Contributed/JP Saini

Over winter break, a group of ETSU students and faculty traveled to Podar College in Rajasthan, India, to participate in Destination Nawalgarh, a study abroad and cultural immersion experience.

The trip fully immersed students in rural college life in northern India while also allowing them to experience iconic landmarks on the journey to Nawalgarh. Students traveled through Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, witnessing some of the grandest marvels of the world, including the Taj Mahal and other UNESCO World Heritage sites.

“We’ve experienced a lot of different things. I mean we went to three really big cities in three days which was crazy…Every day is something new and that’s been a really beautiful thing,” said Omaiya Al-Salim, a history major on the trip.

The majority of the trip was spent in the town of Nawalgarh, where students studied either Indian History and Culture or Sustainability and Social Entrepreneurship at Podar College.

“The biggest impact and takeaway I would want students to have is from the course material,” said Destination Nawalgarh Project Head Rishika Podar. “The way we teach the subjects here, you’re learning the same concepts you can learn everywhere, but we have a goal in mind to kind of emphasize, say, if you’re learning Sustainability and Social Entrepreneurship, you’re learning about how you imbibe those values and support and create those ecosystems to help support communities and turn a profit.”

Alongside lectures from Ambrish Sharma Sir, students visited successful social enterprises in and around Nawalgarh. Visits included The Desert Resort Mandawa, a sustainable vacation destination, and Asha Ka Jharna, a school focused on assisting differently-abled children. Students also toured Jor Ki Dhani, an organic farm that produced both crops and dairy.

“I didn’t realize how much of a priority [sustainability] was,” said Al-Salim. “You know all of the things we learned about in our class…I didn’t know anything about that before I came here. It was really cool to learn about different things that people are doing and how successful they are with a lot of them.”

History and Culture students also attended lectures from Nishant Mathur Sir and participated in Rajasthani cultural activities. On Jan. 14, students celebrated a traditional festival called Makar Sankranti by flying kites. Throughout the trip, the group also made traditional pottery, rode camels, dined on local cuisine, learned henna and more.

Emma Denton, an ETSU History and Culture student, shared her thoughts on what she learned in Nawalgarh. “I feel like some of that reasoning behind certain ritualistic parts of this culture has been overlooked,” said Denton, referring to the study of Indian culture in the U.S.

In their classes at Podar College, History and Culture students learned about Jainism, an Indian religion that believes in practicing non-violence and vegetarianism. For instance, ETSU students learned Jains do not eat root vegetables because uprooting them kills the whole plant and the microorganisms in the dirt around them.

“When being taught in the U.S., I knew that people who practice Jainism didn’t eat potatoes, but I never knew the why,” Denton said.

Not only did the partnership expose ETSU students to a new world, but according to Rishika Podar, it also brought another culture to the students at Podar College.

“For Podar students, [Destination Nawalgarh] is the most wonderful opportunity. Because of certain limitations, they do not get the most exposure to a world different from their own, and having you come to our campus, come to our school, come to our hometown — there is no greater joy than for the students to meet you.”

For ETSU students, Rishika Podar’s goal was similar.

“My aim with each student is that they take back a different perspective of India than what they had in mind. That’s something that I want them to take back. I want them to feel and experience [India] the way I do, to see the richness of the culture and to see it as a success story and not as a third world country.”

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