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Varanasi: Ritual City, Philosophy & Sacred Public Life

Varanasi: Ritual City, Philosophy & Sacred Public Life

Overview

Varanasi stands as one of the world’s longest continuously inhabited ritual cities. This program examines sacred geography, daily ritual practice, cremation grounds, river cosmology, and Upanishadic philosophical traditions as interconnected systems.

Students engage with the city as both text and practice, reading philosophy through embodied ritual and public performance.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will:

  • Observe ritual respectfully within ethical boundaries.
  • Connect Upanishadic philosophical themes with lived devotional practice.
  • Map sacred economy flows within urban space.
  • Ask: How does philosophy shape public ritual life?
  • Explore how pluralism operates within a densely sacred urban environment.
  • Produce a structured field portfolio and thematic synthesis.
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IDEAL DISCIPLINES

Religious Studies

Philosophy

Anthropology

Sociology

Urban Studies

South Asian Studies

Political Science

Comparative Literature

Theology

Cultural Geography

Education

Performance Studies

History

Ethics

Key Locations

Delhi
Varanasi

Itinerary Table

Day Location Academic Focus & Activities Learning Emphasis
1
 Delhi Arrival; orientation Program framing
2–3
 Delhi Seminar: sacred geography & plural public religion; observation protocols Aligning text and field method
4–9
 Varanasi Ritual observation windows; sacred economy mapping; philosophical dialogue sessions Connecting text, practice, and place
10–12
 Delhi Comparative synthesis studio; portfolio development lab Deepening thematic integration
13
 Delhi Departure Closure