India is complex, a country of contrasts, and spending time in India is both exhilarating and intimidating. When Prema Samhat started taking groups to her Indian homeland five years ago, word spread. Now more than a hundred Wofford alumni and friends have explored the wonders of India thanks to Prema. While no two experiences are alike, the intrepid travelers from 2025 offer some of their lessons as a love note to India and, of course, to our fearless leader.
- India is an experience that employs every sense: The constant colors of intricate sarees, fresh produce, murals, advertisements and flowers, flowers and more flowers. The sounds of horns and vendors; in India it seems that everyone is an entrepreneur, and everyone has somewhere to be. The smell of street food, and the taste of spices layered in the same way for thousands of years. The press of people crowding to get their first glimpse of the Taj Mahal through the great gate. The complete sensory experience of an elephant ride at the Amber Fort in Jaipur!
- The architecture is as layered as the spices within the shahi paneer, evidence of India’s history of both religious diversity and colonization. For example, the red sandstone of the Palace of Winds (completed in 1799) is a blend of both Rajput and Mughal architecture. The Qutb Minar (started in 1199) is one of the first structures of Islamic architecture. The Lotus Temple of the Baha’i faith was completed in 1986 and is a retreat for followers of all religions; it reflects a biomimicry style of expressionist architecture.
- Generosity abounds in India. For example, beginning at 5 a.m., the volunteers at Gurdwara Bangla Sahib Sikh Temple begin serving free meals — up to 60,000 each day, 365 days a year. In this space, tourists, Sikhs observing holy days and even royalty sit shoulder to shoulder with locals or those who are homeless, sharing meals while listening to the chants and bells of the Gurdwara. Watching people do so much with so little was humbling and inspiring.
- India is the most populous country in the world, and it has the world’s second largest number of English-speakers, behind the United States; there are 22 official languages in India but only one time zone. Cows are sacred in India, and products that come from cows are highly valued; India is the world’s largest producer of milk. The national bird is the peacock, and the national animal is the Bengal tiger. India gained its independence in 1947; India has been invaded more than 200 times throughout its history. India grows more than 40% of the world’s mangoes. The game of chess was invented in India. There are 43 UNESCO World Heritage sites in India, and we saw nine of them!
- The phrase “the guest is god,” derived from the Sanskrit phrase “Atithi Devo Bhava,” holds true today in new and lucrative ways (tourism and hospitality are expected to surpass $500 billion in India over the next few years). Without exception, the people we met were gracious, kind and patient with people like us who were often unfamiliar with the culture, food and customs. We were welcomed without hesitation into homes, public and private restrooms, auto rikshaws, buses, restaurants, hotels, market stalls, art galleries and conversations with radical hospitality.
Last words from two grateful travelers:
Prema,
India is an amazing country. This is such as incredible trip. I have mostly known doctors and engineers from India who are, of course, excellent. Here we have met so many extraordinary people, and they have captured our hearts and our memories forever. They are now our family, and we are theirs. Without your initiative, we might have gone through the final chapters of our lives without this experience, without these memories. This trip has changed our outlook on the world. We will leave here with more hope and a greater respect for the future of mankind … for the future of our children and grandchildren.
