nagwa
	3	Completed project and report due
	5-10	Leave for station