Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Entertainment | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Discovery of India

Students from Norway visit Chinna Veerampattinam, a village in Pondicherry, to get a feel of the real India

PLAY TIME A student from Norway enjoys a game of kabbadi at Chinna Veerampattinam PHOTO: T. Singaravelou

"Every time they come, we dress them up in saris. They look so different because of their fair skin," said Rani and Shanti of Chinna Veerampattinam, a village in Pondicherry, which hosts students from Norway every year. Students from various universities in Norway have been coming to Chinna Veerampattinam for the past seven years as part of their curriculum. Most of them study sociology or religion. There are also those from science and business backgrounds, who join the 10-week stay in India.

"During that time we try not to bother the locals too much or shock their sensibilities by wearing revealing clothes. We also try to join them for lunch on two days and play games with their children. One of the lunches is hosted by the village, while the other one is provided by our institution," said Cecille Hoisater, programme director, Culture Studies, the organisation that brings the students from Norway to India. Two batches of students come every year.

Though the students stay in Pondicherry, they have their classes in Chinna Veerampattinam, a picturesque location on an island near the estuary of a river the only access to which is by way of a wooden bridge. "Since the students are from Norway, they like the sun, the sand, the beach and the afternoon breeze. The first batch of students enjoyed the sun so much that we decided to have the classes regularly here. So this place became a study centre," said D. Selvaraj, course coordinator, Culture Studies.

Children's day

Recently, the Norwegian students organised a Children's Day for the kids in the village and played games such as kabbadi and volleyball and spent the whole day with them. They also had lunch and snacks with the children and their parents.

"The idea to study in a village in India is that our students get a feel of the country since they study history and religion (Hinduism is one of the major religions they read about). It is good for them to learn the subject right in the place of its origin. Also the students study social anthropology, including Indian ecology, economy, culture and post-colonialism," explains Cecille.

Also for Norwegians, the trip to another country helps them to come out of their shells. "Most of them are shy and the course helps them get an exposure to different cultures and people. Of course, it is difficult in the beginning, because of the culture shock, the food and the climate. But the students get accustomed to it," she added.

We spoke to Betsey Eskeland and Haakon Tandberg who are part of the group. Haakon is studying the Science of Religion at university in Norway and is happy to get a first hand experience of all that he read about Hinduism. "The temples are fascinating. Our lecturers and local coordinators have helped us with visits and we just stop at temples on our way and take a look at the various rituals and religious practices. After my study of religion, I plan to take up psychology. Many people in Norway these days are taking up religious studies, it has become a fad but we don't pursue professions relating to religion," said Haakon.

Meeting different people

In the case of Betsey, the visit is exciting because she is able to meet different people and live in a new surrounding. "Though their stay is short, many students like India so much that they often returen. I too would like to come back some day. We don't just have classes that are course related. In the evenings, most of us attend courses in tabla, singing, cooking, Tamil and even dancing," she said.

Now coming to their future plans, Selvaraj said that they were trying to tie up with the Pondicherry University, especially with the Departments of Tourism and Anthropology. "Though the classes are conducted in the Norwegian language, the students can converse in English."

DEEPA RAMAKRISHNAN

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Metro Plus    Bangalore    Chennai    Coimbatore    Delhi    Hyderabad    Kochi    Madurai    Mangalore    Pondicherry    Tiruchirapalli    Thiruvananthapuram    Vijayawada    Visakhapatnam