Splendors of Sacred India:
October 14-31, 2012
Dear Graduates, Parents, and Friends of Oberlin:
Join Reverend Greg McGonigle, Director of the Office of
Religious and Spiritual Life at Oberlin College, on a
spectacular sojourn through Northern India, a fascinating land of contrasts: from
Mughals to Maharajas, Hindus to Muslims and soaring mountains to arid
deserts. Over several millennia, dozens of cultures have entered into India
through the Khyber Pass in the north, leaving a wealth of distinct artistic and
cultural traditions in their wake.
Your custom-designed journey begins in Delhi, the capital of the world’s largest
democracy. Old Delhi is a veritable maze of vibrant streets, temples, shops and
colorful bazaars, while imperial New Delhi, the seat of the British Raj, consists
of tree-lined avenues and stately government buildings, including the
Presidential Palace and Parliament. Be welcomed to India by a prominent Sikh
family during a cocktail reception and dinner in their lovely home.
Continue to Amritsar, the Holy City of the Sikhs, housing the renowned Golden
Temple, floating like a dream in the middle of a tranquil pool. Experience the
Palki Sahib ceremony, during which the Sikh holy book is laid to rest. Drive
through spectacular mountain scenery to Dharamsala, the center of the Tibetan
exile world in India. Visit the spectacular Tibetan Monastery at McLeod Ganj,
home to the current Dalai Lama, and Norbulinka, an idyllic setting established
to preserve and teach the ancient Tibetan arts.
Take a high-speed train to Agra from Delhi, and visit the hauntingly beautiful
city of Fatehpur Sikri. In Agra, encounter the glorious Mughal artistic legacy
etched into marble and inlaid with semi-precious gemstones, from Shah Jahan’s
exquisite Taj Mahal to the graceful Agra Fort.
In Khajuraho, admire the exquisite, erotic sculptures that adorn the ancient
Chandela temples, a World Heritage site. In the ancient city of Varanasi, take
sunset and sunrise boat rides to observe the endless cycles of life and death being
played out along the banks of the Ganges River, and visit nearby Sarnath, one of
the world’s most important Buddhist centers.
Finish in Mumbai, and observe dabbawalas, or lunch box deliverers, at work,
and see the Dhobi Ghats where hundreds of men beat clean laundry in open-air
troughs. A boat excursion to the beautifully sculpted rock-cut temples at
Elephanta Caves will also captivate you.
Great educational leadership, gourmet cuisine, excellent accommodations, and the
endless beauties of India itself promise to make this tour a fabulous experience.
We hope that you will join Greg McGonigle and Oberlin alumni as we explore
India’s dynamic history and culture. Register early as space is limited!
Best wishes,
M. Danielle Young
Executive Director, Oberlin Alumni Association
Rev. Greg McGonigle
was appointed Oberlin
College’s first multifaith
Director of Religious and
Spiritual Life in 2008.
His duties are to support
all campus religious and
spiritual communities, to promote religious
and ethical literacy, and to foster interfaith
dialogue and engagement. His academic
background is in South Asian religions from
Brown University and American religious
history and religion in higher education from
Harvard. While at Harvard, he worked for
Professor Diana Eck’s Pluralism Project
researching world religions in the United
States, and he has also worked in health
clinics, congregations, and campus ministries
at the University of California. Since June
2010 he has been partnering with the White
House on efforts to promote religious
pluralism and interfaith engagement in
higher education, which have resulted in two
publications. He is an ordained minister in
the Unitarian Universalist Association and
has led or participated in study, service, and
interfaith trips to Europe, India, Africa,
Australia, and the Middle East.
Study Leader Rev.
Greg McGonigle
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
• Join Rev. Greg McGonigle, who has
studied East Asian religions extensively,
on a fascinating sojourn in India.
• Experience the splendor of the Taj
Mahal on an in-depth tour of this
architectural Mughal masterpiece.
• Travel by rickshaw through Old Delhi,
finishing with a visit to Jami Masjid,
India’s largest mosque.
• Gain insight into Indian family life at a
welcome reception and dinner hosted by
a retired army General and his family in
their lovely Delhi home.
• Visit exotic Amritsar, holy city of the
Sikhs, and observe flag ceremonies at
the Indo-Pak border.
• Explore Dharamsala, the capital-in-exile
of the Tibetan people, and experience
the bustle of tourists, brightly robed
Buddhist monks, and traditionally
attired Tibetans.
• Absorb the vibrant images of Indian
village life, from bustling vegetable
markets to verdant mustard fields.
• Sample savory curries and masalas
typical of northern Indian cuisine.
• Observe India’s master artisans at work,
and see marble and semi-precious
stonework, silk textile weaving, and
Tibetan woodcarvings and Tangka
painting.
Oberlin Alumni Association
65 E. College Street, Suite 4
Oberlin, OH 44074
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Splendors of Sacred India:October 14-31,2012
Splendors of Sacred
India:
October 14 – 31, 2012
Departures from the USA
October 14  Depart on overnight
flights to Delhi.
Arrive in Delhi
October 15  Arrive in Delhi in the
evening, and transfer to the five-star
Claridges Hotel. The Claridges
Delhi
October 16  Dive into the Indian
experience with an exhilarating rickshaw
ride through Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi’s
famed market, finishing at the Jami
Masjid, an impressive, 17th-century
mosque with three imposing black and
white marble domes that took six years
and 5,000 workers to construct. Continue
to Raj Ghat, the lush garden memorial at
the site of Mahatma Gandhi's cremation.
In the late afternoon, visit the Qutub
Minar, the tallest stone tower in India.
Enjoy a memorable cocktail reception and
welcome dinner in a private home hosted
by a retired general and his wife. (B, D)
Delhi / Amritsar
October 17  Check out of your hotel
and spend the morning in Delhi visiting
the Akshardham Temple or Baha’i
Temple. Following lunch, take an
afternoon train to Amritsar, capital of the
Sikh region since the 16th century. Check
into Amitsar’s best hotel, the Ista
Armritsar, and retire for the evening. Ista
Amritsar (B, L)
Amritsar
October 18  Visit the breathtaking
Golden Temple to see its museum
chronicling
Sikhism
and
the
Guru-ka-Langar, a dining hall where
volunteers daily serve around 35,000
worshippers. Continue to the Jalianwallah
Bagh, a beautiful garden that
commemorates unarmed demonstrators
who were shot by British troops in 1919.
After lunch, view the “Retreat,” a
quick-marching ceremony wherein the
Indian and Pakistani flags are lowered on
either side of the controversial border.
Return to the Golden Temple, and observe
the Palki Sahib ceremony, during which
the Sikh holy book is laid to rest. (B, L)
Amritsar / Dharamsala
October 19  Take in magnificent
mountain scenery and a box lunch on a
magnificent six-hour drive to
Dharamsala, the center of the Tibetan
exile world in India. At Kangra Art
Museum view arts, crafts, and artifacts
from Tibetan and Buddhist cultures.
Check into the Surya Resort, and enjoy
an afternoon stroll through the local
market. Surya Resort (B, L)
Dharamsala
October 20  Spend the morning
visiting McLeod Ganj in Dharamsala
municipality and home to the Dalai
Lama. Meet a monk at the monastery
and see magnificent larger-than-life
statues of Buddha, Padmasambhava
and Avaloketeshwara. Following lunch,
visit
Norbulinka,
which
was
established to preserve and teach the
ancient Tibetan arts in an idyllic setting
with shady paths, wooden bridges,
small streams, and tiny waterfalls.
View
artisans
working
on
woodcarvings, embroidery, and Tangka
paintings. (B, L)
Dharamsala / Delhi
October 21  Following a relaxing
morning, fly to Delhi. Drive through
New Delhi and see the legacy the
British left behind as you pass the
imposing India Gate, the Parliament
building, and the President’s residence.
Visit Humayun’s tomb, an outstanding
monument in the Indo-Persian style
and a precursor of the Taj Mahal.
Check back into The Claridges, and
enjoy an evening at leisure. (B, L)
Delhi / Fatehpur Sikri / Agra
October 22  Take an early morning
express train to Agra. Upon arrival, drive
to Fatehpur Sikri, a hauntingly beautiful
ghost city and the temporary capital of the
Mughal Emperor Akbar in the 16th
century. Following lunch, return to Agra,
and check into the Taj Gateway. Enjoy an
afternoon at leisure or an optional visit to
Mother Teresa’s Charity Mission, a home
for orphans and the mentally ill. Taj
Gateway Hotel (B, L)
Agra
October 23  Drive to the resplendent
Taj Mahal and experience the Taj at
sunrise, when the marble façade
embellished with inlaid semi-precious
gems is most spectacular. Return by
horse-drawn carriages. After free time for
a late breakfast and relaxation, explore
the impressive red sandstone Agra Fort;
hear about Shah Jahan’s imprisonment by
his son and the subsequent decline of the
Mughal empire; and admire the Taj
Mahal from afar. Meet a master artisan
who will demonstrate marble inlay
techniques. Sample South Indian cuisine
at a popular local restaurant. (B, D)
Agra / Jhansi / Khajuraho
October 24  Take a first-class train to
Jhansi. Explore the well-preserved palace
and temples of Orchha’s stunning
Fortess-Palace, once the capital of the
Bundelas, and see one of India’s most
spectacular fresco cycles. After sampling
regional specialties at a lovely local
restaurant, drive through lush rural
scenery en route to Khajuraho. Check
into the Taj Chandela. Dinner is
independent. Taj Chandela (B, L)
Khajuraho
October 25  Following a lecture by
your study leader, explore the impressive
millennium-old Chandela temples of
Khajuraho, a World Heritage site known
for its exquisite sculptures. Enjoy a free
afternoon for relaxation, or participate in
a jeep safari to glimpse village life. Join
an optional excursion to a dance
performance. Dinner is included. (B, D)
Khajuraho / Varanasi
 Enjoy a relaxing
morning and a lecture by your study
leader. Fly to Varanasi, possibly the
oldest living city in the world. Mark
Twain wrote that Varanasi “is older than
history, older than tradition, older even
than legend, and looks twice as old as all
of them put together.” Due to its location
on the sacred Ganges River and its strong
association with the Hindu god Shiva, it
is India’s holiest city, with a spiritual and
religious legacy that spans over three
millennia. The nearly 100 series of
riverside steps or ghats spanning four
miles define the city’s culture and
identity. Check into the Taj Gateway
Hotel and enjoy lunch. Walk through the
city’s serpentine lanes and get a glimpse
into the world of the people who call this
ancient city home. At sunset, visit the
ghats to witness an illuminated Ganga
Aarti ceremony – an experience of a
lifetime. Ganga Aarti is a spectacularly
moving sight, with hundreds thronging to
the ghats to offer lamps to the river. Taj
Gateway (B, L)
October 26
Varanasi
October 27  Take a sunrise boat ride
on the sacred Ganges to view the cremation
ghats and witness the living traditions of
one of the world’s oldest religions,
Hinduism. Return to the hotel to relax and
enjoy a late breakfast. In the afternoon,
head to Sarnath, one of the world’s most
important Buddhist centers. The site where
the Buddha delivered his first sermon is
commemorated by the enormous Dhamekh
Stupa. Also view the superb collection of
Buddhist artifacts in the Archaeological
Museum, including India’s national
emblem, an Ashokan lion, in polished
sandstone. Dine in a local restaurant. (B, D)
Varanasi / Mumbai
 At a traditional silk
weaving workshop, observe weavers at their
looms skillfully weaving tissue and lamé for
delicate sashes and brilliant scarves. Drive
through the Benaras Hindu University
campus, one of the ancient seats of learning
in India. Following lunch, fly to Mumbai.
Enjoy a Mumbai orientation drive, stopping
at the Hanging Gardens, formal gardens that
are built over Bombay’s reservoir and
adjacent to the Tower of Silence, a round
stone construction on which Parsis place
their dead to be eaten by vultures. Drive
down Marine Drive, Mumbai’s seaside
promenade. Check into the Trident Nariman
Point, and enjoy an evening at leisure.
Trident Nariman Point (B, L)
October 28
Mumbai
October 29  Drive to the Gateway of
India, Mumbai’s most famous landmark,
and take boats to the famous Elephanta
Caves to see beautifully sculpted rock-cut
temples that were created between 450 and
750 AD. Return to Mumbai, and enjoy an
afternoon at leisure. (B)
Mumbai
October 30  Following a free morning
for relaxation, check out of your hotel.
Observe dabbawalas, or lunch box
deliverers, who daily deliver more than
175,000 lunch boxes. Continue to the Dhobi
Ghats, a huge open-air laundry, where
hundreds of men soap, soak, boil, beat, and
thrash laundry in open-air troughs. Enjoy a
photo stop at the Victoria Terminus, a World
Heritage site and the most splendid piece of
Victorian Gothic architecture in India. Visit
the marble Jain Temples dedicated to the
first Jain Tirthankara as well as the house
where Gandhi stayed when visiting Mumbai
that now houses photographs and
memorabilia. Bid goodbye to India during a
memorable farewell dinner together. Then
proceed to the airport for overnight flights
back to the US. Aloft (B, D)
Return to the United States
October 31  Return to the Unites States.
Splendors of Sacred India
October 14 – 31, 2012
Land Only Package...................$5,995
Single Supplement........................$1,495
Tour price is based on double occupancy with a minimum of 15 paying participants. Land
prices are based on quotes of November 2011 and are subject to change. Participants are
responsible for all aspects of their air arrangements. Tour payments must be paid by check
to ISDI. Final Payment is due by June 14, 2012. Registrations will be accepted beyond this
date on a space-available basis.
Included in the Tour Cost
v Accommodations as outlined in the v
v
itinerary, double occupancy
v Breakfast daily, 9 lunches, 5 dinners
v Services of an ISDI tour manager
v
v Participation of Greg McGonigle
v
v Entrance fees for all included visits
v Gratuities for guides and drivers
v
Taxes, services, and porterage fees
Transportation by private, deluxe
motorcoach as outlined
Three domestic economy flights
One group airport transfer on
arrival and departure as outlined
Two first-class train tickets
Not Included
Passport fees; visa fees; personal items, such as wines, liquors, and mineral water, except where
noted in the itinerary; personal services; international air arrangements; airport/airline taxes; travel
extensions; personal insurance for health, baggage, and tour cancellation.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS: International Seminar Design, Inc. (ISDI) and Oberlin Alumni
Association (OAA) reserve the right to cancel any tour prior to departure for any reason including
insufficient numbers of participants, as well as the right to decline to accept or retain any person as a
member of the tour at any time. If bookings fall below the minimum required, participants will be
advised of additional surcharge before departure date. All cancellations must be received in writing by
ISDI, and charges are calculated as of the day notification is received in writing by ISDI. If a tour
member cancels, the following scale of charges is incurred: There is a non-refundable administrative
fee of $500 per person. Written cancellation received by ISDI on or before June 14, 2012: full refund
minus $500 per person administrative fee. Written cancellation received by ISDI between June 15 and
July 30, 2012: full refund of any recoverable land costs, less $1,000 per person cancellation charge
(includes administrative fee). Written cancellation received by ISDI between July 31 and September 13,
2012: forfeit of majority of funds, including a $1,500 per person cancellation charge (includes
administrative fee). Cancellation during this period could result in a loss of as much as 100% of land
costs per person. Cancellations received after September 13, 2012: no refund. After the tour has
commenced, it is not possible to issue any refunds. No refunds are issued for any unused portion of the
tour including, but not limited to, occasional missed meals or sightseeing tours. Costs for promotion,
staff, and other group expenses are not refundable. If due to weather, flight schedules, or other
uncontrollable factors you are required to spend an additional night, you will be responsible for your
own hotel, transfers, and meal costs. Tour cancellation, baggage, and medical insurance is strongly
recommended. A confirmation letter and travel insurance application will be mailed to you upon receipt
of your deposit. © 2012 International Seminar Design, Inc. / CST 2072963-40
Splendors of Sacred India: October 14-31, 2012
Enclosed is my deposit check ($1,000 per person) payable to ISDI.
NAME(S)
CLASS/YEAR
NAME(S)
CLASS/YEAR
ADDRESS
CITY
TELEPHONE (HOME)
STATE
ZIP
(OFFICE)
The undersigned has read the tour itinerary and recognizes
and accepts any risks therein. The undersigned also
understands and hereby agrees for and on behalf of his/her
dependents, heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns to
abide by the conditions set forth in the terms and conditions
listed in this brochure and to release and hold harmless OAA
and International Seminar Design, Inc. (ISDI) and any of
their officers, trustees, agents, licensees, or representatives,
from any and all liability for delays, injuries, or death or for
the loss of or damage to his/her property however occurring
during any portion of, or in relation to, the tour.
EACH PARTICIPANT MUST SIGN.
SIGNATURE:
DATE
SIGNATURE:
DATE
Complete and return to:
E-MAIL(S)
NUMBER OF PERSONS / AMOUNT ENCLOSED
 Double Occupancy
 Single Supplement
 I will be sharing a room with
 I would like a roommate but am willing to pay the
single space if one cannot be found.
International Seminar Design, Inc.
4115 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 101
Washington, D.C. 20016
Fax: (202) 244-1808
E-mail: [email protected]
For information, phone:
ISDI at (202) 244-1448
Oberlin Alumni Association at (440) 775-8692