India: Materiality & Memory (short)

Location: Jong Village Rd, Bashkola, Himachal Pradesh 175129, India

Season: August 21, 2022 to September 4, 2022

Application Deadline: June 1, 2022

Deadline Type: Rolling

Website: https://ifrglobal.org/program/india-materiality-memory-short-program/

Program Type:
Field School

RPA Certified:
No

Project Director:
Dr. Sonali Gupta-agarwal and Dr. Parth Chauhan

Project Description:

Participants will be trained in methods for evaluating early shamanistic, Hindu, and Buddhist traditions using material culture and memory. Students will explore deep underlying connections between oral narratives, the spaces where these narratives are performed, and the objects and buildings involved in memory making. The study of woodworking crafts will serve as a lens onto the generational transmission of embodied knowledge and oral tradition. Instruction in wood crafting will be provided by a local craftsperson who is also a shaman and Hindu. Students will learn the principles of woodcarving, how and when to use specific tools, and craft-specific knowledge, both bodily and conceptual.

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers: Participants must stay entire duration of the field school.

Minimum Age: 18

Experience Required: No prior experience required.

Room and Board Arrangements:
The housing facilities are comfortable. The location is nestled in Jonga, a beautiful village set against the backdrop of the Dhauladhar and Pirpanjal mountain ranges in the Himalayas. The property is bounded by Himalayan cedar and fruit trees. Students will be housed in spacious cottages, where each cottage can accommodate 2 individuals. The cottages are large enough, most having separate sections to allow social distancing. The cottages are situated on a hill with an enclosed peripheral wall away from the community. Each cottage has internet connectivity, television, a kitchen with a burner, a tea facility, bottled water, a refrigerator, and solar powered hot water. The beds are comfortable, and bedding/linens will be provided.

Academic Credit:
3 Semester Credit Units offered by Connecticut College. Tuition is $2,420.